A large part of a website’s success or failure depends on the quality of its web design. Making use of techniques that add to the appeal and functionality of your site will make visitors want to come back because they find it simple to use and visually appealing. On the other hand, if your web design skill are poor, they will leave the website without looking at a single piece of content! Use all the tips from this article so that you too can become a great web designer.
Avoid frames! The are very 90’s. Frames were in heavy use during the beginning days of the Internet, but they were very flawed. If you use frames, visitors may find it difficult to add your site to their favorites,and scrolling is problematic. A number of better ways exist that make it easy for users to navigate your site.
Do not use JavaScript too much. It provides many ways to develop an interactive experience for your audience, but it can also stop some visitors from accessing your content at all. Although JavaScript has some benefits, you need to be aware of the different types of browsers being used. They might not have the latest edition of the browser. Also, many people do not enable JavaScript in web browsers. Either of these problems can make the visitor unable to use your site.
Use shortcuts. In web design, there are lots of shortcuts that will decrease the amount of time it takes to do things. You can even use HTML codes to help make changes quicker so that your pages don’t need to be uploaded again.
Web Design
Purchase a web design program to help you along the way. Professional web design programs are simple to use and will have you creating beautiful looking websites really fast. Let’s face it, a boring, drab site simply drives traffic away and that is not what we want to do.
Try using a newsletter for getting repeat visitors. If your clientele are able to register at your website for information about product news or highlighted happenings in the near future, they’re more likely to keep visiting. It is good practice to place the newsletter signup form in your website’s side bar. Furthermore, you should always keep track of everyone who signs up. Make sure the newsletter only goes to those who actually asked for it, or you’re going to get some serious blowback.
Avoid the overuse of different fonts when you are designing your website. Also, think about the way various fonts look on a standard screen. Little serif fonts (such as Times New Roman) can be difficult to read. Most sites use Verdana, which is easily read in different colors and sizes.
Keep all of the site files you use as small as possible, regardless of design. This is because file sizes are directly correlated with load times. It is always a good idea for your website to load as quickly as possible. You must keep in mind that not all visitors will have a fast Internet connection. Test your site to make sure that it loads up quickly, even when accessed on a dial up connection.
Internet Explorer
Optimize your website to handle computers that may be running older versions of programs like Internet Explorer 7 and 8. Most people have a love-hate relationship with IE; however, many people are still using it, including older versions. Unfortunately, many aspects of your site may not be compatible or displayed properly due to outdated rendering standards, so you may have to create some fixes for the elements that do not work properly. Familiarize yourself with the concept of the notorious “box model bug” which caused trouble for Internet Explorer for years.
An attractive and easy to use web design can be the deciding factor in whether or not your website is successful. If you employ effective design principles, your site will enjoy impressive traffic levels. But, shoddy design may prompt visitors to quickly depart from your site, never to return. Follow the web design advice you’ve just read to guarantee the success of your website.