You may not need to purchase several types of pricey website creation software, ready-made templates, or use a website design company. If you’re willing to put in the time it takes to learn a few simple steps, you don’t need to pay for much of anything! You might need powerful software or outside consultants to build a strong website if you’re unwilling or unable to learn. However, this should not be necessary as long as you are able to educate yourself and work hard to improve your skills.
256 Colors
Be sure to use proper graphics when designing your website. Keep in mind that bitmap images are quit large. For this reason, they don’t work well; however, PNG images work very well indeed. Try using PNGs for images that are not photos or text buttons or if an image has over 256 colors. Use GIFs for something with less than 256 colors. JPEG is a good choice for photographic images.
Does your site pass the NoScript test? Download the NoScript extension in Firefox and test it on your site to see if it is still readable. Some content is unable to work without the proper scripts.
NoScript is your friend and a test your site has to pass in order for it to be deemed functional. Download the extension to ensure your website is readable. It will be normal for some content not to work, like the ordering system, but a blank page is a red flag.
It’s not the 90’s anymore, so stay away from using frames. Once frames were popular, but there were a lot of issues with them too. If you use frames, visitors may find it difficult to add your site to their favorites,and scrolling is problematic. There are a lot of better ways to get people to go through the website you have.
Make sure the color combinations that you use on your site don’t hinder their ability to be read. Your content should be read easily without assistance or adjustment. Using a dark text color on a lighter background is generally easier to read than the opposite. If you are uncertain about the effectiveness of your color scheme choice, try it out on a friend and solicit feedback from them.
Speed is vital when it comes to the Internet; therefore, you should ensure that your pages load really fast. If visitors have to wait and sit for a long time as your website load, there is a big chance that they will click away from you website and go elsewhere. They will probably not come back as well.
Search Box
A search box should be included on your website that allows visitors to look up information on your site. People who are seeking something in particular are bound to be interested in finding a search box upon reaching your site. If there isn’t one, visitors will probably leave your site rather quickly. Put the box on the right-hand top of the page.
Make sure that your front page is not too difficult to read. Your front page can be the determining factor whether a visitor decides to stay or simply exits without seeing more. Make sure that you provide a very clear description about your business or other purpose for your site. Other information on your site should also be minimal, but still clear, so that you don’t overwhelm your visitors.
Never underestimate the value of a site that is simple for visitors to navigate. It should always be easy to get from one page of the site to another. A navigation menu will also help visitors locate exactly what they’re looking for. Make sure each page has a ‘home’ link.
To help make your website more attractive, incorporate some pictures that you took. Having personal pictures on your site makes your site appear more user friendly. People will spend more time on your site looking around when they see pictures they want to click on.
All load times on the website you design should be as fast as possible. If visitors have to wait too long, they will likely leave. Reduce the graphics on your page and limit the script and use of Flash on your page.
Learning web page design isn’t as difficult as learning how to do open heart surgery. You do not need to have classes, and you are not accountable for anyone’s life. As long as you can follow the tips you have learned above, you can design a great website today.
Testing your website in every browser available is a great way to ensure it works as you wish it to for every visitor. What works in Internet Explorer may not necessarily show up correctly in Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. Before your website goes live, check to be sure that the pages display properly in all of the most popular browsers.
