When redesigning a website for your company you must look to simplify it and keep it simple as possible for web viewers. We are dealing with an ever-increasing click savvy Internet Surfer who has things to do and websites to go to. Often it makes sense to look at keeping your home page uncluttered to attracted surfers and keep them surfing on your website. One recent and interesting design case study was on a Website Directory for online article writers, Ezine Editors and readers of information from experts for topic-interested surfers. The site is called EzineArticles. The site has grown over the past few years and added so many new features and possibilities that it is facing a simplification overhaul of its home page. There were several ideas on how to do this, as currently much of the directory is listed on the home page making it difficult to find what you are looking for. Some have suggested a tight and small directory with a search feature at the top and then 10-15 directory titles. Each title would lead to more sub directories. Like Yahoo in the beginning, but strictly for articles online which this site controls. One thought was that it might be best to simplify and go for a combo, of number a prominent search feature on the top and a small but realistic number of title directory hyperlinks below. Additionally with a hyperlink at the bottom, which says see; "See all categories" which takes you to a page which is exactly as it is now, without any changes? Then the user would be able to click on main categories to go to that specific sub group if they wanted too. Many good thoughts were presented along these lines as well as the mastermind of the site Mr. Chris Knight. Another thought was to put this idea into place and then allow the sub category pages to be in HTML with all those sub categories going to specific categories with articles underneath that about forty or fifty deep for good key wording and more specific ad traffic, you know? Allowing frequent users to see what are the newest articles in each category and subcategory. This way the site would have the Search Box on top With Main Categories underneath, still room for ads to pay for it all and you get your main categories too. Thus you keep people very happy who wish to search for an article they want, rummage thru the new stuff or look it up by category. This also allows for the one-click away theory to capture the Internet Surfer and keep them surfing on the website for the latest and greatest articles. And those who like the current page the way it is also have that option, because it is also one click away. EzineArticles website would then be seen as having the new paradigm in "One Click Away" theory and enjoy accelerated growth without the clutter. Think about it. The Good Life is only one click away. EzineArticles.com is the Bomb! |
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