Cricket,

Does a website need a white background to give it a “professional” look? I sell handcrafted gifts. Does it make a difference what you are trying to sell?

I hate white . . . white walls, white uniforms. (too many years as a nurse . . . lol)

What about text? Do you have to stick with this, or is it acceptable to use something like Jester? I’m an arts and crafts gal, and my website seems to reflect some of my personality. What are the golden rules?

Thanks for everything,

Teresa Lamb, Florida
Fly By Nite Creations

Hi Teresa!

When you are trying to get an online business off the ground, portraying a high level of professionalism is crucial to website credibility. Certainly there are different degrees of professionalism, based on your target audience. However, there are not varying degrees of trust.

When it comes to giving you private information, the potential clients either trust you or they do not. Common web page mistakes can and will have an impact on the financial success of your site.

Many standards that we have come to expect from a professional business are actually quality standards in web design. Those that address usability issues are very important to your business regardless of your target audience.

If your visitors cannot easily read your content because of an unusual font or poor contrast between the text and the background, they will not stay on your site long. The less time your visitors spend on your site, the less likely they are to make a purchase.

This does not mean that you cannot blend your personality into your site. In fact, that can be a big part of your business appeal. As always though, the key to success is finding a balance here.

With graphics and photography playing a major role in my business, many of my sites involve a lot of color. I balance this by having the content areas of the layout use a contrast that is easily readable. This is generally considered a light background with dark text.

The same goes for your selection of fonts. The average user must be able to easily read your text. You must also consider that many fonts are not standard on every computer and will revert to the default font. Save the uncommon fonts for headings or graphics on your site and you are more likely to appeal to the average user.

I WILL DEFINITELY SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

Ask Cricket Small Business Marketing Consultant and SEO Training Specialist
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