It is easy to be intimidated by website design. Many people think you need years of experience to create an attractive website. If you are a novice, do not be scared. Apply the advice of this article to prepare yourself for both handling the rigors and reaping the benefits.
Be sure to use proper graphics when designing your website. PNGs work well, but bitmap images may be too big. 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. JPEGs are ideal for photographs.
Avoid frames! The are very 90’s. The fact is that while frames were popular in the past, they were simply one of many early techniques that were necessary then but are not today. They are the stone wheel of the Internet generation and should not be used today. Using frames makes it hard for viewers to bookmark your website and can make scrolling a chore. There are better ways to allow your users to browse your pages easily.
Keep page sizes down. For customers with slower Internet speeds, a slow loading site can cause loss of interest. Don’t waste their time or your own.
Have the data that users enter into fields preserved so that it can be transferred over to other portions of the site where the same information has to be filled out. 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. “Sticky” data will ensure that the user fills out all the forms they need to instead of leaving when it becomes too difficult.
Make sure you design your website with older Internet Explorer versions in mind. The Internet community loves to hate on IE, but in truth, a large portion of Internet traffic still happens through IE. They don’t render pages that have to do with regular standards on the web so you have to figure out a work around. Specifically, you should get up to date about an issue that plagued IE called “box model bug”.
File Types
File sizes affect the speed with which your website loads. You can control file size by paying attention to file types. You are better off keeping the graphics to the normal GIFs and JPEGs so it loads smoothly. Other files such as PNGs and BMPs use more disk space. To be sure visitors have a positive experience, graphics should be converted to file types that are better-sized.
If you find yourself stuck in the design process, remember that you have the entire Internet at your disposal to look for examples. You can find millions of different websites where there is so much information to help you design your own site. Look for websites that appeal to your sense of design and figure out how you can improve on those things you like. Remember that a successful website needs more creativity, not just the stuff you have borrowed from others. You must make improvements to those ideas.
You don’t want to utilize a counter on your site. Visitors really don’t care how many other people have visited your site. This is something that is not necessary.
Hosting your own site may not be a wise idea, regardless of how much money you have to invest. Design as much of the site as you are comfortable with, then allow someone with more experience to handle the rest. This maintains the overall quality of your site, but also gives you the opportunity to focus your attention elsewhere.
Begin by creating tiny websites in order to determine areas that you’ve worked on which were solid, and the areas that you’ve worked on which were bad. Create pages that encompass plain text to begin, and build from there as you gain confidence.
Graphics can add interest and value to your website. Prevent a bland appearance by wrapping text around your images. Content that looks creative and well-done will keep visitors interested and want to return.
If you really want an item on your website noticed – use the space that is at the top left corner. We have not only a natural instinct but are taught to read from the left side to the right side of paper and this holds true for your webpage. Don’t place everything on the right to appear different or because you think it’s cool.
To capture the attention of your prospective customers, and to show off your products and services, website development is the ultimate tool for the job. When this is done correctly, web design is an incredible addition to all your promotions. Start implementing some of the tips presented above today, and you could become a successful web designer in no time at all.