Chapter 5

The personality of a website comes from its organization, interaction, and visual presentation. It is the website’s look and feel.

Personality is like a website’s own branding. If an appropriate personality is created to match the user’s expectations and the intended message of the site, it may help to create loyalty among users. If a user can connect with your site, they begin to trust your “brand” and may be more likely to return to your site later on.

If a website’s personality does not match the user’s expectations based on the site’s contents, they may leave the site immediately and look for information elsewhere.

Be as unique as you can when designing a site. Something that a user has not seen before will be more memorable and will create an immediate association with your site. It may also convey some of the designer’s personality.

Filling a site with quality content can make up for any shortcomings there may be in the visual presentation. Content that meets all of the user’s needs in a prompt and effective manner will generate credibility and loyal users.

A consistent personality throughout a site is important to tie all of the pages and content together with a single, unifying look and feel.

Typography is a crucial element in creating an effective personality. Every font automatically generates associations with the user and many fonts have strong historical connections. It is important to consider all of the baggage that comes along with a font choice. Typographical decisions have the power to make or break a design.

Color choice is also an important design decision in creating personality. Take into consideration the kinds of emotions that specific colors generate. You may also want to be aware of the different interpretations of colors from culture to culture if your site will be viewed internationally.

Analogous colors are colors that are near each other on the color wheel. These colors are low in contrast and generate a calm, soothing emotional feel.

Contrasting colors oppose each other on the color wheel and as the name implies, they are very high in contrast. The use of contrasting colors brings life and energy to a page. Knowledge of colors and color theory can really help in creating an appropriate personality for your site.