Have you ever visited a website and asked yourself how they could have made it so great? There are many key elements that can make or break your site. In this article, you will learn all the tricks and tips that the pros already use. So keep reading and take note of what you read.
Don’t use frames. Frames used to be beneficial in some ways, but they always had their issues. Frame-based designs cause readers to have trouble bookmarking your site, and scrolling can also prove burdensome. There are much easier ways to provide your users a flow through your website.
Watch your use of color combinations when building your site. If the text fades into the background due to poor contrast, the text will be hard to read. The better choice is using darker fonts against backgrounds that are lighter. If you don’t know whether your color theme functions well, ask a friend or colleague to provide feedback.
Try not too overuse graphics. You want the site to look professional and well-designed instead of cluttered. Don’t just use graphics to decorate the website; they should be used to make it better. Having the right amount of graphics that don’t clutter the design can improve the site’s usability, too.
You should update your content and get rid of expired content regularly. Failing to update your page with current information and upcoming events will cost you in terms of site visitors. Viewers want to know that they are getting up-to-date information, and lack of attention in removing old products will not install this faith. Put removing outdated content on your to-do list, to do every 2-4 weeks.
Sign up for website creation newsletters. These newsletters can help you stay motivated, remind you of basic website design principles and give you a foundation to build on if you get stuck or forget what you’re trying to achieve. These are great for both pros and beginners.
Invest in a library of books which will aid you in learning the field of website development. Just keep in mind that since you are new to the web design world, you want to start out with the basics and build from there. Avoid skipping any steps and learn at your own pace, so you can eventually become a great web designer.
Make sure you have the right background. Remove obstacles to easy text reading by avoiding things like GIF backgrounds that move. In order to preserve your website’s focus, and make it easy for your visitors to comprehend, you should choose a background image that harmonizes well with your site instead of clashing with it.
Imitation might be the best form of flattery, but when it comes to website development it’s important to develop your own ideas. Come up with your own ideas and features or improve upon some that you admired on other sites. Using this technique will give you the ability to make amazing websites.
When you are going to design a site, find specific individuals among your target audience and ask them what they personally want to see. This will assist with the overall design of your website in a positive way. Advice and ideas from your targeted audience should have an impact on your website design.
Give your website’s visitors the capability to search your website, at least on your main page and ideally on every sub-page. This increases the site’s usability five-fold, and makes it easier to get to anyplace on the site from any other place on the site. These searches are easy to add — and worth the time.
Include text content on your link page. This will let your visitors know what they’re going to click on. When links do not have text content, the link could be accessed accidentally by keyboard shortcut.
Open Source
Remember, designing your site needs not to cost a lot of money. When it comes to the tools you need for website creation, with a little effort, you can find very cost-effective alternatives to top-of-the-line high-priced software. There is quite a bit of free, open source web design software available that performs admirably when compared to nonfree alternatives. You can realize significant savings by seeking out such open source alternatives for your software needs.
If you plan to include video content on your website, you should first verify that your web host allows it. Many hosts don’t allow video hosting. FLV files occupy a lot of room on servers, so make sure you’re allowed before you waste a lot of time.
Take the time to actually use your site as you are building it. Check the usability and user interaction of your site as soon as possible while designing the site. Keep testing and improving as the design nears completion.
Now you know what it takes to design your website. Create a rough draft and include the elements that other websites use that you like and want to include on yours. Be creative and enjoy yourself!