This is why the websites we create for tourism businesses have certain design elements in common. While the OM4Tourism template is capable of an enormous range of designs, there are parameters we keep consistent for good reasons.

Think of your website as a print publication – a newspaper or magazine.

A newspaper is a functional publication that needs to communicate clear, authoritative information quickly and effectively. This is why quality newspapers all tend to use similar layout principles.

For example, we know that when someone looks at a page, their eye is naturally drawn first to a spot about a third of the way down (just as when we look at a face, we are drawn to the eyes).

So, you’ll notice that quality papers tend to place the most important headline in that spot. And there are general rules about placement of images, mixing blocks on a page, placement of columns, and so on.

A magazine also has to function effectively, but we allow magazines greater leeway in terms of design, usually because the reader has more time to flip through at their leisure and enjoy the look and feel as much as the information.

So when it comes to your website design, start by deciding where your website lies on the continuum between functional newspaper and glossy magazine.

There’s a high chance that visitors to a small tourism business site aren’t going to kick back with a coffee and flick through the pages enjoying the clever design.

More likely, they are wanting information and wanting to access it easily and quickly. Your site needs to be closer to the functionality end of the continuum, while retaining a fresh and appealing look and feel. A good designer will understand this.

Here are some examples of sites that achieve this. Click the images to visit each site for a closer look:

Note that they all cater to the eye’s natural focus, around a third of the way down the screen. They all have a clear layout including a sidebar on the right for easy navigation. And they all make good use of imagery without allowing it to overwhelm the content.

The first, RiverFly Tasmania, has a look and feel that draws you straight into the experience. Yet it’s easy to see what RiverFly offers, how to find out more, visit the shop, make a booking or make contact.

The Ningaloo Blue site plunges you straight into the ocean with the world’s largest fish – which is exactly what the tour operator does. Yet you’re not left drowning. Navigation through the experiences and tours is straightforward, and you can immediately see how to get in touch or make a booking.

And VA Clare Valley leaves the reader in no doubt that this is a gourmet winery experience, while offering a clear path through to the cellar door and information on getting to Clare Valley and building a holiday experience around the wineries.

But the ultimate test of a good tourism website design is conversion.

Good design takes a back seat to functionality and useful, relevant content, which in turn engage your visitors’ attention, giving you the chance to convert them to bookings for your business.

Small business website design: functional or beautiful?

Being able to manage their own websites has already proved a huge benefit. In a recent interview, Group Principal Jon Jessop said:

Being a new business means that we aren’t always getting things right the first time. Our opening function date changes, policies change, rates go up and down all the time, or we realise we’ve forgotten key information; so it’s great to be able to jump onto the website and change things whenever we need to. We don’t have to worry about calling up someone and waiting a week for the changes to take place, not to mention a possible bill at the end!

OM4Tourism has developed 2 websites for the group – EdgeResortsWA.com.au, which will go live shortly, and KalbarriEdge.com.au.

Read the full interview with Jon about the Edge Resorts website development.

Website development: Edge Resorts describe their experience

The choices you make right at the start can make the difference between a boat wrecked on the rocks and a yacht on the open ocean with wind in its sails.

I’ve written an article about the 4 most common myths we have come across when working with small businesses – particularly tourism operators. The myths are listed below, and you can read the complete article here: Website Development and Design – 4 Common Myths.

Myth 1. The best person to create my website is a graphic designer

If you were building a hotel, would you get the interior designer to choose the location, draw up the plans, construct the building, put in the wiring and plumbing, install the telephone and Internet system? Of course you wouldn’t!

Myth 2. When someone comes to my website, I need to grab their attention

Your website isn’t a billboard attempting to attract attention by distracting viewers from other things. It doesn’t need to shout, flash or entertain with moving images. It needs to inform – easily and quickly.

Myth 3. To create an effective website, all I have to do is put my brochure online

Transferring a brochure online to make a website is often the first step in online marketing, but a website is a bit like a sailing boat. It won’t go anywhere unless you remember to give it sails.

Myth 4. The more people who visit my website, the better

If 20 people enter Arcadia Bookstore and 1 person buys a book, then another 10 people enter Zenith Books and 9 people buy books – who wins? Arcadia got more visitors, but Zenith sold more books.

Tell us about myths that you’ve come across either by commenting here or by posting on our Tourism Marketing Forum.

4 myths of website development and design