If you think every website is pretty similar to one another, carefully examine a site like Twitter, then check out some random kid’s site on Google Sites. It is likely that you will get unique and interesting ideas that raise your standards for web design. If you want to learn about website creation, make sure you read these tips.
Fixed navigation panels are a good way to allow your visitors to easily navigate your site. This will make sure the navigation panel is locked in place as your readers move throughout the site. This isn’t only very convenient for your visitors, but is also great for marketers.
Before going live, test your website against NoScript. The NoScript extension that is available for Firefox can be used to see if the site can still be read. Some types of content, such as product ordering systems, won’t work without scripts, however if your website looks completely blank without any scripts, you have work to do.
Offer your site visitors a way to provide you with feedback. This will give you a mechanism where your visitors can let you know if something is broken, doesn’t work as well as it should or is confusing. Getting visitors to your site to feel they are involved is a smart way to be certain they are going to go to your site again.
Watch your use of color combinations when building your site. You want to make sure that your text is easily visible against your background colors. Reading dark text on lighter backgrounds is simpler than the opposite. If you are not sure whether or not your chosen color scheme is user friendly, ask for some feedback from some of your friends.
Functional websites work out for all visitors, regardless of their browser, so it’s essential that your website is tested across all the major platforms. A site that works on Internet Explorer might not display right in Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari. Prior to releasing your website to the public, you should verify that all of your webpages appear as intended on every popular web browser.
Do not go overboard with graphics. Though graphics are necessary for a professional look that is well-designed, too much creates clutter. You need to not use graphics to decorate things, you need to be sure they’re making your site better. Having the right amount of graphics will improve your site’s usability and reduce the clutter.
Images need ALT tags so do this while you are setting up your website. These tags are very important for the handicapped segment of your target audience. If part of a link, you can include information about the link intention. ALT tags are also used by crawlers for search engines, so they can even boost your search ranking.
Check your copy for broken links before you publish your page. People will become frustrated if they a link leads them to a broken page. You can also check the links yourself or use a program to look.
Use a sensible background for your site. Some sites have moving GIF backgrounds, which can be great at times, but can make your text difficult to read at other times. Choose backgrounds that coordinate with your site, rather than clashing with it, and your message will be much more clear to your visitors.
Avoid using pop-up advertising. Nothing is worse that going to a website and being bombarded with pop-up ads. The vast majority of users will just exit a site with pop-ups. Just avoid these irritating ads, so your users will be happy. Some website hosting services require you to use pop-up ads; you should view such policies as strong arguments against using such a service.
White is the most common background color online for a reason. White puts the focus on the content, making it easier to read. If you are trying to to exude a professional tone, a white background lends a trustworthy feeling to your site. Complex backgrounds distract your readers and visitors, and might slant your page towards an unprofessional image. For backgrounds, simpler is usually preferable.
Alt Tags
Placing ALT tags when using images on the site is important. These tags are very important for the handicapped segment of your target audience. Using ALT tags also help to explain what clicking on the link will do. Lastly, search spiders use ALT tags, so this can help you in the SERPs.
You don’t want to utilize a counter on your site. You might think they are a valuable addition to your site, but nothing could be further from the truth. Get rid of it and use other ways to see how many people have visited your site.
Don’t forget about Internet Explorer 7 and 8. Many people detest Internet Explorer, but some still use these older versions today. They don’t render many elements in compliance with web standards, so workarounds are required. Specifically, you should learn about a “box model bug” which troubled Internet Explorer for years.
If you are building a basic website, then a site hosts design tools are fine, but it is not something you want to completely rely on. It is ideal that you add an element of uniqueness and personality to your website. This will mean that you need come up with new design elements that are not obtainable by using the provided options of the host’s WYSIWYG editor.
It’s likely that you will not make the very next Twitter or Facebook. Only one site in a million enjoys that sort of success. However, your website can be every bit as professional as the big cheeses. All this requires is some knowledge and effort on your part. Apply the info from this article and get busy designing!