My karate sensei recently explained his thoughts about Kumite (the sparring form) as a conversation between opponents. If one side is aggressive, the other backs away, so the ideal is an equal exchange of technique and dialogue. I’ve recently been thinking about effective communication on the web; essentially, what foundations should every website be built upon?

Communicating a clear message should be the foundation of every website, whether eCommerce, portfolio or blog. Communication fails if an attractive design or animation overtakes a clear message. Everything must balance in harmony and be accessible to everyone.

Consider your audience and how you can best communicate your message; this could be as follows:

TEXT

On a website, your message is most often communicated in text form. Therefore, write your content clearly and concisely with context and effective explanations. Consider the tone of voice and how it applies to your brand; avoid passive sentences and write in an engaging active style. Ask someone from your target audience to read through your work. Finally, use appropriate semantic HTML tags to aid accessibility for all viewers and easy SEO gains.

IMAGES

Images can often communicate faster than words. They can connect to the viewer more honestly, creating a more attractive website design. Consider the consistency of imagery, whether you use commissioned photography, stock images or illustrations. Ultimately, effective image use reinforces the core themes and messages of your written content.

VIDEOS

Where images reinforce your message, videos connect on a deeper level. Successful videos are used in different ways to entice your audience. For example, they could use a simple movement to attract attention, be informative with an interview style, and take your audience through a story that will aid understanding and trustworthiness. As a result, videos will not only retain the audience on the website for longer but also keep them coming back to watch again.