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Inspirational Websites |
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As you begin to plan your website, don't forget that the best resource is right under your nose. The World Wide Web bubbles forth on every subject imaginable from hedgehog appreciation to trepanation. The presentation styles are as varied as the subject matter. Some pages are simply one long page of text. Others incorporate multimedia elements such as Flash. Yet others, according to losers dot org, are just a plain mess.
If you want to build a website you'll be proud of, it pays to research. Figure out which websites you like and why. Look at sites that cover similar topics. If your site is about hedgehogs, look at how other sites cover and arrange content about the spiny creatures. If you see a site that really appeals to you, see what you can learn from it.
Inspiration While you're surfing for inspiration, you may be wowed by the recent flood of fancy, flashy sites. But before you decide to create a multimedia extravaganza, think about whether multimedia elements belong on your page or if they're extraneous to your site's mission.
Flashy fancy Indigenous Australia Online is a "drop-dead gorgeous" example of how multimedia can be used to augment and highlight a site's subject matter. It makes sense to have audio, video, and graphical elements on a site about Aboriginal music. Note that they also offer an HTML-only version of the site, so that users running text-only browsers or those with slow Net connections can still access and enjoy their material.
Another Flash favorite is NRG. Showing a rare consideration for their site's visitors, they offer an option to turn the music off on their homepage, something many a seasoned webmaster neglects to do. Giving users choices of how to view your site will endear them to you.
Sound navigation Bill Weinman has nicely laid out the categories of his site with two elegant and attractive forms of navigation. The homepage offers a navigation bar on the left-hand side with links to the site's contents, along with an image map that people can click on to access areas of the site. Notice that each area of the site you visit is highlighted in yellow on the navigation bar so that you always know where you are.
Informational At the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages you can do everything from tracing your family's roots to applying for your birth certificate. A comprehensive Web resource like this requires judicious organization, and this site has done an excellent job of clearly laying out information. The purpose of the site is immediately obvious, and the table of contents and contact information immediately visible. Information is paramount on this site, and fancy graphical bells and whistles would simply get in the way. The site is aided by a site map-- a diagram that lays out the navigational structure of the site.
Personal website David Spark is a contributor to various TV shows and has his own well-organized site. David has so many photos on his website that without some serious organization, his site would be a mess. However he's done a great job of categorizing them into areas that make sense. Also note that his homepage is frequently updated with links to the latest articles and features on his site. Remember, once you've put up your site, your duties are not over. The Web is an organic medium and your website needs to be updated to stay fresh and interesting to users. |
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