It can be very costly to hire a web designer or company to create your site. And by spending all that money, it still doesn’t give the certainty that you will be happy with the end results. You might not be able to get a design firm to know exactly what you want. In fact, you may be the only one who can bring it to life. Continue on for some great website design tips that will show you how to build a site that you can be proud of.
The graphics you use are important. Bitmap images usually are big and don’t work as well as PNGs. Use a GIF instead if the image contains over 256 colors and PNG for test buttons and screen shots. For pictures, use JPEG images.
Display a tagline in a prominent area on your page. A tagline is a motto or statement that expresses what your business is all about. It’s important to use a tagline that is clear since you have about eight seconds when someone goes to your page to get them interested in exploring your entire website.
If your website is going to attract visitors, it needs to be easy to navigate. Links should be easy to find and prominently displayed. Menus can also make it easier to navigate your site. Ensure that there are links to all of your main pages, such as the home and contact pages, in a prominent location on every page.
Make sure you give your users the option to cancel a given action if they choose to. This might include completing forms, browsing your site, or registering for newsletters. Forcing your user to complete an action they don’t wish to will ensure they never sign up for anything on your site again, nor are they likely to return at all.
Don’t have pop-ups. It’s annoying to visit a website and get ambushed with a lot of pop-up ads. Many people will leave a site that has pop-ups, even the big sites. Stay away from those irritating ads and your visitors will be pleased. If your webhost places their own popup ads on your website, it is time for you to change your webhost.
Adding some relevant pictures is always a good way to make your site more interesting and attractive. This will make it more appealing to your visitors. When the visitors seed that you spent more time putting together your site, they’ll look forward to clicking on your next picture.
Do not put pop-up windows on your site. Users hate them and they won’t add you any value. A user who is constantly closing pop-up ads is more likely to look for information on a different site without endless nuisances.
Take the time to actually use your site as you are building it. While you’re designing the website,it is very important you perform the usability tests and website’s user interaction as soon as you can. Keep testing and improving as the design nears completion.
The more you learn about and practice website development, the easier the process becomes. So once you have the basics, start a simple web page using HTML and C+. See if you’ve got what it takes. Proceed with what you know about it soon, because you may need more practice than you initially think you will need.
You should know everything included in hosting service’s package. Pay close attention to how much bandwidth, CPU usage and disk space each package includes. Be certain that you are aware of what you are paying for.
HTML 5 is something you must learn to succeed with web page design. If HTML5 is something that is foreign to you, you have a learning curve ahead of you.
Work with a professional. You can gain a great deal of knowledge from a web page design master who knows how the field works. If you take this route, you can make the most of an opportunity to develop your own skills.
Remember that you do not have to design the entire website all by yourself. Creating a comprehensive website will require knowledge in design, programming, interface, content and SEO. You should not feel ashamed to get help in the areas you feel least comfortable. You can always hire some company or other professional who specializes in a certain area you aren’t very familiar with.
Continue learning as you design a site. After you conquer one skill in web design, move on to the next one. While this may lengthen the process of building your first site or two, you will soon have the knowledge you need to crank out websites much faster.
Visual Sitemap
A visual sitemap is a recommended option when building a website, as it will help you plan things in advance. When you make a visual sitemap you get an idea of how you’re coming along in your development process. This way you can see whether or not you’re on the right track. You can then have a clear understanding of how to proceed, what to correct or improve, and what areas are best serving your site. Nothing can fully replace a clear, easily interpreted visual.
Eliminate Flash from your site and look for an alternative. While Flash can convey high-technology and an air of excitement, some computers lag when they encounter sites that use Flash. Some phones and tablets, especially those made by Apple, won’t run Flash at all, which can destroy the user experience if there’s no alternative content.
One of the most appealing aspects of web design, besides its simplicity, is the fact that it is fairly easy to turn what you envision into a real and functional site. The advice outlined above can be implemented to make fantastic websites. Make sure you stick to the tips that were provided.