Web design companies are making a fortune these days on stuff you could be doing yourself. Don’t be scammed by them; take charge of your site by learning web design. Keep reading to get a better understanding of web page design.
Make sure your site passes the NoScript test. See if the website is readable. Certain content cannot be read unless scripts are present. A blank site without scripts can create big problems.
Don’t forget about Internet Explorer 7 and 8. People may say they dislike Internet Explorer, but a majority of them still use it. They don’t render pages that have to do with regular standards on the web so you have to figure out a work around. Read up on the so-called “box model bug” which has bothered IE users for a long time.
The faster a web page loads, the more it will be appreciated. You should minimize the loading time of your site’s pages. If Internet users have to wait a long time for your website to load, they will probably leave your site before it loads and vow never to return.
All links must have text content. Links should include a description so visitors understand what they’re clicking. If you do not include this, users may find themselves clicking on things they do not want to visit.
Keep load times to a minimum of your site. People are more likely to leave your site if the load time is too long. Minimize the amount of Flash, scripts and graphics on your site. Optimize the site with HTML, SSI files, caching options and minimize CSS and JS coding.
In the “About Us” area of your site, write some good content about who you are. So many sites have dull, boring information on these pages. Try to write this content in an entertaining way. Let people know about your background and experience, tell them how you started designing websites and show them examples of your achievements.
Have a search element included so visitors can search your website content. If visitors are searching for something specific, they should be able to use a search box. Without this tool, the visitor might leave and go searching on another website. Make sure the box is on the right at the tip of the page, which is where most visitors will look first.
Provide web browsers with independent CSS pages, and then use conditional loading. Testing and regular maintenance is much easier this way. All sites require maintenance from time to time and making that easier will save you time.
Always use fonts that look professional and are readable. Many times you can tell a site is not professional because of the fonts they have chosen. Don’t use silly fonts, especially Comic Sans, or rare fonts that most people won’t have installed. If your reader doesn’t have the font you require, their browser will substitute a default font instead, possibly throwing the layout of your entire page off. This often looks terrible.
Broken Links
Always delete any outdated content that is on your website. If you’re talking about events that happened a year ago, you are behind the times. Readers want current information and want to feel safe in dealing with a company that is on top of things. Create a regular schedule for updating the content of your page, and weed out anything that has become irrelevant.
Make sure to check for any broken links. Do this before uploading the links to your server. Visitors who encounter broken links and errors will not stay on your site long enough to view your product. Check your website regularly to make sure it works properly.
Always proofread any information you put up on your website. Your goal is to make it easy for people to read your content. If there are errors, most readers will see your site as unprofessional and will not take you seriously.
You can learn from other web designers, but you should always remain creative and look for new ideas as you take your turn at design. Create designs on your own, and improve on the ones you’ve witnessed on other websites. You will be able to get great benefits from following this step.
When designing a large site, always incorporate a search feature. Place a search box visibly on your homepage that helps your visitors search single terms that may appear anywhere on your site. Search functions for websites are available from FreeFind and Google.
It is important that your web designs are not too similar to others which are within your immediate industry circle. It’s easy to see what others are doing by visiting their site. Having a similar website will simply make your business blend in with the rest. You will be just another generic version of any competitors that had their sites up before you.
You should improve your time management as you build your website. This will help you get it done more efficiently. Because website building requires so many smaller tasks, you might be tempted to put them off until a later date. Those small jobs can add up to a ton of overwhelming work if left unattended to. Work steadily and make progress toward your goals.
The design process doesn’t stop once your website has gone live. Always update your site and remain active to maximize your results. You don’t need to constantly tweak it, but it’s critical to update the site regularly. If you write about current events or shoot timely video, this is particularly true. Updating a website is a bit more involved than just updating your blog. You still have to put in some effort, though!
Avoid using too may font types. You need to consider how large the font is since some may be too small for concentrated website reading or smaller screens. Verdana is a good font that is popular on the Internet.
If you’re going to put a logo on the website, link it back to send users to the home page. Over the years most people have come to associate a logo with a link, that when clicked, will take them to the homepage of a website. With only a static logo, your users could become frustrated as they search for a home link and decide to stop wasting their time on your site. Incorporating a clickable logo greatly increases your site’s usability.
When you have a basic understanding of web design, you can start practicing what you know. These tips can facilitate your experience with creating the site. So read up, take note and get started designing the next successful website.