Google’s site design is clean and simple. They don’t make the same mistake other sites do of over-complicating things to generate excitement. No matter which type of feeling you’re going for, you need to know the basics of website creation to create a site which works. This article contains tips that can help you in reaching your goals.
Use the proper graphic tools for website development. BMP files are large and can slow down a website. For text buttons, screenshots, and other images that are not photographs, use PNG for images with over 256 colors and GIF for images with less. Try using JPEGs for photos.
To make your website as easy to use as possible, consider using a fixed-position menu. The panel maintains position while they view the page. This is easy for the visitor and good for marketers.
Easy navigation is critical to keeping visitors on your site. Links should be displayed where users will find them easily. Menus are another way to make site navigation easier on your site. Post links that lead back to the homepage on each page of your website to make navigation easier for your users.
Successful websites work well with any browser, so you’ll need to do some testing of your paging using various browsers. The most popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Firfox, Safari and Google Chrome and what works with one might not work with the others. Prior to releasing your website to the public, you should verify that all of your webpages appear as intended on every popular web browser.
A newsletter can help you to get more repeat visitors to you website. When you allow visitors to subscribe to your website’s newsletter for updates, they will be more likely to come back to your site. Add a signup bar on your site and use it to track the number of visitors who do so. Only send the newsletter to those who request it, or you could find yourself in hot water.
Make sure that you include efficient search capabilities when you’re designing a large website. Place a search box visibly on your homepage that helps your visitors search single terms that may appear anywhere on your site. FreeFind and Google both distribute a search function which you can use on your site.
Ensure that you save personal information that the user might need to enter again into your site. An example of this is if someone fills out a form to register, and then has to fill out other forms for other things. If the person’s info transfers from one form to the next, it will be much more convenient and less time consuming for the user. Your clients will thank you for saving them the time it takes to fill in information that they have previously done on your site.
Learn your subject. This means that no matter what information you share, do your research. The last thing you want to do is distribute incorrect information. Knowing your subject thoroughly will make your blog good.
Keep load times to a minimum of your site. Visitors that get stuck waiting for slow pages to load will almost always leave the website. Reduce file sizes, graphics and fancy coding to bring your pages down to acceptable load times.
Text Editor
White is an effective and visually attractive background color for a website. If you use a white background, your content can end up being simpler to read — and build trust in your site. Complicated background designs can distract your visitors and, it can also make your site look less professional. With backgrounds the simpler, the better.
Development platforms can make your own code, but certain ones aren’t as dependable as a text editor. Most people use a design platform to generate code for any features that they want on their website, and then they simply copy and paste the code into their webpages. But if you are looking for a more hands-on experience where you can control everything, including fixing the errors, then a basic text editor should be what you choose.
Learn all you can about website design to be successful. You must know your niche well to have your sights set on your targeted customer base. Figure out ways to reach this essential group. This makes web page design quite efficient.
Try making your site design more creative by using graphics. Wrapping text around the pictures helps improve the look and feel of your site. Visitors will spend more time on your site and be more likely to return if you show that you value their time by creating an attractive website.
Optimize load times on your website. Visitors that get stuck waiting for slow pages to load will almost always leave the website. Do your best to reduce graphics, scripts, and Flash.
It helps in the site design process if you continue to learn as you go. Once you master any facet of web design, move on to another. While this might take longer initially, the knowledge you gain will have multiple benefits in the future.
Visual Sitemap
You need a visual sitemap to effectively plan ahead. The use of a visual sitemap will allow you to see how things are developing. Then, you will have the ability to isolate areas that need more work. A clear overview of the project will prove to be invaluable.
Be sure you’re testing your site early and it gets tested on an often basis. It is essential to do usability tests early in the developing phase. Make sure you continue to test it as you grow and improve your site.
If you are making multiple pages within a subcategory of a website, use the copy/paste feature on your PC, it will help a lot! Do not waste time by creating original HTML code for each page on your site. Instead, duplicate the main code, make any necessary adjustments, then save the code as a unique file. You will be able to use that master copy indefinitely.
Open space on a website is restful and allows the visitor to focus. It is a mistake to pack as many bells and whistles as possible into your website. Allowing a certain amount of white spaces makes your site more readable; it becomes easier to locate and absorb relevant information.
If you have a commercial site, stay away from free web hosting; that way, you can also stay away from headaches and potential lost business in the future. Although everyone likes to hear that something is free, there really is no such thing. Though you won’t pay for the hosting in dollars, your site will suffer when it is constantly crowded with advertisements that you have absolutely no control over. This will cause you to make sacrifices in your business ethic and design, and customers will shy away from your sites.
The harder you work on your web design, the easier it will be for you to learn new techniques. Start by creating simple pages you don’t even publish to the web, just so you can see how the basics work. You have to start some time, so you might as well start now.
Whether you want a basic site or something a bit more fancy, the information here will be a big help. Begin by incorporating everything you learned here to help you design a great website quickly, and to be able to watch your site grow fast!