There are many web design companies in business today doing the same stuff that you can easily learn and do yourself at home. Do not become their next “victim.” Learn how to design your own site. Get off on the right foot by reading the following tips.
Incorporate a search function that lets visitors find what they need. If someone is looking for something on your site, they want to search for a box to help them search. If there isn’t one, visitors will probably leave your site rather quickly. The ideal placement is the upper right hand corner of your page.
Don’t overdo it with graphics. Graphics are essential to make sure your site is pleasing to the eye, but overusing them just clutters the page. Don’t use graphics as a decoration for your site; they should be used to make it look professional. Having the right amount of graphics will improve your site’s usability and reduce the clutter.
Ensure that you save personal information that the user might need to enter again into your site. For instance, people may already register with your site, and you should have it set up to preserve their information if they choose so they don’t have to register again. Creating information that is “sticky” simplifies the entire process, and visitors are certain to appreciate all the time that they have saved.
Do not use JavaScript too much. While it may offer many different ways to create a more transparent and responsive website, it can pose difficulties for some visitors. No two web browsers are the same, and each one offers up new versions on a regular basis. Not all visitors have the most current version of their browser. Also, some people browse with scripting turned off. These things prevent users from making use of your website.
Be aware of the background you choose. Some sites use moving GIFs in the background, but that can make text hard to read. Make sure your background doesn’t detract from your content, or make it hard for your viewers to read your font.
Internet Explorer
Don’t forget about Internet Explorer 7 and 8. People usually say they hate Internet Explorer, but many people still use it. Workarounds are needed because the browser is not 100% compliant with standards. Specifically, you should learn about a “box model bug” which troubled Internet Explorer for years.
Programs are available to assist you in creating an attractive website. Many of these programs are user friendly and will aid you in creating a professional website quickly. You need to have an appealing website if you want visitors.
Before you start promoting your site, test it on several different browsers. Every browser sees sites a little differently, since these can affect the user experience. You should find out the top five to ten browsers. Do not neglect mobile browsers, as they are increasingly used by people of all ages; test to see that your new site works across a full spectrum of browsers.
The more time you spend working on your site, the easier website design will become. Begin by creating basic pages with HTML or C++; this will allow you to judge how well you are doing. It is important that you start practicing as soon as possible.
No matter what type of website you design or who the audience is you want to target, always keep the page load time under ten seconds. A site that is designed well will only take a few seconds to load. Many users crave instant gratification, so you should give it to them.
Even if you see designs you are attracted to on other sites, it is better to be creative on your own. While it’s acceptable to modify and expand upon design elements that have appealed to you on other websites, you should strive to create your own unique and innovative techniques. Following through with this step will certainly give you the best possible website design.
Each page on your site should include a tagline in both the domain and the sub-domains. The text needs to be obvious and placed conspicuously on every page. They can quickly let the reader know what the offer, goal, or purpose is of the page, and whether they go back or stay on this page.
You never want to use too many fonts when it comes to site design. Also, think about the way various fonts look on a standard screen. Little serif fonts (such as Times New Roman) can be difficult to read. A lot of sites use Verdana since it isn’t hard to read when it’s any color or size.
Remember that spending gobs of money is not a necessity for designing an effective website. Most expensive design tools have a cheaper or a free equivalent you have to look for. For instance, there is no cost open source software that can assist you in many of the sames ways as paid software. Making the most of this software can assist you in saving a great deal of money.
After you’ve learned more about website development, experiment and settle on something that works well. The process can be a lot of fun. So read up, take note and get started designing the next successful website.
Include strong meta-tags on every page of your site, if you want to get more visitors to your site. High-quality meta tags will help search engines determine the topic of your website. Meta tags that don’t accurately reflect the content of your website will negatively impact your traffic.