Creating a website yourself is a great way to promote yourself and your business. The better your site, the more consumer trust you will build. Understanding how to design well is the first step to take, so use this advice liberally.

It is important to choose great graphics for your website development. Keep in mind that bitmaps don’t usually work well, while PNGs do. For simple text buttons or graphics that aren’t photographs, use PNG for files that are 256 colors or larger. Use a GIF file for anything less than 256. Try using JPEGs for photos.

Users can navigate easier when you use fixed-position navigation. By locking the menu to a fixed point on the screen, you can make sure it is constantly visible to the user regardless of where they scroll to on the screen. This offers convenience for visitors and can help marketers as well when it allows visitors to take action easily, such as signing up for promotions.

Include search elements that let visitors search site content. If visitors to your site need something specific, they look for a search box first. They may go to another site if you don’t have one. Make sure your search box is visible. The right hand side of the page, at the top, is the best location.

Make sure to view your website in a variety of browsers. It is always possible that what you are looking at on your preferred browser is not what others are looking at in a different browser of choice. Research the most popular browsers and fix your site accordingly. It’s also a good idea to test out your website on different operating systems.

Keep page sizes down. Users with slower Internet connections might decide that the wait isn’t worth it if your site loads slowly. If a user has to wait for each page to download, they may leave your site altogether.

Ensure that you save personal information that the user might need to enter again into your site. For instance, if a user registers at your site and another form requires the same information again, be certain your website preserves this data to prevent them the useless and annoying hassle of filling it in again. You streamline the process when you create “sticky” information, and your visitors will appreciate you not wasting their time.

Buy a program to help you design a great website, there are many available in the marketplace. 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.

First you need to gain the knowledge to develop your own website then all you need to do is get creative and do it. The tips in this article will aid you in planning the website as well as creating it to target your visitors. Always keep coming up with new ways to build traffic, and soon enough you will see everything come together!