Designing a successful website can feel intimidating. Even for those with plenty of experience, such a task can be daunting. There’s a lot to think about, such as the layout and the color scheme. The other problem is that new technologies, techniques and ideas pop up daily which you’ll have to learn to compete. The following advice can give you that extra bit of knowledge you must have in order to make an amazing site.
Check your site in all of the different browsers. Your content may show very differently to customers using alternate browsers. Make sure you understand the popular browsers out there to design for all. You should also check your website from a variety of different computers to see how it looks as well.
Avoid using clashing, loud colors when designing your website. Be sure that your written content is clearly visible and easy to read against the background you choose. Dark text colors on light backgrounds are usually easier to read compared to the other way around. If you are uncertain about the effectiveness of your color scheme choice, try it out on a friend and solicit feedback from them.
Try not too overuse graphics. Even though graphics might give you a professional looking website, too many may result in a crowded site. Graphics should enhance what you have to say on your site. They shouldn’t be put there to just look pretty. Having the right amount of graphics will improve your site’s usability and reduce the clutter.
Make your website easy to scan. Usability testing has shown that visitors are interested in scanning the content for items of value, rather than reading every word. Divide your content into sections that readers can readily scan and your visitors will come back for more. Also, make sure to keep the most important information at the top. When visitors are able to locate what they are looking for, they will be happier.
If you’re creating a large site, include search functions for your visitors. Try having a search box in the upper-right of your homepage that allows searching for terms on your site. You can find viable search features through companies like FreeFind or Google.
Your website should be optimized to include older versions of web browsers such as Internet Explorer. Many consumers still depend on IE. Workarounds are often necessary when standard elements can’t be rendered. Specifically, read about the “box model bug” that plagued IE for years.
From the graphics to SEO to content, there is a lot to consider when designing websites. While the sheer number of factors that go into designing a website can make it an intimidating venture, it doesn’t have to be hard. By following the advice that has been provided to you in this piece, an attractive and successful website can be yours.
