How To Critique Your Web Site?: Part 2 Submitted by Brian Bearden, Zephyr Salvo Studios 713-481-3321 / 832-594-5390 / www.zSalvo.com / brian@zsalvo.com What does Brian Bearden look at when giving a website critique? For the past couple of shows I have been doing free on-air website critiques. Someone heard me, called me and their first question was... What do you look at when reviewing a website for one of your critiques? My reply to them was... same as visitors to your site will look at. I just know from my years of experience and visiting hundreds of websites a day what stands out to most visitors and what stands out to me. Last week I gave 9 things that I look at when reviewing a website. Below is a continuation of what I, as well as, visitors to your site will look at. 10. How easy is it to read the site? Text that is too small or does not resize when the page is enlarged. Remember, people can pull up your website on their phone, blackberry, laptop, computer screen and yes a 60 inch plasma screen. 11. Block of colored text on a dark background. I was reviewing a site for potential client and they had light gray links and I could not tell what the text was, let alone that they wanted me to click on it. Blue on blue was another one that I caught for a client. 12. White Space - White Space is good. You don’t have to fill all of the space on your site with text or a graphic. Want to look at a site that has the white space down to a science, take a look at www.yahoo.com Their home page links to thousands of pages, yet there is white space and you can get to where you need to go. 13. Website features that date a site. Some of this technology was great back in 1997 but it’s 2009 now. • Website Counter - how many people visited the site. Who cares, especially if it’s a low number. • Blinking Text - used to be cool ten years ago. • Music - a lot of web surfing is done at the office on company time. The last thing someone wants to do at work is pull up a website that has music and have the music start as soon as the site launches. It is not only distracting but they don’t want to get caught so they will leave your site even before they can "Name That Tune". • How would you like to view this site - 56Kbps? 128Kbps? Flash? HTML? High speed or Low speed version? Just give them the content that is what they are after. • Favorite Links button – come on you remember when websites used to have Favorite Links, Favorite Resources, Jokes, etc. Some sites still have these on there. People don’t have the time to see what you like, they are on your site for a purpose. 14. If you are linking to PDF files disclose it: ever clicked on a link only to see your browser freezing while Acrobat Reader launches to open that (unrequested) PDF file? That is pretty annoying so make sure to let people know they are about to open or download something. Want your website reviewed on air? Call Tuesday at 3pm and I would be glad to help you. Don’t want to air your dirty laundry. Email me at brian@zsalvo.com or call me at 832-594-5390 and I will be glad to talk with you about your site off air. Check last week's article for more info on how I critique a website. Want a free website critique. Call 713-783-8365 on Tuesday @ 3pm for a free on air website critique or email me at brian@zsalvo.com. About Our Show Expert: Brian Bearden is a Director and website redesign guy of Zephyr Salvo Studios. He has a true passion for the web and is glad to share is advice for making your website the best it can be. Visit www.zsalvo.com or www.upstreammarketing.net to see a sample of his design portfolio or call 832-594-5390 to schedule your free website consultation.