Communication is one of the foundational elements of a good website. It is essential for a positive user experience and for a successful website that truly benefits its owners. All types of websites are affected by the need for good communication in one way or another. Regardless of whether the website in question is an e-commerce website, a blog, a portfolio website, an information website for a service company, a government website or any other type of website, there is a significant need to communicate effectively with visitors.
Because of the significance of communication with visitors, it is an essential consideration for every designer and website owner and the responsibility of both. Unfortunately, communication is sometimes overlooked and takes a backseat to the visual attractiveness of a website. Ideally, the design and other elements that do the communicating work together to create a clear, unified message to visitors.
In this article, we’ll take a broad look at the subject of clear communication in Web design. We’ll start with a discussion of the primary methods of communication for websites and typical challenges that designers face. From there, we’ll move on to look at what specifically should be communicated to visitors and tips for implementing this in your own work. At the end, we’ll look at some of the goals that should be established in terms of communication when developing websites, as well as some of the results of having a website that communicates effectively.
1. Methods of Communication
Websites communicate with visitors in a number of different ways. Not all websites take the same approach, but almost every website will use at least a few common methods of communication. To get started, let’s first look at some of the basic ways that websites communicate with visitors before going into more depth on the subject.
1.1. Text
Text is, of course, the most obvious form of communication that takes place online. Whether the text is in the main body content of the page or a headline, most website visitors rely on text to understand the basic messages of a website. Depending on the type of the website, text may be extremely critical to communication, as in the case of blogs.
The approach taken with text will depend on the purpose of the website. For example, sales copy on an e-commerce or membership website will differ from article content on an informational website.
1.2. Images
We’ve all heard the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Photos and images are excellent resources not only for creating an attractive and interesting design, but also for communication purposes. Images can often communicate a message faster, more clearly and more emphatically than text. The designer needs to be aware of the messages being communicated via images and ensure they work in harmony with the rest of the website’s communication.
1.3. Titles and Headers
Whether you’re examining Web design, magazine layout, newspaper design, etc., titles and headers are critical to effective communication. Human nature is to want to know something quickly, and especially when on the Web. Titles and headers help to communicate major points and ideas to visitors, and they tell visitors what to expect from the rest of the content.
1.4. Icons
One of the reasons icons are so useful in Web design is that they communicate messages without any text being used. A visitor may see a familiar icon, such as a house that represents a link to the home page, and immediately know what the item represents and what to do.
1.5. Design Styles
The style of a website’s design may also communicate a message to visitors. Certain design styles are common in particular industries, and other styles may not be an appropriate fit for a specific type of website. The style can, in these cases, indicate to visitors something about your website and how it fits their needs. For example, a website that sells skateboards would likely feature a grunge style design. This is a style that most visitors in the target market would appreciate, and by seeing this type of style, visitors in that target market will likely feel comfortable with the website and feel an association with it. In this case, the design style helps communicate to visitors that this is where they belong and that the website was created for them.
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