Learning the basics is the only way you’ll become successful in website creation. Many sources are out there to give the novice designera a place to start — and this is one of those sources. Read on for some handy tips for improved website creation.
When doing website development, use the appropriate graphics. PNGs work much better than bitmap images, which are huge. A PNG image should be used when it has less than 256 colors, so try to stay with that when designing text buttons, screenshots and images that are photographic quality. When using photos, make them JPEGs.
Include an easy way for visitors to search your site content. Those searching for specific information will instantly scan for a search option. If this option is unavailable, they may leave the site for one that allows a search. People look for these search boxes in the top right corner of the page, so place the search box in that area.
Incorporate fixed-position navigation so the users can easily use your site. The navigation panel is essentially stuck in one place as the user scrolls down to view more content. This helps anyone who just stumbles across your site view it more seamlessly. It can also make it easier for them to do something you want them to do (like get on your email list).
Regular newsletters attract repeat website visitors. Letting customers subscribe to updates and new information can keep them coming back. Place the signup form in a sidebar on your site, and keep track of the people that sign up. Make sure you only send out the letter to those that have explicitly requested to view it.
Know your subject thoroughly. If you want to have a blog or website, you need to research anything you plan on posting. By providing your viewers with information that is murky or false, you lose traffic. Knowing your subject inside and out is essential for a good blog or website.
Keep frames off your page. Users generally like frames, but information within frames is not picked up by the search engines. You will not get a good search engine ranking if your information cannot be ranked. Your traffic suffers if you fail to do this.
Be sure your site has a tagline everyone can see. The tagline includes a motto or clever phrase that speaks to the purpose of your business. This will give the visitor a quick first impression of what you’re about.
Meta Tags
It is important that you incorporate meta tag into the design of each of your website page, if you want to increase your website’s exposure. Quality meta tags will help the search engines to recognize what your site is all about. If your meta tags are poorly thought out and do not reflect your site’s content, then you will not get many visitors.
Many hosts have website tools available. While you can use these tools for basic design, it’s not a great idea to completely rely upon them. Work your own individuality into your website by adding your own touches beyond the basics that the host provides.
Minimize page sizes and loading times. Users with slower Internet connections may decide that the wait is not worth it if your site is slow to load. If your viewers are sitting waiting for the site to load, they may just go elsewhere to find what they need.
Hosting your own website might not be a good choice. Your design should reflect your idea of your business but paying for a hosting service is the best way to keep your site safe and secure while avoiding you the stress of maintaining a server.
Many people know there is a software called Photoshop and that they need to master it if they want to make websites that look awesome. Yet a lot of people aren’t familiar with Dreamweaver, and all that it has to offer for web designers, check into this program and see how it can help you.
Don’t force visitors to do things. Don’t use annoying pop-up surveys that won’t go away unless the visitors take action. By requiring visitors to do something before moving on, you will likely cause them to run far away and never return.
Make it easy for visitors to your website to scan your content. Tests have shown that the majority of online readers avoid reading everything on a page; instead, they just scan it for information that is of importance to them. Using text that is emphasized to break it into sections that are easily scanned ensures your readers are more likely to return. Also, the more important info should be kept towards the top. Your visitors will enjoy their time on the website more.
FileZilla is an excellent file server, and it gives you the opportunity to program your domain, username, and port settings right into its quick menu. By doing this, when logging back onto the server, you’ll just have to choose your own personalized settings off the menu. This can save you a large amount of time.
As you read earlier, inexperienced web designers must be willing to learn about the fundamentals before they can produce high-quality work. With so many articles and a vast amount of information floating around out there, it can sometimes be grueling work to find the best starting point. By following the advice in the article above, you will be able to start learning the basics of web design.
