Simple Web Design Tips For Beginners

Designing a decent webpage requires a lot of planning, research and execution. To create a good website, you don’t simply start building it and let it evolve as you go. Knowing the content you want to include, the colours, the layout and a number of other factors are all very important.

The information provided in this article will assume you have the proper skills to design a website. We will not be discussing HTML coding or other back end stuff such as PHP and mySQL databases. We are aiming to provide you with advice on creating the website, on the assumption that you already have the proper skills to develop it.

The first thing to consider when building a website is what is it for? This may sound like a silly question but it’s absolutely crucial to think about this before doing anything else! Do you want the website to provide potential clients with information, do you want to sell products online, do you want to generate contacts for some community building project? Whatever the case, identifying the primary reason for your site will assist you in building something effective that encapsulates this.

Once you’ve worked out why you want a website, the next step is to decide what to put on the website. Again, you want to avoid simply designing the site and adding things as you think of them. Clearly pre-determining what content needs to go on the site will allow you to develop a suitable structure. If you’re unsure of what to put on the site, think back to why you want the website. Then make sure the content maximises the chance of you achieving these goals.

The next important consideration for your website is branding. Your design and colours should reflect your existing branding, as a site is an important extension of your business which should be consistent. Do you have a logo? If so, the primary colours of the website should be based around this.

If you’re starting up, do you want your business to get a logo? Having one designed before you build your website is smart because it is a lot easier basing a website around your logo, rather than fitting a logo into an existing site design. Even a simple web design can have trouble fitting a newly made logo into it. Organise your logo first and base your site design around that. Avoid bright shades of colours that can hurt the eyes, and make sure the colour reflects the type of business you are. For example, if you’re in the medical industry, calm colours are a good idea.

The type of content on your site needs to be thought about carefully. Avoid too many distractions. Flash animations can take away from your message and put less emphasis on the calls to action that you want people to see. Use flash only sparingly, if at all, and make sure it is subtle and actually adds to your site. Do not use clipart! You may find it fun personally, but 99% of your visitors will find it tacky and amateurish!

Websites are an objective thing and they are for your customers, not you. Take a step back when designing the site and imagine if you were a neutral person would you find it beneficial. Asking friends and colleagues of their opinions can also give you an unbiased view of the usability and functionality of your site. Utilise all these tips and your website will start off on the right foot!

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Elliot Dean provides information on simple web design alongside his affordable web design company

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

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