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Designing a Site for Skimmers, Swimmers and Divers

Designing-a-Site

Here are some of the most significant takeaways to keep in mind with this infographic.

1) Too Much Content?
Do you think there is such a thing as too much content? While it is possible for a website to have way too much information, which can cause a variety of problems for a business or individual, the problem more often comes down to how that information is presented.

2) Identify Goals.
As you work to establish the organization and design of your website, it’s best to have goals to drive these tasks. In the end, what you want to do is offer information that is going to be both informative and engaging. At the same time, it’s a good idea to keep your eye on the goal of making sure this information is presented in such a fashion as to not overwhelm the visitor.

3) Know The Three Types of People Coming to Your Site.
While there are a number of ways in which to label and understand your audience, one of the most effective methods is to establish the audience as being part of one of three categories. These categories are skimmers, swimmers, and divers. As you can tell, each category represents a group of people who are willing to spend more and more time with your site. Your eventual, end result goal, in terms of designing/organizing your website, is to build something that is going to have the ability to appeal to all of these categories.

4) Identify the Skimmers.
A skimmer is someone who wants to hit your site, get what they need, and leave in short order. To that end, you’re going to want to do things like determine the information that most people are going to need from your site, and provide it in the most straightforward fashion possible.

5) Identify the Swimmers.
A swimmer is willing to go a little deeper. Give them bold, dramatic quotes from the most dramatic stories of the day. Give them the ability to get to the information they need in straightforward fashion. Give them similar content that they might enjoy, depending on what they are ultimately looking for through your website.

6) Identify the Divers.
The diver wants the full story, in every gory detail possible. Give these divers the ability to make and maintain easy mental maps, as they navigate the particulars of your site. You can also expect these divers to demand clear content progression.

About The Author
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.