
There are many who think that flashy websites catch they eye of surfers and attract them to the site. However, this only works for those with faster web connections. Like most successful sites, they keep it simple so people can easily get to the information they seek. Keep reading for some useful advice you can use to keep your website spartan and effective.
Include search elements that let visitors search site content. Many people are coming to your site for a reason, and they want a quick and easy way to obtain the information they need. If there is no search box, they are not going to take the time to look through all your content. They are just going to move on. Always put the search box near the top-right corner of your pages.
Do not publish any site pages without verifying all the links are working. An error page after clicking a link is very frustrating for visitors to your page. You can choose to use a link checking program or check your links by hand.
Your site should be able to be scanned easily. Most website visitors do not really read online content. They just scan it looking for interesting tidbits of information. Break text into small, easy to scan sections to help readers quickly find the information they are looking for. Put important facts near the top of the page. This all leads to an experience that is more satisfying to your visitors as they can always find what they are looking for quickly and easily.
JavaScript is a great tool, but don’t overuse it. While Java opens many doors towards an interactive website experience, a lot of Internet surfers are going to have difficulty with it. Each web browser displays content differently, and your visitors will be using many different versions of each software platform. Not all visitors have the most current version of their browser. Additionally, you need to realize many people disable the JavaScript function in their browser. Both of these mean users will be prevented from using the site you made.
When designing your website, you should avoid using too many different types of fonts. Learn how to use generic fonts to make your site look more uniform. Most websites opt for sans serif fonts, like Verdana, that looks fine in different sizes and colors.
File Sizes
No matter what your website looks like, all the file sizes should be small. Your file sizes have a lot to do with the speed of your site loading. It is always a good idea for your website to load as quickly as possible. You need to remember that not every person who visits the website will have a fast Internet connection. Check out your website on all types of connections, including a dial up connection.
Be sure your site can handle Internet Explorer, both new and old versions. Many people are still using the older versions of Internet Explorer. Since many elements are not up-to-date you will have to work around it. It is important that you are familiar with “box model bug” which has harmed IE for awhile now.
Different types of files can be larger than others, and that can make a big difference to your website loading time. Your graphics should normally be GIFs or JPEGs. PNG and BMP may work better for graphic creation, nut they usually have larger files sizes. To be sure visitors have a positive experience, graphics should be converted to file types that are better-sized.
Test your site often to prevent issues. Testing early can help weed out problems before they get bigger or affect other aspects. Never stop testing and improving.
Get a few books on website design and study them. You don’t want to pick books about specific software versions as they’ll become outdated quickly, but style guides and even SEO information will last you a long time.
Peruse these ideas to learn how to build a basic website. This is the fastest route to getting the job done. If you do not take advantage of expert advice, you will be reinventing the wheel as you build your site.
A flash website might look good, but they are often slow and buggy. A simple site is a successful site. Try these tips out seriously, and you can go far.