Most people who come to most sites give up without getting what they came for. That costs web site owners billions every year.
What concerns me is that the reason why most sites fail is not from lack of cleverness or creativity. (In fact, it's usually the reverse.) Designers and site owners just need to learn web design techniques that actually work.
I have been designing web sites for over 15 years, and have seen thousands of examples of what works - and what fails. These experiences have taught me a simple approach to web design that produces results time after time. That's what this ground-breaking web design ebook will show you.
I would like to pass that approach on to you, so that you can apply the principles and boost your web site's profits. That's why I wrote “Save the Pixel,” my simple guide to web sites that work.
“Save the Pixel” gives you a clear step-by-step guide you can apply today to make your web site more effective.
The second edition of “Save the Pixel” includes even more info and examples to show you exactly how to transform your web sites today.
You don't need to be a designer to get the benefit of this web design book. If you are a site owner, web developer, or responsible for your organisation's web site, “Save the Pixel” will help you to succeed.
The "Save the Pixel" approach shows that simplicity is the key to your web site's success. We have proved that simple web designs can consistently deliver better results.
One of the key insights of the book is "Success is a function of attention divided by stuff". Attention is a fairly finite resource, but we can do a lot about stuff. Reduce the unnecessary stuff on your pages, and you'll increase success.
Most web sites are designed to please the person who did the design - not the person who has to use the site. They include content and design that may be appealing, but do nothing to help conversion if they draw attention away from the elements that lead to success.
Any stuff that is added to a site that does not directly support the site's goals by helping serve visitors will decrease the site's effectiveness.
When done effectively, simple web design lets you guide your visitors' attention to the clues that tell them they're in the right place. It shows them exactly where to go next to find what they want, with minimal distraction.
It keeps them focused on the content (not the packaging of the content) and on the next steps you offer them.
But let me offer a word of caution: The simple approach is only effective when the right elements are included in the right way.
The 11 chapters of "Save the Pixel" will lead you through my comprehensive process for creating simple sites that works every time.
I'll explain how you can:
Here's what just one reviewer said.
If you are doing anything online, or are considering it, then Save the Pixel will be some of the most valuable stuff you'll ever read.
If you're just getting started and don't have a site yet, Ben's insights will save you a lot of time and hundreds of dollars in unnecessary design dead ends and fancy dysfunctional sites.
Ken
There are lots of books on marketing, SEO, usability, and graphic design techniques, but "Save the Pixel" is the first web design ebook that pulls together all the most important techniques into a simple guide for site owners and designers.
The great news is, we've discovered through designing hundreds of web sites and running dozens of experiments that the things that make web sites really work are actually quite simple. Not only are the core skills simpler than you might think, I truly believe that you can make really effective web sites - without being a graphic design wizard!
In fact, most web sites lose visitors through the same simple mistakes, which actually make it harder for your visitors to engage with your brand, and less likely they'll find what they want.
"Save the Pixel" was written to help you avoid making those mistakes, resulting in a site that works for your customers, and really supports your business goals.
"Save the Pixel" is both a simple design philosophy and a comprehensive toolkit of easy-to-use techniques that increase your web site's success, and which any site owner can apply successfully.
Through a series over 20 full web redesign case studies, I present a complete set of vital pixel-saving principles.
My tutorials, notes, and "before & after" snapshots of each site redesign clearly show where pixels are so often wasted and what you can do to save them, without sacrificing appeal.
The results… clear and appealing web sites that people like to use - every time!
"Save the Pixel will change the way you design websites"
Spencer Norman
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Insight into professional web design discipline that will help you create successful web sites and page designs in less time, with less effort and with more impact.
A full set of Design Principles to help you select the design solution that's most likely to work, and to direct your creative energy effectively.
Dozens of Practical Techniques and tips on information architecture, page layout copy writing craft and graphic design.
A great series of over 20 case studies, where I redesign web sites & show these simple skills in action.
Confidence that YOU CAN apply my techniques today to great effect!
Howie Jacobson is the author of “Adwords for Dummies”. He says...
“Save the Pixel is the best book on web design and usability I've ever read, and one of the best books on internet marketing in general.
If you're sending traffic to your web site via Google AdWords and you haven't discovered the strategies and tactics in Save the Pixel, I guarantee you're throwing away money.
“It's not just information, but a systematic way of designing a site for your customers rather than your web designer's online portfolio.
Save the Pixel is the one book I insist my clients read before I'll roll out an AdWords campaign for them.”
You don't have to follow a long, expensive course to learn the more important skills for designing great web sites.
Save the Pixel costs just $27, and it really contains all you need to know to be able to craft really effective web design!
Here's what a few fans say…
Save The Pixel v1 was my favourite web design e-book of all time, so I'm looking forward to starting on version 2 which promises to be a cracker :) Keep up the great work!
Kevin Conroy, Asset Protection & IRA Specialist
"Ben Hunt has done a great job writing this one, its simple, pleasure to read and - last but not least - cheap."
Saint
"It's just what I was looking for. I know it will be a lot of use for me to build my new website.
"I would have bought the e-book for double the price"
Jas (Business Coach)
"The smartest guide to effective web design out there, and probably one of the best books on Internet marketing that youre likely to find."
Ken
“Save The Pixel” has been a Godsend; a beacon in the wilderness of web designers who only seem to think in terms of “being cool” or showing off what they can do. Ben's book reaffirmed what the little nagging voice in the back of my head had been trying to tell me “These propellorheads AREN'T your customers, and they don't THINK like your customers!”
It's like getting relationship advice from a gynecologist…
Once we got rid of all the bells and whistles, we started getting compliments. And transactions!
Since drinking Ben's Koolaid, we're virtually eliminated the clutter, made our sites cleaner, given our clients a better experience, and most importantly, we've made them more profitable!
There's always more to do and test and improve and we are - constantly.
Simple is the new fancy.
Owen Garratt, www.pencilneck.com
Ben Hunt works as an independent web consultant at Ben Hunt Limited.
He has created hundreds of web designs for companies, government and charities.
“Save the Pixel” - his first web design ebook - has sold over 8000 copies.
Ben's free tutorials on webdesign have helped millions of readers learn web design techniques that work.
He is acknowledged as a thought leader in effective web design, web site marketing, and conversion.
His second book “Convert!” will be published by Wiley & Sons in January 2011.
Save the Pixel is brillant, just brillant - just what is needed! A must read for anyone who designs and develops web sites.Web design Cape Town
After working on website development for years I read the Save the pixel web design ebook by scratchmedia. It has revolutionised the way that I think about websites and I only wish I could have read it sooner.Houses for sale Staten Island NY
A real gem of a book.Trent Brown
Every working web designer should read it as it is chock full of great tips and advice for creating great user experiences. An excellent resource even for seasoned Web design pros but it should be required reading for all aspiring and new Web designers to learn web design but especially wannabes. This book demonstrates very well why real design is a lot more than mere decoration and why every pixel counts when your site tries to communicate a brand or message as clearly as possible. Best money I spent all year…Insurance Protection Advice
The principles in this book are really outstanding and really work. I utilized some of the techniques with the getability section and some various techniques, and it helped me close 2 projects worth over $4000 each.MAJ3STIC STUDIOS
Save The Pixel v1 was my favourite web design e-book of all time, so I'm looking forward to starting on version 2 which promises to be a cracker :) Keep up the great work!Carl Watney
I just read Save the Pixel and loved it! Ive read about a half a dozen books on web design, and Save the Pixel says 3X as much in half the space.Ski Boot Bags
Hi, Im a web designer in the U.S. I bought your book Save the Pixel and I found it incredibly useful and helpful. It seems impossible to find information on how to effectively communicate on the web, and this book was a great help. THANK YOU!Jillian Nickell
Whether you are a web designer or a company looking to enhance your web presence, Save The Pixel is a must read.Paul Dixon
If you design websites, you will want to check this out.Bernadot Studios
An easy to read and apply how-to guide to building simple and effective websites. I purchased this ebook a while back and I can say from personal experience that it is worth every penny. It is chock-full of real advice and instruction on building clean, crisp websites that meet the needs of your clients.
“Save the Pixel“ - one of the best books on goal-oriented webdesign.Saint
Ben Hunt has done a great job writing this one, its simple, pleasure to read and - last but not least - cheap.
The key idea is that design is a means of information communication and presentation, which many webdesign companies completely forget. Now this guy reminds it to you.
Having 6 years of design experience, I highly recommend this book to anyone involved in sites production or thinking about ordering a site for himself.
Why should you read it? Simple: you will learn to work less, work faster and work more efficient. Given that the book isnt a thick old-school manual you will read and start to implement the contained ideas real fast.
This book is fantastic! As a self taught web designer I have been on the lookout for this book for years! Thank you, Ben. Not only will this make my decision making easier - it will save me from the hell of its not quite perfect... I GET IT! I am excited to get to work - something I havent been for quite awhile!Pension Release
Well worth the money. He has a very no-nonsense style that I think a lot of us as web designers need to re-adhere to.Kara Gates, Base Aesthetic
Any webdesigner should buy and read this great ebook. Unless youre a guru webdesigner already, youre bound to learn something from this ebook. The focus is not on the technical or arty aspects of webdesign, but purely on the functional and communicational aspects of web design. Very inspirational, very nice to read. Especially when youre relatively new in web design, but not a complete rookie, and want to take your general web design knowledge to a higher level, this is an absolute must read!Jurgen Nijhuis, ArgosMedia
One of the best book I have ever read about how to learn web design.James Bell
Modern Landscape ArtWeb Design from Scratch has been on my bookmarks for the longest time now, as I was taken aback when I first chanced upon it. It presented web design in such a structured, educational but yet enlightening way that I could not help but continue to be drawn to its contents. It helped shape the way I design my sites, even though web design is just a hobby of mine. So when Ben released "Save the Pixel", it was almost a given that I would purchase it.
And the book sure did not disappoint. Filled with lots of examples, Ben gave a terrific explanation about how to develop a site, from the concept, all the way down to production, complete with diagrams, theories and frameworks. It might sound like a mouthful but somehow, he made it easy to understand. And what I realize, it can be applied to almost any design work one is embarking on, advertising campaigns, posters, billboards, magazine covers, etc. The concepts presented were something new and revolutionary and challenged the way I thought about what creativity really means. I have read it and re-read it and still found it refreshing and useful.
“Save the Pixel” is certainly a gem that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in design work of any kind, and not only to learn web design.
The book was excellent - short and to the point.Richard Griffiths
Chen NathanA great book from a great teacher.
With very clear principles and with countless ideas, Save the Pixel showed me what I want the websites that I create to be like.
“Save the Pixel” will change the way you design websites.Spencer Norman
For someone like myself who is not a graphic designer, your web design book was the ONLY one that helped me visualize several websites and really not get hung up on the design and focus more on quality and motivating my audience.Adam (Pet Supplies UK)
KenI want to recommend a 100-page ebook that's the smartest guide to how to learn effective web design out there, and probably one of the best books on Internet marketing that youre likely to find.
The ebook is called Save the Pixel and its by Ben Hunt, a UK-based web designer who has drawn a lot of attention with his very useful online tutorials and articles about Web 2.0 design.
If you are doing anything online, or are considering it, then Save the Pixel will be some of the most valuable stuff youll ever read.
If youre just getting started and dont have a site yet, Bens insights will save you a lot of time and hundreds of dollars in unnecessary design dead ends and fancy dysfunctional sites.
Roberta (Retriever Puppies)I bought the Save the Pixel ebook and found it amazingly helpful and eye-opening.
Your approach is so simple, I think of it as simple genius. I'm not trying to butter you up but my former company has contracted with web designers in the past to build sites for various products. I always struggled with the designers because the layouts just were not working but I had a hard time figuring out and explaining to them why.
Your ebook made it all very clear.
Jim SpencerI finished reading it on the plane home yesterday and really enjoyed it. I found that it provided reaffirmation for some ideas and clarified others. I also found some new ideas around displaying results. The entire concept of simplifying and stripping away to reveal meaning makes a lot of sense to me.
The case studies were really valuable in showing how you managed to clearly represent what the end client will be looking for. The TraceTracker design really blew me away. Well done. Visually stunning and you figured out a way to communicate what the company provides.
Edwin van de PlasseIts just what I was looking for. I know it will be a lot of use for me to build my new website.
I would have bought the web design ebook for double the price
To me “Save the Pixel” is the best web design book I've ever read.Lasik Phoenix Arizona
For anyone who still cares about quality design and clean, intuitive user interfaces for modern web designs, Ben Hunt is your man.Marisa
It's like a bible about building good, clean and effective websites - something I've been looking for for a long time.Jayson, cloud software developer
I wanted a web designing book to help me really learn web design. This is it. I've read hundreds of web design tutorials. This website design ebook is the one thing I'll go back to again and again.Carbonless paper & forms