In a previous article, I told you about the need for cultural and artistic projects to have their own space on the internet through their website. I will advance the reasons that justify creating these web pages.
There are many queries that have come to me on the subject and it seems that something has awakened in many of you. But most of you have conveyed some concern to me because you do not know where to start.
So this time I’m going to talk about what to take into account when facing the development of the website for your project.
If you have already made up your mind and you are going to start development, here is a series of basic tips, specifically oriented to the characteristics of an artistic or cultural project.
Tips for developing your project website
Less Is More. Do Not Reload The Page Excessively
This type of project is already born in its DNA with a strong creative component. But you will have to take into account that you must encourage your audience to reach your content in an agile, easy way and that they will be able to see and read the content without effort.
Why am I saying this? When I help professionals from the cultural and creative sector to develop strategies to launch themselves into the digital world and we start with the development of websites, I often find that they want to load the web with an infinite number of effects and resources, as if it was the best way to demonstrate that they have a high creative capacity.
I recommend that you apply the rule of less is more: the cleaner and simpler the web page is, the easier it will be to access the content, navigate and enjoy what it offers.
Think that the user who lands on your website should navigate easily and you should try to make that experience as pleasant as possible. If you need to spend a lot of effort to get the texts read, you will end up leaving the site.
Choose The Right Colors And Keep The Selection Small
A web page in which all the colors of the rainbow are used will not be more beautiful, nor will it better meet the needs for which it was created.
Choose the colors that best suit your project, based on different criteria:
- Your preferences and tastes.
- Your corporate image or that of the project.
- The overall aesthetics of the project.
Better choose a color palette limited to two or three. You can also play with the different shades of each color.
I recommend that the background of the web page be white, except if the project has a strong aesthetic character in which another tone predominates and conditions you. White will lighten the visual weight of the content and it will be easier to read the texts. Select colors that contrast against white for text, headlines, highlights, etc.
Few Fonts And Easy To Read And Understand
Select fonts that aesthetically relate to your project. But once again, it’s best to stick to two or three typefaces, for headlines and body copy.
They are more recommended, to facilitate reading, sans serif fonts, without auction. If you opt for a more ornate one, with a serif, let it be for specific elements, such as titles.
Content Elements, With Measure
Not by loading the web with pop-up windows, animations, alerts, etc. will you improve the experience of visitors. On the contrary.
Remember that websites are created for digital consumption, on screens. And therefore you have to provide:
- make the content look good
- make the page and elements load fast
- that at a quick glance the structure of the site is perceived
So avoid large images, and limit the size of image files.
And, regarding the videos, it is better to integrate them from external sources, such as your own YouTube or Vimeo channel, than to upload them directly to the web page. This will take up space on the server, consume resources and slow down the loading time of the website.
Content Is Very Important
This is an aspect that I work on a lot in the projects in which I participate.
As I have already told you before, if you decide to create your website, you must commit to keeping it active and providing it with content.
Content is the key and the strategic tool with which you can reach your audience.
Take the trouble to create content that contributes, identifies your project, and informs about it.
It is not about creating kilometric pages of text: it is about expressing what you want the visitors to your site to perceive and that what you tell them is so interesting that they consider coming back again.
Think of the content of your website as the key that will allow you to achieve the reach, visibility, and position you are looking for for your project.
Almost nothing, right?
Regarding the type of content, think about the fact that you have numerous alternatives that, combined with measure, can make your website an interesting resource: texts, images, videos, audio…
Combine them carefully and you will see how you arouse the interest of your readers.
So reserve time for the creation and updating of the contents of your website.
Dare To Create A Blog
I also told you about it in another article, in line with the content that a website should include.
One part will be the specifics about you and the project, the way to contact you, etc.
But another part, very important, must be kept in constant change and update. You must see your website as something alive, the door that you will continuously open to your public so that they know who you are, what you do, what your proposal is, what you offer, etc.
So keep in mind that if you decide to create a blog on your website, you will have to spend time writing articles.
Surround Yourself With Professionals Who Can Help You
By the time you get to this point, you may already be scared and overwhelmed by all the tasks involved in running a website.
But don’t be scared. You don’t have to do everything.
My advice is to divide and distribute tasks and, better sooner rather than later, have specialized professionals in each area to help you.
You can’t load yourself with all the work.
And besides, you are more necessary to dedicate yourself to your activity, to creation, than to carry out the tasks that managing a website entails.
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