The Look and Feel of a website
The look and feel of a website is what makes viewers want to stay or leave, so it’s of paramount importance.
The look of a website is how it appears to the viewer and encompasses layout and color. We all have preconceptions about what to expect from different types of web site. When you access a website accidentally you can often see what it’s about even before you start reading. Subconsciously the sober colors and formal layout tell you it’s maybe a Government site: or if it’s full of flashing banners in reds and orange and moving text it could be a news site.
Too many websites have a dark background with dark lettering. The webmaster may think it looks sophisticated but really it’s a pain in the butt for most viewers. Unless the visitor has a compelling reason to stay, they won’t.
One of the worst websites I’ve seen for this lately is
I know it’s much used and very useful but I would say it’s only tolerated by its users because they need it.
I like to see a web page that’s uncluttered, with plenty of white space, and I prefer black text on a white background. Even so I don’t use it all the time.
Note; White space is the space allowed around text, images etc. to prevent the page looking cluttered. It isn’t always white.
The feel of a website is how easy it is to use. Is it obvious how to navigate around the site? Is there sufficient explanation? Again, problems like this will drive viewers away in frustration and it’s often difficult to find good solutions. Many professional sites I use suffer from this and many and varied are the methods used to try to improve things.
Sometimes, instead of a text link, a thumbnail picture is used that describes a function when the mouse is hovered over it.
A constant frustration for me is that when I’ve sussed out a website and can find my way about easily, the techies bring out a new version that moves the links around. WordPress is a case in point. Most versions have similar functions but links are regrouped under different headings. But I still love WordPress.
At one time building a website was only for the few who understood coding. Then programs like Dreamweaver appeared to cut out the drudgery of coding. But the learning curve of Dreamweaver and other such sophisticated programs are steep.
But now there are simple, affordable, programs that take all the technical stuff out of building a website. One such program is Really Easy Website Builder. It takes care of all the technical stuff, but you still need to apply Look & Feel to your website if you want to make a website with “stickability”.