You may know how websites function, but that doesn’t mean you know the right way to build one. Tinkering with HTML code and adding various design features takes a skilled hand. To achieve a professional looking website, continue educating yourself on the the finer points of design. Make sure to read these design tips below if you need a hand.
Be conscious of your background. There are sites out there that use animated GIF images for their backgrounds. This might be OK for a personal site, but it can also be a serious distraction that makes it hard for readers to focus on the text. Choose a background that goes with your site, instead of one that goes against it, so the viewers will be able to understand what you wish to convey.
Always implement powerful site-searching capabilities when designing a large website. Place a search box in the top right corner on the home page where users can search for a term that may appear on your site. FreeFind and Google both distribute a search function which you can use on your site.
Elicit feedback from your visitors. That way, if they are having a problem or there are missing items on your pages, you will be made aware and can fix the problem. If your visitors feel like they are a part of your site, they will want to return.
Use Photoshop to create professional looking graphics for use on your website. Photoshop or other similar programs, can advance you into a professional arena quickly. Not having this software can lead to a design which looks amateurish and untrusthworthy.
Internet Explorer
Optimize your site for older versions of Internet Explorer (IE7 and IE8). There are many people on the Internet who still utilize Internet Explorer. Workarounds are often necessary when standard elements can’t be rendered. An example would be the vexing “box model bug” which troubled IE for quite some time.
Test your site as much as possible. You need to ensure that visitors will not have a problem viewing and using the page. Continue to make improvements and test the site as you expand it.
Always make sure navigation is clear and easy. Where your links are will determine if visitors can get around your site. The navigational tree should be neat, easily accessible and consistent so your visitors have a good web experience.
Be sure to make sure that your website works on the different browsers that are out there. No two browsers will display your website exactly the same, and some of them could make it more difficult, or even impossible, to use easily. Learn which browsers are used the most. Use all popular browsers to test your site, including the mobile web ones.
It takes a great deal of practice to learn how to apply great website development techniques. This will ensure that you are using the information you learn. You don’t want to move deep into your site’s design and realize too late that you don’t understand something important.
Make your fonts professional and readable. A site’s look can hinge on whether or not it’s fonts are professional. Don’t use fancy fonts, such as Comic Sans since many computers don’t have them. A font can be subset to the default font on your user’s computer if they don’t have it. Sometimes this looks worse, but often times it helps the reader who otherwise may not have been able to read your website clearly.
Before purchasing hosting service, you must first establish exactly what features or options are included. Make sure that you understand the bandwidth, storage space, CPU usage, and any extras that come with the offer. Be certain to know exactly what you will be getting.
After reading the information regarding website creation, clearly it is not too difficult to design a site. It’s a real skill, and you’ll need to continue to learn to really do well. Keep these tips in mind as you set out to design your own professional looking website.