Lexikon Grafikdesign und Webdesign – A

The AIDA principleAIDA, a proven concept in marketing, also offers a valuable structure for creating convincing and effective websites in web design. AIDA stands for Attention (attention), Interest (interest), Desire (demand) and Action (action). In the context of web design, this means that the website must attract visitors' attention by being visually appealing and using clear call-to-actions to arouse interest. By providing relevant content and demonstrating added value, a desire for the products or services on offer is created. Ultimately, the visitor is encouraged to perform a specific action, be it a purchase, registration or contact. By integrating the AIDA principle into web design, designers can ensure that their websites are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also effective in achieving the desired goals.

More about this in my Blog post on the AIDA principle.

The term "alt text" stands for "alternative text" and refers to a short description used in websites to explain images. This text is displayed if the image cannot be loaded or is used by people with visual impairments to understand the content of the image. The alt text is used to convey the meaning and context of the image when it is not directly visible. It should be concise and meaningful to give users an idea of what is shown in the image.

Here are some examples:

• Suppose you have a website about pets and show a picture of a cute dog. The alt text could read: "A young golden retriever playing in the park."
• If you have a logo on your website, the alt text could simply contain the company name, for example: "vh-crossmedia Logo".
• If you share a diagram or infographic, you should summarise the content of the diagram in the alt text. For example: "A pie chart showing the distribution of age groups in a population."

Alt text is important to ensure that all users can understand the content of a website, regardless of their ability to see images. By using meaningful and concise alt text, you can improve the usability of your website and ensure an accessible experience for all visitors.

A unique selling proposition (USP) in advertising is a unique characteristic that distinguishes a product or service from other similar offers on the market. It is a special feature or advantage that attracts the attention of the target group and helps to differentiate and favour the advertised product or service from other offers.

A unique selling point can be, for example, a special quality, an innovative design, a special process, a particular material, a special service or a unique function that distinguishes a product from other similar products and thus offers added value for the customer.

In advertising, a unique selling proposition is often placed in the foreground and emphasised in order to arouse the interest of the target group and motivate them to buy the advertised product or service. A good unique selling proposition can help a company stand out from its competitors, increase brand awareness and ultimately boost sales.

In printing, the term "bleed" refers to an area of a printed document that extends beyond the actual final size of the document. The bleed area is required during printing to ensure that the document is cut exactly to the edge after printing without leaving white margins or unprinted edges.

The bleed is necessary because when printing on large sheets, several documents are printed next to each other on one sheet. After printing, these sheets are then cut into individual documents. To ensure that the document is cut exactly to the edge, the print must be printed with a certain "allowance" on all sides. This allowance is usually around 3-5 mm on each side of the document.

Therefore, all elements that are to extend to the edge of the document (e.g. background colours or images) should extend into the bleed area to ensure that no unprinted edges are left behind. Before printing, the document must then be cut to the final size and the bleed area removed.

The Alliance of German Designers (AGD) is a professional organisation for designers in Germany. It was founded in 1969 and is based in Berlin. The association is committed to the interests and concerns of designers and pursues the goal of increasing the appreciation and recognition of the design profession in society.

The AGD is an association of designers working in various areas of design, such as graphic design, communication design, product design and interface design. The association offers its members a platform for the exchange of experience and knowledge, organises further training, events and networking opportunities.

The AGD's activities also include the creation of recommendations and guidelines on fee structures, the promotion of fair working conditions and the representation of designers' interests in politics, business and society.

Above the fold is a term used in web design and describes the visible area of a website that is immediately visible without scrolling when the page is loaded. The term originally comes from the newspaper world, where it refers to the top section of the front page that is visible in the newspaper stack before the newspaper is folded.

In web design, above the fold refers to the visible area of a website that is visible without scrolling. This area is particularly important as it makes the first impression of the website on the user and can be decisive as to whether the user stays on the page or quickly leaves it again.

As a rule, above the fold contains the most important content and elements of a website such as the logo, navigation, headings, images and call-to-action elements that prompt the user to perform further actions on the website. It is therefore of great importance that this area of a website is well designed and optimised to motivate the user to stay on the page and navigate further.