Improving your Web Design Skills with these Tips
People often think that flashy websites are important, but they only work right with a fast Internet connection. Use the method of keeping it as simple and professional as possible if you want to see traffic increase and revenue generated. Keep reading to learn helpful advice about creating a simple and effective website.
When doing web design, use the appropriate graphics. Bitmap images usually are big and don’t work as well as PNGs. Use PNGs for images over 256 colors for text buttons and the like or use GIF files for images smaller than 256 colors. JPEG is a good choice for photographic images.
Avoid useless scripts. Scripts like counters and date/time scripts don’t really serve any purpose, and since they are all JavaScript, can add a few kilobytes to the page’s file size. Getting rid of these elements also frees up space on the homepage. Replace those useless scripts with useful content that keeps users coming back.
Always include a search tool for searching through your site. They should be able to use a search box if visitors are searching for something specific. If you don’t get one of these, they may move to a site that has something like that. Always put the search box near the top-right corner of your pages.
Avoid creating user interface (UI) controls that mislead your visitors. These controls include more, elements and widgets that create an interactive experience, such as a link, drop-down list or button. If it is not actually linked to something else, you do not want to make visitors think that clicking on an underlined word or phrase for example, will lead to a new page. When your visitors have expectations of something working a certain way and it does not, they are more likely to assume there is something wrong with your site and leave.
Is the content on your site fun and interesting? A great looking site is no good if it has bland, unoriginal content. Visitors will come back over and over when you provide content that is of value to them.
Learning some basic HTML will help you add some interesting extras to your site. For example, you can have words that follow your cursor, or a banner that flashes important information. Make sure to change the colors and fonts occasionally, so you seem more involved with the web site and its design.
When designing your website, you should utilize cascading style sheets, or CSS. These style sheets can be applied to every webpage on your website, and will ensure that the user experience is consistent throughout the website. They are also effective for making quick design changes to your website due to the fact that you only need to change the style sheet as opposed to making alterations on every webpage.
To help your website function the way it is intended to, make sure all your links are working. If you have broken links then your visitors may get frustrated when they try to click on something that interests them. Frustrated visitors is not something you want because they end up leaving your site mad.
Try to make sure that any music or pictures that you’re linking to is hosted on your own web server. Do not hotlink to any other website images. This can be construed as bandwidth theft and it could put you in violation of a copyright too. It’s not worth the risk.
Flashy websites are not necessary, as you can now see. When you are educated on web design that is simple and pleasing to the eye, your site will become a success. These two things will help ensure your visitors have a pleasant time visiting and navigating your website.