Even the most experienced web designer could use a review of the basics. It is easy to get lost in the abundance of sources though. That is where this article comes in – you finally have help! Listed below is a compiled list of helpful web design tips that can help you create some great websites.
If your site has a logo, you want to be sure that when you click it you go right to your homepage. People now have an expectation that when they click on a company logo, the result is a return to its main home page. This, of course, causes frustration for them if it does not occur as they must then spend time searching for a home page link. If your logo is clickable, people will find your site more navigable.
When you are wanting to host particular videos on your website, you are going to have to check with that particular web host so you are able to know if it’s allowed or not. Some hosts do not permit videos to be hosted on their servers. FLV videos take up a lot of space on many public servers, so check before wasting effort.
Buy books that can help you become a great web designer. Stick to books for beginning web designers until you’ve mastered the basics, so that you won’t miss anything you need to know as you study web design.
New web designers who are aiming to create an appealing website, should utilize Photoshop. There are also programs that will allow you to design pages without knowing how to write HTML or other code. When you are working without something similar to Photoshop, it will create a steeper learning curve for design, and increase the time it takes to reach your goals.
If you’re planning to design multiple sites, it would serve you well to learn to work with multiple platforms. Learning PHP and MySQL skills, as well as Java and other platforms, will help you out in the future. Be a designer of many talents, whether you are designing a brand new site, or just helping your friend start one.
A visual sitemap can help you with advanced planning. You’ll be able to visualize how your site is growing as you add each new part. This allows you to quickly identify areas of your website that have been overlooked, or could use improvements. Few things are better than a visual aid.
Be very careful to remove outdated content from your site. If your page is promoting a special event that happened 6 months ago, you have already lost readers. Internet users want to have access to the latest information and read websites with regular updates. Set yourself a schedule for reviewing your site and removing anything that is outdated.
It’s important to validate all of your code. Lots of WYSIWYG technicians will tack on unneeded code to what you’ve done. Therefore, if you have used one of these programs, take the time for the extra step of validating the code through a specialized validation service. For example, you can get free validation services through W3C.
Take a look at domain auction services when the new site you’re designing needs a domain name. These auction sites, such as SEDO, are excellent locations to purchase created domain names. This can greatly benefit your website. Getting a domain name this way might cost some money, but a powerful one is worth the expense.
Avoid hiring family members to work on your website design. When trying to find someone to design a webpage, hiring family members or friends isn’t a good idea. It can be difficult to fire someone you know very well if you don’t like the outcome.
Make use of free software in your site setup. While many will say it is the expensive software that makes a difference in your site, however there are some free options that can offer nearly as much. A simple search is easy to do, and it produces a way for you to determine which free software and tools are best suited to your needs.
If you have a search text box on your website, allow at least 30 characters to be visible. Pay attention to the wording on your search box and keep it simple, with a command that simply states that your customers can “search” from that location. These measures will ensure that your search bar is clearly visible and is indeed a field for visitors to submit a search for the information they are seeking.
Sign up for newsletters that can help you learn about web design techniques periodically. Both pros and novices can benefit from reading good newsletters.
User-friendly web design programs, known as development platforms, can make building websites easier, but they are just not as trustworthy as hand-written code. Utilizing a platform allows you to focus on the design aspects of the website, while having the platform handle the technical aspect of creating the code. However, if you would like to keep the errors to a minimum, and increase your experience, then obtaining classic text editor would be the way forward.
Ditch Flash and use something else for multimedia. Flash may seem high-tech and splashy, but it might cause a visitor’s computer to load slowly and lag. There are many tablets and phones that are not Flash enabled, and if people are using them to view your site, it can ruin their experience, and make them not come back again.
It is not imperative that you handle all the design elements for your site. Effective web design requires the developer to understand a variety of different disciplines, including programming, SEO, useability and graphic design principles. You should not feel ashamed to get help in the areas you feel least comfortable. When it comes to those web design areas that you lack expertise in, hiring a specialist or a professional company may be well worth the cost.
As you now know, whatever your skill is with web design, you always have to know the fundamentals. The biggest problem you’ll have finding information is wading through the numerous sources that cover basic web design. This article above should have given you some advice on how to create great websites.