Codes and conventions of websites - research
- 1. Codes and Conventions – Website • The codes and conventions of websites refers to design elements, features and structures that user expect when navigating the site. These design elements often make websites more engaging and easier to use by the viewers. Common codes and conventions are: - Header at the top containing the logo, search bar and links to other pages on the website which easily direct the user. - Footer at the bottom which includes contact information and social media links. - Consistent use of branding through logos, colour schemes, typography and even merchandise. - Introduction on the homepage which provides a summary of the sites purpose or brand. - Information about the creator on an about page. - Blog area for updates to get the users more involved in the website regularly.
- 2. Lana Del Rey lanadelrey.co m Simplified homepage which is designed for easy accessibility as it features direct links to her latest music, social media links, live tour dates, a sign up page and merchandise. Website’s design mirrors her vintage aesthetic which aligns with her music’s themes and her public image. Furthermore, she uses typography as the fonts used evoke a vintage feel of the 60s and 70s – reinforcing the nostalgic feel. Lana Del Rey’s official website embodies a range of design codes and conventions that reflect her artistic persona of cinematic, melancholic and nostalgic – making her website an insightful research as the majority of her songs are popular ballads, her website correlates with the theme of ballads. The codes and conventions she uses on her website not only enhance user experience but also projects her sorrowful brand. As her social media is integrated into her website it enables fans to connect with her across multiple platforms, providing more engagement. Her merchandise store allows fans to purchase albums and other merchandise, such as clothes – they’re often related to her latest releases. Logo design maintains the vintage aesthetic, reinforcing her brand consistency across different media. Overall, Lana del Rey’s website consistently uses design codes to create an immersive experience to reflect her brand and artistic style.
- 3. fontaines d.c fontainesdc.com Fontaines D.C uses a combination of standard music website conventions and specific design elements that reflect the band’s artistic identity. With their new album, ‘Romance’, the band explores darker themes. Hand painted typography and design elements highlight their poetic identity. Includes clear sections such as home, live (detailed tour information with dates, locations, tickets and direct link), music, videos, store (offers merchandise such as vinyls and exclusive items) and sign up pages. Links to the band’s social media platforms for easy access and latest content. Merchandise maintains the band’s aesthetic, featuring artwork that compliments their music. The Fontaines D.C website is overall an immersive experience for fans as their use of artistic elements alongside common music website conventions encapsulates the band’s evolving identity.
- 4. ABBA I am researching ABBA’s website because the song for my music video will be ‘The Winner Takes It All’, so I believe I should attempt to embody some of ABBA’s codes and conventions from their website to reflect their band identity to match the music video. Logo and imagery are easily recognisable and consistent with ABBA’s iconic status in the musical industry. Nostalgic feel with the use of retro photos, costumes and vinyl artwork. Most pages are accessible at the op menu bar or homepage links: home, news, music (albums, singles, videos), tours, store, biography and newsletter sign up. Biographical storytelling encourage emotional engagement from fans. Site is responsive – works on all devices, including mobile. Multimedia integration is used heighten video clips and Spotify/Apple Music embed to provide easy music access. ABBA’s site uses the common codes and conventions of clear navigation, multimedia content, career storytelling (biography), merchandise and ongoing engagement tools (newsletter sign up). abbasite.com
- 5. Adele adele.com Adele’s website resonates with her emotional artistic identity, musical style and relationship with her audience. The layout and design includes and minimalist aesthetic (muted colour palette to reinforce her soulful style), high quality visuals with close ups that highlight her emotions and homepage banners (latest album, single or tour). Content includes a home page with the latest updates, music page with he albums, singles and streaming links, tours with the dates/locations, a store with merchandise, vinyls and limit edition items and a newsletter sign up to maintain contact with fans. Her branding includes elegant typography with a serif or simple sans-serif font and emotional imagery (photos reflecting vulnerability and strength which are themes in her music). Language codes includes a formal yet personal tone with a focus on personal connection. Uses multimedia integration with embedded music to allow users to stream directly from the site and social media links on the footer to encourage engagement on multiple platforms. Adele’s website uses high end conventions to reflect her image of elegance, soul and emotional.