One can easily become overwhelmed, when trying to build a website. If you have little to no experience, and even if you do have a lot of experience, it can be a daunting task. There are many things to consider, including the layout and color scheme. The information you need is also constantly evolving. The goal of this article is to get you up-to-speed on the current design process.
Avoid using frames. Most sites have abandoned frames on their own as better alternatives have become available, but there are still sites out there that are trapped in 1996. Alternatives to navigational frames include fixed-position navigation panels, having navigation in multiple areas (e.g. left and bottom) or simplifying page structure so that navigational links are never far away.
Keep the sizes of your files and images small. Excessive loading times are a death knell for any site. The larger the files are that must load, the longer a user’s load time is going to be. Most users will click away if the page doesn’t start to load within the first few seconds of opening your page.
Personalize your site. Your clients want to feel comfortable with you, so use testimonials from trusted customers, as well as photographs of people. Building trust with your customers is very important, so be sure to let them know you personally care about the product or service you are providing them.
You must always include the capability to search if you are working on a large website. Place a search box in the top right corner on the home page where users can search for a term that may appear on your site. You can get free search boxes from Google or FreeFind.
Choose your web host carefully. Some hosts require you to link to them, while others may force you to install their pop-ups. You should also test their performance using one of the many tools available for free online, as you do not want to host with someone who is consistently slow or crashing.
Avoid using animated GIFs on your site. These were popular in the late 1990s, but newer technologies have replaced the uses for animated GIFs that were actually useful. Animated GIFs are low in quality and large in file size. Use static icons for page elements and actual video files for complex animations.
Have clear navigation. When a visitor comes to your site, make sure they can go through your site. You must have clear navigation to do this. Have all important links in prominent places. Try linking many pages in your site. Allow information be found from every part of the site.
Make use of your grammar and spell checker. Yes, some mistakes may get passed some of your audience, but it will not get past everyone. You could lose some of your audience because of this, particularly if you make mistakes frequently. Do your best to correct your grammar and spelling on your site.
A great web design tip is to ensure that your site is able to be found with or without the subdomain. You should be able to find your site by typing http://www.mysitehere.com and also http://mysitehere.com. Sites that work like this are also able to be found without a prefix at all. You can type mysitehere and find it.
When designing a website, there are many elements that you have to take into consideration, including the fonts, the color scheme and the layout. Putting a good website together is a long and sometimes tedious process, but you will be successful if you take the time to acquire the necessary skills. If you use the information from this article, you will find out that anyone can design an attractive, functional website.