What not to do in an architectural website

Published on 16 Dec 2006 at 6:33 pm. 5 Comments.

I visited hundreds of architectural webpages during the last two weeks, looking for potential clients and their references. As a part time enthusiastic graphic/web designer, there are several good things I found and I will consider when designing my next website. On the other hand, hilariously ridiculous things were commonplace. I noted a few of them below.
Yes, a website needs clear and concise design and content. Flash gives the designer so many options, but still, no excuses for nonsensicality. Below is a list of some of the things I would consider as webdesigner:

• Label your buttons! Don’t expect visitors to click on a button that says nothing and looks like an empty square! Don’t make the visitor look for a way to get around. Make navigation intuitive.
• Don’t put a scary sound! Don’t make me turn off my computer because I hear a beating inside the box, as if a giant insect was trapped inside – just to find out that it was a ridiculous sound built into your website.
• …and no cheap music either! I don’t go to your website to listen music. Maybe your webdesigner – part time composer – was just looking for a way to get some more audience in his search for fame. But what is the connection with an architectural website?
• Never have a 1.9Mb intro page. Never expect a busy client to wait 5 minutes or more to load; he will simply go to the next architect in the listing.
• Take away your flash player detector. It just not time-proofed. If your website was designed back in 2001 and I use the latest 2007 browsers and Flash player professional, I will most likely not be allowed to see the website, simply because your Flash detector cannot see my latest version of the player.
• Don’t spell your name L I K E T H I S ! No client will search Google using a space after each letter. Your website will just not show up in a search.
• Love Google. Don’t underestimate it. I get over 75% of my visitors from Google. Make your site Google friendly. Add metatags and keywords. Keep Flash just for effects, make sure you also have some sound HTML paragraphs, or else Google will not see you.
• Even if you use Flash, have a description. What you write in your homepage usually appears in Google listings. One website: “Flash Detection – LOOKING FOR FLASH… this will only take a moment…”. Why would I click on that link? Google lists thousands of pages for my particular querry, I will simply go to the next one.
• …and finally, hire a web designer! Don’t do it yourself, using a cheap automatic generator, or you will end up with a website titled “please add your title here”! – Just verify your window header. If money is a problem, just outsource it, and you’ll get one done for less than $1000.

5 Comments to ‘What not to do in an architectural website’:

1. Anonymous on 16 Dec 2006 at 6:41 pm: 1

   Allright, well said!

2. Anonymous on 17 Dec 2006 at 12:37 pm: 2

   Hilarious. The thing is, most websites are simply overdone. They make it really hard for you to navigate, for the sake of fancy design and coding.

3. Arian on 23 Dec 2006 at 1:38 pm: 3

   Flash is a great tool, too bad is being misused.

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