Business by Design this month reports on widespread web site woes in the interior design industry.

THIS MONTH:
+ Site Blight
+ "Dirty Dozen" Website Woes

Site Blight
Their web sites are hindering rather than helping many design professionals.

That's my conclusion after surveying dozens of web sites created by designers, window fashion professionals, kitchen and bath specialists, architects, and others throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Most of the sites are long on meaningless generalities, short on specifics and lacking in useful information about design services and products.

Many sites are difficult to navigate and wordy.

Their home pages are full of vague references to things like "imaginative spaces," “value added facilities solutions,” "nurturing environments," “conceptual expertise,” and “stylish flair.”

Huh?

The web sites I reviewed do a dismal job of differenting these design professionals.

Then, too, the words contained on their sites are too big and the photographs they use to show off their work are too small.

All this, at a time when studies show the average web site visit is two clicks and less than four seconds.

That means if a visitor to your site can’t figure out in two clicks and under four seconds what makes you special, you lose.

"Dirty Dozen" Website Woes
Your web site doesn't work if it...

+ doesn't help solve customer problems

+ lacks a focal point

+ doesn't have something important on every page

+ isn't easy to navigate

+ isn't updated regularly

+ lacks an email link

+ contains too much "flash" and other special effects

+ packs too much information onto one page

+ contains too much text

+ contains text and/or photos that are too small

+ makes the user scroll sideways

+ uses busy backgrounds that make text hard to read