Assignment: Write a post or two that explores how semiotic analysis might help us plan our content, Web pages and sites.
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign …
Signs take the form of words or images, but have no intrinsic meaning and become signs only when we invest them with meaning (Chandler) The metaphor adds to communication by providing the association of meaning (Sherson). Analyzing signs can help us get “value added” from using graphic images to convey meaning. A good website can “brand” itself by having a consistent use of images, signs, and logos throughout. This can help keep the user on the site, and also recognize the site when it may be referenced elsewhere. Web designers who might have an international audience have to make sure that the images they use do not have negative meanings in other cultures.
Signs of Google
Google, for example, uses its trademarked logo (blue, green, yellow, blue, green and red lettersalways in the same order) in large typeface for its main websearch function,
with the sub brands for video, image search, news, maps, book search, and groups always in smaller letters below the standard large head, and always in the same color for all letters in the subbrand, although each subbrand has a different color.
Froogle, isn’t that a Saturday morning cartoon show?
Froogle, its shopping brand, does not use the word “Google”, but the letters appear blue, green, red, yellow, blue, green, and red, a similar pattern to the main Google trademark.
The comparable color pattern on Froogle helps the user understand that it is a Google branding.
Consistency
Consistent use of images and signs in the websites we design will help users find their way, identify the site, and encourage others to visit. Unlike a book or newspaper, where the reader has more intuitive guides to where to go, web users can be gone in a mouseclick.
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new graphic added 11/12/2006 courtesy the New York Times via Professor Carroll:
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new graphic added 11/27/2006
