Website creation skills are a hot commodity these days, and everyone is looking for ways to acquire them. However, most do not take the appropriate time to learn the skills it takes to be truly successful; the few that do reap all the benefits. Let this article help you so that you can be one of the few that benefits from learning website design.
You will need to pass the NoScript test. The NoScript extension can be downloaded for Mozilla Firefox; doing so will allow you to be sure your site can be read. Some stuff won’t work unless there are scripts.
When you design a site, pull it up in various browsers. Make sure it looks good on every browser. Research the most popular browsers and fix your site accordingly. Before you decide to go live, you should always have others using different browsers and operating platforms review your site to verify it works on different systems.
The 90’s were the last time frame use was popular. Frames were terrific in the burgeoning web page design days, but they had their problems too. Frame designs make scrolling frustrating and it makes sites more difficult to bookmark. There are better ways to allow your users to browse your pages easily.
You must create a website that is easily navigable to attract and keep traffic. Make all links prominent and easily located. Having a menu bar on your site can also make navigation easier. To enable easy browsing, be sure that each page includes a link back to the home page.
Keep your topics separate. If your website covers a variety of different topics, put these topics on separate pages. This not only eliminates customer confusion, but it also helps you out with search engine crawlers and your site rankings.
Broken Links
Before publishing websites, check them for broken links. A visitor will get very annoyed when they click on a link that takes them to either a blank page or one that gives them an error. You can do manual checks or seek out a program that will do a scan and give notice of broken links.
White is the most common background color online for a reason. Few visitors take issue with a white background, which looks professional or, at worst, neutral. Text content is also more clear on a white background. Giving your site a background featuring vibrant colors or complex patterns, though, can give an unprofessional impression and reduce the clarity of your site. Simple backgrounds are usually a better choice.
Publish a newsletter, to increase your likelihood of having repeat visitors. Giving your customers the opportunity to receive promotions, updates, or other news in their inboxes can encourage them to return. Place the signup form in a sidebar on your site, and keep track of the people that sign up. You should then only send your newsletter to people who have requested it, or individuals could sue you for unsolicited emails.
To make a more attractive website, try using your own pictures. This will help your website look great and offer a user-friendly approach. People will look at your website longer and more often if you include high quality, original images.
You must be sure that your site is optimized properly so that it can be viewed in all browsers. Internet Explorer is not well regarded, but many still use it, and some even have outdated versions. They don’t offer a lot of elements that comply with basic web standard, so customizations may be in order. Make sure to look at the infamous “box model bug,” which has been an issue for IE for several years.
Regardless of how the design of your website is created aesthetically, be sure to make all of your files small. Your website’s loading time is directly affected by the file sizes you have on your site. You want the speediest load times possible. You should remember also that some visitors may not use an Internet connection that is high speed. Continue to test your site to make sure it will load quickly, even with a dial-up connection.
Good websites are optimized for older IE browsers, like 7 and 8. Many people still use old IE versions. The older versions do not render all site elements to comply with web standards, which means using workarounds. Make sure you look at the very vexing “box model bug” that IE experienced.
In the “About Us” area of your site, write some good content about who you are. A lot of websites offer nothing of substance in this area, and some even leave this page empty. Spice things up. Let people know about your background and experience, tell them how you started designing websites and show them examples of your achievements.
Test early and frequently. Perform usability tests in the early stages of designing your website. Never stop testing and improving.
Learning about website design is a subject that becomes easier the more you work at it. So, learn the basics, then create some simple webpages using HTML to reinforce your understanding. Get to work now and practice your craft!
As you design your site, incorporate independent CSS paging for browsers and make use of conditional loading. This technique will make testing and maintenance easier. Simplicity is key to success.
Using pop-up ads are a sure way to turn customers off. Certainly it is important to include PPC ads on your site to earn some money, but pop-up ads that get in the way of what your visitors want to see is counterproductive. Pop-ups will cause people to go elsewhere. Use simple ads and skip the wild and intrusive pop-ups.
Start building the first page of your site with a template to keep the process simple and straightforward. Starting simple will allow you to add more advanced techniques as you expand your site, giving you a chance to learn each one by one.
Even if you invest large amounts of money in your website, it’s not a good idea to host a site yourself. You should do as much of the web design work yourself as you can while allowing a reputable company to host the site. This means you can worry about your website design while the host worries about uptime and security.
Remember that acquiring the skills necessary to design a good website is necessary to establish yourself as a serious online business and make profits. Website creation can be a fabulous place to make profits, whether doing it for yourself or others.