Elements Contained in Website and Their Functions - Assignment Example

Introduction to Website Development EM200-1501B-02 INTRODUCTION TO WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT Introduction A website can besaid to be a collection or set of web pages created and controlled by an individual or organization on the same server as a collection of information. Web pages are the basic components of a website. A web page is a file containing HTML (hypertext markup language) formatting tags. A web page also contains links to graphic files and other web pages through a web server. The main elements contained in a web page are a logo, footer, navigation bar, main page, and footer. This paper describes the main elements contained in a website and their functions (HernáNdez, JiméNez,& MartíN, 2009). The main page is usually the first page to be seen when one visits a web page. The main page has enriched information regarding the website. Main pages contain graphic images describing the function of the site. A main page also contains links to other pages within the site. The primary function of a main page is to give access to other pages on the website. This is achieved by providing links to articles, pages and other files contained in the website. Main pages also contain a search box to help visitors quickly access data and information they are looking for on a website. A websites primary page also explains the core functions of the internet site to its visitors (Gareth, 2003). A header in a general computer context is the top portion of an electronic file. In a web page context, a header can be said to be a ‘banner’. It can be defined as the top portion that contains the name, logo and general information about a website. A header is consistent throughout the website appearing at the top of all pages it contains. The headers primary function is to communicate with visitors on what the website is for and what it does. To accomplish this, a header usually contains the company’s logo and in most cases its slogan or motto. A good header attracts visitors’ attention, sparks their curiosity, and prompts them to look for more in the website. Since it is the first object to be seen on a website, a header creates a focus point for a visitor and encourages him/her to continue browsing the site. Depending on its image and color, a header can also improve the visibility of the website (Gareth, 2003). In a general computer context, footer is the bottom portion of an electronic or computer file. For a web page, footer describes the part at the bottom of the page. Like the header, a footer is also consistent throughout the website appearing at the bottom of every page. Most web page footers contain a duplication of a website sitemap. A site map is a list that contains links to most or all pages on a website. This helps the visitor to access web pages quickly on the site. The footer contains copyright information and links related to legal issues in most websites. It also contains the site’s privacy policy, terms, and conditions. The website’s contact information is also included in the footer. Footer’s primary function is to host what does not appear in the top part of the site. Providing contact information is another important feature of web page footer (Gareth, 2003). A website navigation bar is a user interface component containing links to articles, files, and other pages within the site. The navigation bar forms part of the comprehensive website template. This implies that it appears on all or most of the pages in a site. In most cases, the navigation bar appears as a horizontal list of links. In most instances, the navigation bar si located below the website’s header. A navigation bar listing links vertically is also called a sidebar. Some websites contain both the horizontal navigation bar and sidebar. The primary function of a navigation bar is to help visitors navigate or locate different locations within the site (Gareth, 2003). A logo is a graphical presentation of an entity. It can be used graphically to present a company name, symbol, or trademark. In most cases, the logo forms a company’s first impression to the viewer. Logos are commonly located at the top (within the header) of a website. An excellent logo should be attractive and easy to spot. A good logo design should also coincide with the website or company name. It should also be able, to summarize, the slogan, product and name of the enterprise. The function of a logo is to attract and maintain a visitor’s attention. A good logo is fundamental to increasing the number of visitors to a website (Gareth, 2003). The internet site of my choice is a music review and download site. The primary function of this website is to offer a music download platform to its visitors. The site will also provide an interactive platform whereby visitors will be given an opportunity listen to music and give their opinion. The site will contain all the essential elements described earlier that is; a header, footer, main page, navigation bar, and logo. Since it is a music review and download website, it will also contain multimedia files that are sound and video. It will also offer music video download. Apart from this, the site’s web pages will link to each other, have formatted text and include images and graphical presentations (Gareth, 2003). Conclusion The essential elements of a website are critical to making it easy for developers to build websites. The main page, header, navigation bar and logo play a significant role in facilitating modern internet browsing. The main page provides the website’s overview. The header attracts the visitor’s attention and encourages him/her to continue browsing the site. The navigation bar helps visitors maneuver within the site to access the different resources and information they want. The footer provides contact information and site map to make browsing easier. Finally, the logo graphically presents the websites content. Website developers are strongly encouraged to include all these fundamental elements in their designs to improve the web browsing experience. References Garrett, J. J. (2003). The Elements of user experience: User-centered design for the web. Indianapolis, Ind. [u.a.: New Riders . HernáNdez, B., JiméNez, J., & MartíN, M. J. (2009). Key website factors in e-business strategy. International Journal of Information Management, 29(5), 362-371. Read More