You stand to gain much if you start in web design now. But it contains a lot of new trends and evolving technology so always keep up with current events in web design. The following tips can help you create a worthwhile website.
Make sure all of your webpages actually have titles, and make sure they are descriptive. A surprising number of webpages out there are called “untitled document” or “new document”. This not only denies visitors a useful piece of information to remember your site, but also absolutely destroys your SEO, since search engines weight page titles heavily when ranking sites.
Avoid using frames. Most sites have abandoned frames on their own as better alternatives have become available, but there are still sites out there that are trapped in 1996. Alternatives to navigational frames include fixed-position navigation panels, having navigation in multiple areas (e.g. left and bottom) or simplifying page structure so that navigational links are never far away.
Use a tracking service, rather than displaying your visitor counter for all to read. Many websites still display their counters, yet they do not serve any real purpose. There are many high quality tracking services available, and some are even free. Use these instead of showing off how many people visit you.
Use a newsletter to gain repeat visitors. Let your customers sign up for important events and updates so that they return to your site. Place the signup form in a sidebar on your site, and keep track of the people that sign up. Send your newsletter only to those who have signed up; doing otherwise is considered spam.
Learn how to use colors to influence your readers. Every color has a certain feeling that it can induce. For example, using black backgrounds or images could bring up feelings of depression and darkness. The use of a color like yellow is associated with happiness. Take the time to read up on the psychology of colors when determining your site’s color scheme.
You should always put in the effort to make a customized error page for your site; this page should include a basic sitemap that links users to the major sections of your website. This ensures that if visitors follow a bad link or spell your URL wrong, they will be able to find what they are looking for.
Use breadcrumbs and make it so that clicking on the site logo returns you to the homepage. Breadcrumbs are markers that show where the visitor is in the site structure. For instance, the breadcrumbs might read “home > furniture > beds.” When the user clicks a link in the breadcrumbs, he can return to a page further up in the site hierarchy. Clicking on a business logo should generally take the visitor back to the homepage as well.
When designing a website for a mobile application, it’s important that you pick the right screen resolution. From an Android to an iPad, the sites are going to be displayed on the devices differently. If you’re hoping for the best results, go with a screen resolution that looks good on any type of screen.
When designing your own site, you should remember that you do not have to make use of all the available free space. Just because you have all of that space does not mean that you have to use it. Allow for good spacing between elements, which will in turn, make the experience more pleasant for your visitors. Is a few cases, empty space could be as important as content.
As you can see, web design can be a lucrative option if you take the time to learn about it. Remember that making money doing web design does not require performing in only one manner. Keep your eyes open for new ways to profit from your web design skills to make your success even easier.
