I am going to analyze how two different websites that serve the same purpose take completely different approaches using style, layout and navigation to attract their audience. I will begin with The Kidz page (http://www.thekidzpage.com/freekidsgames/index.htm), a game website specifically intended for children between the ages 5 to 15. Pogo (http://casino-games.pogo.com/) another game website distinctively directed to adults. These websites serve the same purpose to amuse their audience, pastime or serve as some form of entertainment. These websites definitely achieve these purposes; they define their targeted audience and present the correct graphical orientation on their site to attract said visitors.
Looking at the Kidz page you can see how colorful the website is, mainly to attract kids. The page displays so much color and animations to keep a child’s eye focused on the page. I feel the reason the writing on the homepage is so small is to avoid the child from getting distracted with the words on the page. Take a look at how conspicuous their website is. Also, every page on their site is as brightly lit like this color.
On the other hand, pogo has a much calmer look and feel. Clearly they know that color is to say the least quality that is going to attract their audience. However, they try not to make it to dull and they do this by adding the appropriate graphics like board, word, puzzle and casino animations. I feel like this is to inform the audience of the category of games they have, which I believe is something imperative to include. Also, I noticed that unlike The Kidz Page which has advertisements that lead to other kids game websites; Pogo has advertisements on their site that are more adult inclined. In the sense that, the advertisements on their site are either travel sites, insurance sites, government foreclosed properties and the like.
In comparison to the kid’s website, I noticed pogo like so many other adult games sites I have come across like: http://www.worldwinner.com/cgi/start.pl, http://www.rewardtv.com/welcome/sampleGames.sdo, or http://www.shockwave.com/online/all-games.jsp requires that the visitor registers to play a game. All kids site l looked at like: http://www.smartycard.com/tp/home.html, http://www.gamesxl.com/, or http://www.cloudywithachanceofmeatballs.com/ did not require it mandatory to register prior to playing a game. Let us take for instance pogo; you can either sign up free or play as a guest. Either or they require a substantial amount of information from the visitor. Like name, email address, username, password and/or membership fee. The nature to create an account depends on the terms and agreements of the site, the information asks varies per site.
A kid is not going to want or have the patience to fill in such information. It’s already known to the web designer to just take the kid directly to what they want. If not there’s a skewed possibility that the child will lose interest in the site all together. An adult on the other hand, has the patience and knowledge to fill in the information.
Take for instance www.smartycard.com, a kid’s website that I feel is one of the few sites a child will actually enjoy registering. The first thing to do to register as a user is to choose a character (which is an animation),
Then grade level (another animation) …
Then it takes you to your page …
If you want to exit, it then prompts up the option to save. You click ok, then it asks for your name …
Username …
Password …
Amd parent’s email..
I liked that they made registering fun for kids. A very smart approach, too keep the kids focused on the site regardless. Another design aspect that I feel is relevant to discuss is sound. These two sites lacked sound as an essential marketing technique to include in their site. It’s understandable that excessive or unnecessary sounds can agitate an adult, but I feel it’s an element to include in the Kidz page. Although a few games had a little sound to an extent, I feel it is an adjustment to make. Finally, I feel the web design of these sites blended well with the business marketing concept. The design of the website just at a glance definitely communicates to whomever, who their targeted audience are.
Reference:
"Characterizing Audience for Informational Web Site Design" By: Turns, Jennifer; Wagner, Tracey S.. Technical Communication, Feb 2004, Vol. 51 Issue 1
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
— Pablo Picasso
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