If you're one of the skeptics out there who believes that all websites are the same, just visit a site like Facebook and then check out a hosted site on Yahoo or Google. You will find that there are major differences in the appearance and useability of these very different sites. Here are some solid suggestions on how to make web design work for you.
Construct a visual sitemap as a means of planning your site accurately. You'll be able to visualize how your site is growing as you add each new part. You can then have a clear understanding of how to proceed, what to correct or improve, and what areas are best serving your site. There isn't anything like a crystal clear visual of your project.
Sound should only be used in appropriate situations when you create your site. Loud, distracting audio can be a huge turn-off to site visitors, especially if they are not given the chance to control it or reduce the volume. It is alright to include an audio and video link with sound, but always include an option to turn these controls off no matter if they are playing or not.
Remember that you don't have to spend a lot of money to design your website. For each costly, popular program or tool available for web design, there are equally useful programs or tools that are much cheaper. There is quite a bit of free, open source web design software available that performs admirably when compared to nonfree alternatives. Using this open source software may save you a lot of money.
Don't keep outdated content on your site. You will come across as undependable or an amateur if you have information on events that have long passed. The average online user values fresh content and attention to detail. Set a schedule to review the site, to ensure that outdated information is removed, and fresh new content is added in its place.
Make sure the colors and fonts used on each page of your website are consistent. You'll confuse your visitor if each page has it's own colors and font. Consistency of graphic schemes is necessary to avoid this problem. In order to achieve the most consistency, utilize the same fonts and color scheme in brochures.
Make sure to check whether your site works on all Internet browsers. Each browser program handles sites in a different way, and these variations can alter the user's interface significantly. A little bit of research will help you decide which browsers are used most often, at that time. Make sure to beta-test your site on all popular browsers, including those used on mobile devices.
For every page you design, make sure you validate it. Easy-to-use WYSIWYG web editing programs tend to burden your pages with junk code that is extraneous or even harmful. Go through your code and use a validation service to make sure your code is clear enough. Validating your code is an important step in web design, but be sure to use a good service.
Visitors want to have access to a website quickly, which is why your pages should load easily. If someone visiting your site has to wait a while in order for a page to load, it's likely they will click off your site and leave. They probably won't return.
Ensure that your website is unique and is not too similar to other websites that share your niche. Go look at your competitors' websites. If your website is too similar to your competitors, potential customers will not remember it. You will only be seen as a copycat of the one that was up previously.
You need not reinvent the wheel for yourself when you design a website. Make use of professional advice by asking questions of someone who is thoroughly familiar with the web design process. This could be the depth of information that you need, to build a solid foundation in web design.
Meta tags used on each page of your site, can increase visitors to your site. This is an important design consideration. You need to spend some time on creating high quality meta tags so that search engines can classify your site properly. If you have poorly thought out the meta tags that have no reflection on what your sites content is, you will not be getting many visitors.
Your site may not be the next biggest website sensation. It's possible, of course, but unlikely. Fortunately for you, the tools and knowledge exist that will empower you to create websites just as professionally attractive and functional as the ones that major corporations come up with. Use the tips laid out here, and start designing today!
