All businesses need a solid online presence. However, your business won’t do well if your website can’t work the way it’s supposed to. With the following tricks and tips, you will be able to design an excellent website.
It is always good to add a favicon to your website. The favicon is a 16×16 image file in the .Ico format. This image is the one you see next to the URL bar, next to the title of the page on an opened tab and is also visible on your bookmarks tab if you choose to bookmark a page. The favicon will help users quickly recognize your page in their browser without reading any text or directly viewing the page.
For multimedia presentations, take advantage of the new HTML5 standard. Although HTML5 isn’t quite as robust for animation and games as Flash, it has the advantage of working stably on mobile phone browsers, including those contained in Apple hardware. HTML5 is also quite a bit leaner than Flash, so load times will improve, as well.
Avoid useless scripts. Scripts like counters and date/time scripts don’t really serve any purpose, and since they are all JavaScript, can add a few kilobytes to the page’s file size. Getting rid of these elements also frees up space on the homepage. Replace those useless scripts with useful content that keeps users coming back.
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.
Web design is a subject that you always want to stay informed on. With this in mind, if you have any friends that are also into web design then you will want to keep in contact with them. You can exchange any new information you learn so that you’re both on top of your game when it comes to web design.
Don’t force users to install strange BHOs. Many tech-savvy users won’t do it. Common offenders include unusual video players, image viewers, and platforms for interactive games. For most standard use cases, there is a trusted plugin, such as Windows Media Player or even Flash) that will do what you want without driving away users.
JavaScript is a great tool, but don’t overuse it. While it is useful in delivering a more interactive experience, it can create problems for various visitors. Although JavaScript has some benefits, you need to be aware of the different types of browsers being used. All visitors won’t have the most current version of the particular browser they’re utilizing. Additionally, you need to realize many people disable the JavaScript function in their browser. This means they’ll have difficulty viewing your site because of this.
Do not allow pop-up windows on your site. While you may think these have some value, the majority of people will just find them annoying. If your visitors become frustrated enough with pop-ups, they may permanently leave your website.
When designing your website, you should utilize cascading style sheets, or CSS. These style sheets can be applied to every webpage on your website, and will ensure that the user experience is consistent throughout the website. They are also effective for making quick design changes to your website due to the fact that you only need to change the style sheet as opposed to making alterations on every webpage.
As you’ve read, web design is not that hard to grasp. Once you know more about the basic principles involved, you should be able to construct a website that will appeal to your visitors and help them find what they need. Use these tips to get your website off to a great start.
