Great Tips On How To Become A Better Web Designer
In terms of ways to earn money, millions are finding that websites are fun, easy and reliable earners. However, a website needs to not only have ample traffic to be successful; it has to be attractive and functional. So for every SEO tactic you know, you would do well to learn a web design tactic right alongside it. Here are a few different tactics you can use for your site.
Keep the size of your web pages small. A lot of modern web pages are full of unnecessary elements, including huge images, Flash advertising, and lots of AJAX. Many people, especially those in rural areas and other countries with less-developed internet infrastructure, don’t have high-speed Internet and will have to wait forever for a large page to load.
Don’t force users to install strange BHOs. Many tech-savvy users won’t do it. Common offenders include unusual video players, image viewers, and platforms for interactive games. For most standard use cases, there is a trusted plugin, such as Windows Media Player or even Flash) that will do what you want without driving away users.
You want to ensure that your site is easily able to be scanned. Usability testing has shown that visitors are interested in scanning the content for items of value, rather than reading every word. Emphasized text is more easily scanned and helps readers along, also better ensuring they return. Put the pertinent information near the top of your page. This will make your visitor’s time on the site more satisfying because everything is quickly accessible.
Give your visitors the ability to search your site so that they can more easily find what they are looking for. If someone cannot find what they are looking for right away, their next thought will be to look for a search field. Put this somewhere obvious and include a search button.
If you believe your site may be accessed via mobile devices, you will want to keep your designs simple. The use of flash, excessive images, and complicated menus will not translate well to a mobile platform. Keep your page clean and simple, or create a specific mobile site for your users.
Include a links page for your site and use it to provide a variety of resources related to the site’s purpose. You should also include a variety of links, including links to sites that are offering backlinks to your site. If related sites link back to your site, your site ranking will move up in the rankings on search results pages.
Every page of your website should have a way to return to the main page, or “home.” This ensures that when users navigate deeper into your site, they always have a way to start over if they lose place of what got them to the page they are on currently.
Make sure your website uses a consistent font throughout. Some websites change fonts willy-nilly without any design reason to do so. This makes the content difficult to process for visitors. Most websites, especially business websites, will do just fine sticking to basic fonts like Arial, Veranda, or even Times New Roman.
You should create a useful ‘About Us’ page Too many websites do not spend enough time creating an original ‘About Us’ page. Spice things up. Get a little personal with this information by describing how you got started with web design, who your family members are, and what your business goals are.
If you already have a particular web hosting solution that you know you are going to use, keep its limitations in mind as you design your website. For example, do not create a website that relies on specific programming languages if your web host does not support these languages. It is fairly simple to find out which technologies are supported by your web host. Make certain that your design is something that is within the limitations of your host.
To help you design a good site, you need to make it so it is simple to navigate. Navigation encompasses everything and is the backbone of your site. So construct a site that flows easily from one area to another, otherwise your site will be very confusing and people will not visit it.
Watch the amount of flashy multimedia that is on your site. Don’t overdo it with a bunch of “extras”. Flash graphics and multimedia may appear enticing, but these may make it difficult for visitors to find the desired information from the site, particularly if they’re viewing your site from a non-Flash compatible device.
Obviously, the tips above don’t cover every single aspect of web design. You will have to research further if there is more you need to know about the subject. As you can see, though, the tips provided here will help you get and stay on the right path. Use these tips wisely to build a great site.