When first diving into website creation, you have to learn basic techniques well. This is the only way to ensure your ability to create sites that work well and look good. Besides the information in this article, there are lots of online sources that provide information on website development. Read on to learn tips you can use to create better web designs.
Make sure your site passes the NoScript test. Download the extension to ensure your website is readable. Some content, like ordering systems, will not work properly without scripts, but when your site is completely blank when scripts are turned off, then that’s not a good sign.
You don’t ever want to use too much graphics. Although graphics are necessary make your site project a professional, well-designed and cohesive look, having too many can make it look cluttered. Graphics should improve your site, not just pretty it up. Having the right amount of graphics that does not impede on the overall website design is key to how well the site looks.
Incorporate a tagline prominently on your website. A good tagline is a central motto or exclamation that lets a reader know what your website is focused on. Making use of clear taglines becomes important when the page is visited. You have a short amount of time to catch the visitor’s attention and get them hooked.
Avoid pop-ups. There is not a person out there who will want to visit a website and get overwhelmed with pop-up ads. They’ll be much more likely to leave your site out of annoyance if they are confronted with pop-ups. Keep your customers happy, by steering clear of these annoying ads. If the host you uses forces these pop-ups on you, you may want to consider looking for a new host.
There are many free programs available to help you develop your website. Many people falsely believe that they need to purchase expensive software in order to create a good website, however, there are currently numerous excellent free tools on the market that help you to develop a very professional looking website. Just perform a simple search and you’re sure to find some wonderful tools.
White is generally a safe background color to use when designing a professional website. Content is generally more readable on white backgrounding, and this makes your page look both more professional and trustworthy. However, intricate background images are often difficult to pull off; more often than not they appear sloppy and distracting. It is usually preferable to have a simple background.
Include an easy way for visitors to search your site content. 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 get one of these, they may move to a site that has something like that. Place the search box in the top right corner of the page since this is where most people look for one.
Be sure your website’s load times are quick and efficient. Visitors will leave your site quickly if they have to wait on something to load. Do your best to reduce graphics, scripts, and Flash.
Build websites with fonts that are easy-to-read, professional-looking, and widely available. Many times you can tell a site is not professional because of the fonts they have chosen. Do not employ exotic fonts that will be absent from many visitors’ computers or over-used fonts such as Comic Sans. Use a font that is part of the default font subsets on user computers. This may make your entire design look bad.
If you want to know the effectiveness of your site’s design, consider utilizing task-based usability tests. After all, you want it to work for everyone, not just for those who tested it. If the design is right, this should be easy. On the other hand, if it is not, the task can give you some insight as to which areas of your website could use improvement.
Don’t overdo it with graphics. Graphics are critical, but they can also clutter up a page. Graphics should always be used to enhance the website, and not for decoration. Your site will also be more usable if you don’t overdo it.
Use good looking graphics throughout your website. Wrap text around your images to keep your website interesting. When your content looks professional and well thought out, it creates more interest and encourages users to return to your site.
The introduction to this article stated that new web designers need to learn certain fundamentals in order to craft websites that look good and work well. Since there are so many resources available, it can be hard to decide where to start. This article has provided you with the basics that you need to understand web page design.
Onaolapo Adeyemi is a travel and technology writer. If he’s not on tour, you’ll find him in New York with his wife, and pet parrot hanging out at Starbucks.
