If you’re looking for affordable web design, the best option you have is to do the designing yourself. Yeah, it might sound like a difficult task, but it really isn’t. As long as you’re willing to read the tips below and follow them to the letter, you will be able to design a website like you’ve been doing it for years.
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.
If you’re designing a website, you need to look at your website in multiple browsers. What you see on your screen may be different from what others see. Make sure that your site is compatible with all popular browsers. You should also check your website from a variety of different computers to see how it looks as well.
Incorporate a search function that lets visitors find what they need. If those visiting your site are looking for something specific, the first thing they will look for is a search box. If you don’t have a search box, they’ll just go to the next site. Normally, the best place to include the search box is in the upper right hand corner, as that is where most visitors look for it.
Keep your pages to a reasonable length. Add content through new pages on your site, instead of tacking it on to the end of a home page. For the most part, readers are hesitant to keep going on a page that seems to scroll on forever. If you must have a lot of content on one page, include hyperlinks at the top and in sections throughout the page. This allows users to navigate through the available content without excessive scrolling.
Make sure that you use the right anchor text. The anchor text of a link should clearly describe what the visitor should expect to see when he clicks on the link. For instance, if a link leads to your widget ordering page, the anchor text might read “Order widgets.” Specifically avoid using “click here” as anchor text.
Test your website before it goes live. There’s nothing worse then launching your new website and having to take it down right away due to bugs or other issues. Get a group of people together who are using different web browsers and computer platforms, and ask them to use a beta version of your website, writing down any issues they come across.
Build your website using a content management system. Knowing how to build a website using just HTML and CSS is good foundation knowledge, but this can only produce a static website. Web design has evolved into providing dynamic content. If you couple your coding skills with the use of a content management system, you can practically build any type of website that you desire.
Be sure that your website has small files, no matter how aesthetically designed your site is. Large files take longer to load when people visit your website. A website that loads more quickly is always a top priority in web design. Remember that not all people who visit your site will have a high-speed connection to the Internet. Test your website to ensure that it loads quickly even on a dial-up modem connection.
The most important thing in site design is that you do it correctly. Other than that, you’re free to roam wherever your imagination takes you. Use what you have learned throughout this article so that you understand how to code correctly. After that, you’re ready to put your personal touches on your own website.
