Many business owners who have seen success from their company website in the past are now stuck in the world of Web 1.0. Some do not feel a need to update their web presence and others do not understand how redesigning their website can result in increased traffic and sales. With the Web 2.0 revolution, web designers and developers have gained the ability to present information and services in a simple and interactive format. Websites that have a professional look, organized structure, and intuitive user interface are more appealing to customers and more likely to convert visitors into sales.

Yet website redesign is not as simple as it sounds and can result in a negative experience for users accustomed to the old design. While there are many pitfalls surrounding redesign, there are also solutions to help you avoid these problems.

A Case Study in Redesign: Facebook
Anyone who has used Facebook in the past few years must have noticed the frequent design and layout changes they have implemented. While many of these changes have improved usability and aesthetic appeal of the site, other changes have resulted in a backlash from Facebook users. You have probably seen one of the many groups created to allow users to vent their frustrations over the modifications. These groups have accumulated millions of members who are against new changes in design.

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A successful website is crucial in order to be seen and heard in the online jungle. Using these short tips for website design, you can ensure that your website gets the main things right, allowing your designs to build on firm foundations.

1. Try not to exceed 10-12KB per image. There is nothing worse than a website that is painstakingly slow, and using huge images is the primary cause. Not only that, the best websites are almost always clean and clutter-free, and using massive in-your-face images is the first step to a non-functional and visually unattractive website.

2. Your images should nearly always fit the content. If yours is a corporate website in the healthcare sector, avoid images of animals or sports, unless the content deems it appropriate. The only exceptions are design images, or images that are incorporated as part of the web design process which make up the overall structure of the page and are not intended to illustrate the content.

3. Flashing or blinking images are as annoying as the common cold. Use moving images sparingly on your website, and when you do, try to locate them in inconspicuous spaces or out of the eyeline of the content. Moving images are not the substitute for poor content management, and they are best used to compliment the content rather than replace it.

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