Designing sites online to promote a business is about the design. In order to create a great site, a degree is not necessary. Knowing what is and is not effective is fine. Read on and you will be given the advice you need to take your skills up a notch.
Choosing the right graphics can either make or break a website. Bitmap images require a lot of disk space and are unwieldy. For images that are not photographs, use PNG format for over 256 colors. If under 256 colors, use GIF format. For photos, you can use JPEG images.
Ensure your site can pass the NoScript test. This is a Firefox extension you can download, and it will check your site’s readability. You will need to do this to ensure the functionality of your site.
The 90s called. They want their web frames back. Back then, they were the height of technology, but technology has moved on. Frame-based designs cause readers to have trouble bookmarking your site, and scrolling can also prove burdensome. There are more modern ways to build layouts today.
Pay attention to the way the different colors you use on your website interact. If the text fades into the background due to poor contrast, the text will be hard to read. Dark text on a light background is the easiest for your visitor to read. Let your friends see your color scheme to get their input.
Do not use a lot of graphics. Having graphics are good for anyone who wants an attractive and professional site, but an abundance of them makes your page look cluttered. Graphics should enhance what you have to say on your site. They shouldn’t be put there to just look pretty. Also, including the “right” number of images makes it easier to navigate the site.
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. For example, if someone registers for your site, and some of the same information is needed to fill out another form, make sure data that they have already entered is preserved, so users do not need to re-enter this information. You streamline the process when you create “sticky” information, and your visitors will appreciate you not wasting their time.
If you want your site to be more appealing, include photos you have taken. Pictures help make your website more user-friendly. Many people find pictures appealing and will spend more time on the site and looking at them.
You need to have content that moves and excites your visitors. The appearance of the site design is crucial, but content keeps visitors coming back. If visitors are able to find what they need, they will come back again at some point.
Make sure to test early and to test quite often. You need to use your website as a reader would in usability tests early in the design process. Improve your site with every chance you get.
If you find yourself stuck in the design process, remember that you have the entire Internet at your disposal to look for examples. If you need inspiration, browse some of the other websites out there. Look through some examples and figure out what it is you like about them. Incorporate those elements into your own site. Remember though, you still want an original design, not a potluck of other site ideas. Make those elements better so your site truly shines.
If you have some ideas for more than one website, you should reserve a name for your domain, now. Show your creativity and choose what you want, but you must reserve it as soon as you can to have it for later. You’d be surprised at just how many people have the same ideas. The whole world is very connected.
The tips shared in this article can help you build a great site. You will eventually see how good your websites look when you have great advice to follow. So take these tips and build your own website that will help you promote your business.