Newsletter issue #7 - 1st October 2004
This issue
Hello and welcome to the October edition of the Webcredible newsletter! This month we had a record number of you sign up and there are now well over 1000 of you receiving our newsletter. If you enjoy our monthly mails then why not tell your friends about the newsletter? They can easily sign up from any page of the Webcredible site. For now, please enjoy October's newsletter!
In this issue:
- Feature article: Beware of opening links in a new window
- Top tip: Tell me what you do!
- Useful programs: iCapture
- Top link: CSS Zen Garden
- New articles in September
- Webcredible news in September
Enjoy!
Feature article: Beware of opening links in a new window
Many websites open links in new windows, especially when linking to external websites. These webmasters should perhaps think twice about doing so, as it's not always appropriate. Find out more in this month's feature article...
Read this article in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/new-browser-windows.shtml.
Top tip: Tell me what you do!
As soon as I arrive at your website the first thing I need to know, before anything else, is what you do. You can talk all you like about how great you are, but unless you spell out to me what you actually do, I won't even know what you're so great at! There are four different places on the homepage you can communicate this most basic of information:
- Page title The page title is the first thing that appears to your site visitors, often quite a few seconds before the content. Don't only use it to tell me who you are; tell me what you do too. So, if your company is called Bloggs Ltd and you provide information on widgets, a good page title might be: “Bloggs Ltd - Widget information and advice”.
- Tagline Many websites display a tagline below their logo - make sure you do too, as then no matter what page your site visitors enter your website they'll be able to see what you do. A good tagline is explanatory and not vague, clear and informative and about four to eight words in length. So for Bloggs Ltd, a good tagline might be, “All you need to know about widgets”.
- Main heading Many homepages still have a welcome message slap bang in the middle of their homepage as the main heading. Don't do this! The main heading is perhaps the first piece of text we notice, so make it meaningful.
- Opening paragraph Probably the most important place to tell your site visitors what you do, the opening paragraph must be short, succinct and straight-to-the-point. Just one sentence is enough to put across this most basic yet fundamental of information.
Useful program: iCapture
Do you use a PC? Are you not sure how your website looks on a Mac? You could go out and buy one, but there's a simpler solution: Run your website through iCapture! iCapture will grab a screenshot of your site on Safari on the Mac so you can see what it looks like all through the comfort of your PC monitor.
You can access this handy program at www.danvine.com/icapture.
Top link: CSS Zen Garden
Still not sure about using CSS for layout? One look at the CSS Zen Garden ought to persuade you once and for all that table layouts are a thing of the past. The concept is simple: The site provides an HTML document and you're invited to create your own CSS document for it. To date, there are well over 100 unique designs all using exactly the same HTML file.
Check it out at www.cssvault.com.
New articles in September
- Ten CSS tricks you may not know
- The secret benefit of accessibility part 1: Increased usability
- Make testimonials believable!
- Does a question mark in the URL affect ranking?
Read these and many other articles at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources.
Webcredible news in September
- Webcredible announces new recruit
- Webcredible on the move
- December web accessibility training course announced
Read these news stories in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/about-us/latest-news.shtml.
Web accessibility training course
Our November web accessibility training course sold out so quickly that we're having to put on another course. The training, which has received remarkable feedback from participants, will take place in our training centre in Liverpool Street, London on Friday 3rd December.
To receive a £60 discount on the course, for more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our web accessibility training page.
Web accessibility & CSS support packages
We now offer a range of accessibility and CSS support packages, offering you access to one of our accessibility consultants anytime you like. Please read more about this innovative service in our web accessibility and CSS help section.
About Webcredible
Based in London, UK, Webcredible is a user experience consultancy. Tailor-made usability, accessibility & design solutions include:
- User research
- User-centered design
- Accessible CSS web design
- Training courses & support
- Website reviews
- Usability lab hire
Please contact us on 020 7423 6320 or info at webcredible.co.uk, or consult www.webcredible.co.uk for further information.
