How to Create a Website for Teenagers

A website for teenagers requires careful planning.

According to 2006 findings by ACT for Youth, 80 percent of American teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet, and more than half of them use it on a daily basis. Thus, web developers hoping to create a website with a large audience would benefit from creating a website catering to teens.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet browser
• Internet connection
• Website host
• Website content for teens

Instructions

1. Create a website. Build one from scratch, sign up for a website host that offers a website builder or hire a website developer. Keep in mind, a website developer can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars.

2. Add content. Make the information on the pages age-appropriate and enticing to teenagers. Establish a focus for the website, such as music, celebrities, technology, current trends, fashion, social media, study help, teen health, etc. Without a focus, the website may come across as confusing, scattered and lacking quality information on any one topic.

3. Insert descriptive photographs to help teenagers visualize and clarify the content on the pages. Descriptive photographs should also be used to reduce the need for heavy text, as most teenagers do not enjoy websites that require a lot of reading.

4. Add interactive features. Teenagers want to be doing something on a website and get easily bored with content-heavy pages. Some examples include online quizzes, games, music playlists, embedded videos and photo-sharing elements. Websites such as "Widgetbox," "Bravenet" and "Google Desktop Gadgets" offer a number of free, interactive widgets and tools for website developers.

5. Add social features, such as chat rooms and message boards. According to 2005 data by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, "of the approximately 13 million American teenagers who use the Net, 74 percent use instant messaging...[and] one-fifth of the teens using IM say it is their primary means of communicating with friends."

6. Edit the website to ensure a strong presentation, and arrange content in a way that makes it easy to navigate. A content-heavy website should include a site map or an option to search the website using keywords. It bears mentioning that a strong presentation for teenagers means a website that looks simple yet not childish, with clean, uncluttered pages. Avoid a lot of flashy design elements, as they add unnecessary distractions.

Tips & Warnings

• According to a study completed by Jakob Nielsen, a principal at the Nielsen Norman Group, teenagers tend to lean back in their chairs when using the computer. Thus, a teenage-friendly website should not contain small text.

• Avoid liability issues by adding disclaimers along with any advice. For example, a disclaimer on a teen health website might say the following: "This information does not replace the knowledge and advice of a professional. If you are concerned about your health, contact your doctor immediately".

• If the information would require the teen to physically go somewhere, make a purchase on a credit card, make a long distance phone call, etc., add a disclaimer that states: "Make sure you have parental consent before proceeding," or something along those lines.

• Finally, if the website contains content that should not be viewed by a younger audience, such as video games or movies that are rated 16+, add a page for visitors to confirm that they are old enough to view the content before they are allowed access to it.

References

• "ACT for Youth": Research Facts and Findings
• "Use It": Usability of Websites for Teenagers
• "PC World": Teenagers Do Their Talking Online
• "Wired": What Websites Do to Turn On Teens

Resources

• "Bravenet": Web Tools
• "Google": Desktop Gadgets
• Widgetbox