Here are a few tips for keeping your page interesting and effective:
Nothing’s worse than viewing the same old thing every time. Change the background, format, anything to make it look new and improved. Add photos, graphics, or icons (many of which are available free online), create a table in place of straight text, change colors — anything!
You can even play around varying fonts, but one warning: Don’t get too fancy or it may start working against you by distracting the reader. Remember, the message is the thing.
Depending on the type of software used to create your page (and the brand of Internet browser being used by the surfer), you may be able to incorporate flashy and eye-catching special effects such as marquees (lettering that scrolls along the top or bottom of the page), blinking text, moving graphics/images, video, and more.
Keep more-than-adequate contrast between background colors, text, and graphics. On some people’s view screens, colors may not differentiate themselves as well as on the screen you use to create your page.
Also remember that on a small computer screen, information on your page may not be immediately visible to the viewer. If there’s a message you really want to convey, locate it in the frame of view (generally the upper left-hand corner) as the page comes up.
A little info is OK, but then move on. Give the client something that s/he is actually interested in, such as a special promotion, seminar, open house, etc. How about setting up a chat room, where a group of users get together online to discuss topics in an open forum? Or, how about scheduling interviews with industry experts to participate in chat sessions?
Link their pages to yours if possible, and make sure the labels are well described. Also, if appropriate, link up to other sites such as contractors, vendors, manufacturers, construction organizations, etc.
Once the links are created, be sure to check them regularly to ensure they’re working properly or haven’t changed. It’s quite frustrating to click onto a linked site that won’t come up or that directs them elsewhere. It makes your site look unmanaged.
These banners will link that page to yours. One click and the customer’s on your home page!
Include company information, addresses, phone/fax numbers, and key contacts.
Many search engines locate the page based on matching these terms, even if they don’t appear in the site’s title or heading.
This added element, most often in .wav or .mid formats, can be something as simple as background music, or as intricate as a company biography. Again, though, make sure it’s appropriate. Don’t include it just because you can.
Remember, ISPs can crash and lose data too.