Lots of things go into websites than you may think. From the initial planning of the site to ensuring that even the smallest border around a block of text is aligned correctly, web design can seem daunting if you dive in unprepared. Let this advice help you prepare for designing your next website.
Make sure there is a prominent tagline on your site This will let people know what your business represents. Using a tagline that’s clear can really help because if someone goes to your site, it takes about eight seconds to get their attention so they’ll be interested in your page.
Always mark files that must be opened in an external program with an icon. Many sites host PDF files, and less commonly, DOC files, that must be opened in Foxit Reader and Microsoft Word/OpenOffice, respectively. These files should be marked with an icon representing the file type, and a link to download the appropriate viewer if the user does not have it.
Give your visitors the ability to search your site so that they can more easily find what they are looking for. If someone cannot find what they are looking for right away, their next thought will be to look for a search field. Put this somewhere obvious and include a search button.
Learn the basics of HTML and CSS. Although there are many templates that allow you to just fill in the blanks, in order to create a web page, these templates provide only limited design possibilities. Understanding how the mark-up language and stylesheet work together will enable you to customize your website to your heart’s content.
If you have several pages on your web site, use a navigation bar at the top to help visitors find the information they need right away. Include contact information, so they can speak with you if they’d like. Headings should be clear and visible, and paragraphs should be concise as well as easy to read.
White is perhaps the best option for background color. Having a white background tends to make the website easier to view and read and it also gives it a professional look that makes it appear more trustworthy. However, intricate background images are often difficult to pull off; more often than not they appear sloppy and distracting. Make your background as simple as possible.
Use relevant meta tags to increase site traffic. Quality and relevant meta tags will provide search engines with information regarding your site. Not putting enough effort into their content can severely hurt your page rank and reduce your traffic.
To be updated on the new web design tricks, you should join an online forum. When joining these message boards you meet people who usually have an understanding of all the new web design technology. Without this new web design technology you could end up with a site that is completely outdated.
Stay with a layout that is basic and not all that confusing so that you don’t confuse yourself. Do this so that you get the basics down first then try your best to upgrade to an intermediate site and from there progress to a site that is more advanced in the end.
When you do progress through your stages of web design and have a site that is up and running you want to make sure that it isn’t cluttered with ads. People don’t mind ads but they hate it when there are a lot that make it difficult to navigate through your site, and you don’t want people mad.
This article covers the basics of website design and the more you learn, the better your experience will be. When you find some unique tactics, you can better grasp web design concepts and use what you know to create great designs. Come back and read these tips over again if you run into trouble.
