For business owners who want to operate online, hiring a web designer can be a huge expense. If you are new to web design, hiring someone to do the work for you can be extremely expensive. But it is never a good idea to skimp when it comes to this aspect of your business. The following tips will help you get started.
Keep the size of your web pages small. A lot of modern web pages are full of unnecessary elements, including huge images, Flash advertising, and lots of AJAX. Many people, especially those in rural areas and other countries with less-developed internet infrastructure, don’t have high-speed Internet and will have to wait forever for a large page to load.
Avoid trying to add every new gadget to your website. It can be tempting to make your site look cutting edge by including every new web design option out there but it can end up turning people off. Simple will generally get the job done even better than a flashy layout.
If you plan on having a commercial site, you should seriously consider buying your own web hosting. Most free host sites force you to display their advertisements, which is counter-intuitive if you are attempting to sell something as well. Purchase your own hosting to avoid this advertising hassle, so that you can choose your own ads.
When you build a website you need to quit using a lot of fonts that confuse people. You have to consider how the fonts you choose display on computer screens. Some are simply too hard to read. Verdana is one of those popular fonts that is readable in all sizes and colors.
Include a links page for your site and use it to provide a variety of resources related to the site’s purpose. You should also include a variety of links, including links to sites that are offering backlinks to your site. If related sites link back to your site, your site ranking will move up in the rankings on search results pages.
Your content should be useful and interesting. Good content is really more important than flashy design. Visitors are more like to return to a website that offers useful, pertinent information.
Do not use blinking, scrolling text or other animations. Also, steer clear of sounds or music that plays automatically. All of these things are distracting to users and provide nothing of value. In addition, connection speeds vary from one site visitor to the next, and everyone does not have the same speed. Those users with slower connections will resent the slow-loading elements of your site.
Avoid using animated GIFs on your site. These were popular in the late 1990s, but newer technologies have replaced the uses for animated GIFs that were actually useful. Animated GIFs are low in quality and large in file size. Use static icons for page elements and actual video files for complex animations.
If you feel stuck, do some Google searches to find out how others worked through it. There are tons and tons of sites you can glean inspiration from. Pick a site you like, figure out why you like it, and see if you can implement those techniques into your site. You can’t just copy someone else to be successful though. Make sure you improve upon the ideas that you like.
It takes a lot of hard work when you try to go from a beginner at web design to a more seasoned professional. You should expect to have several mishaps during your first web site build. But as long as you can apply the information you have learned throughout this article, you will begin to understand what web design entails and how you can build a great website that will attract customers.
