Web design is a very personal thing because everyone has their own opinion on what looks good and what doesn't. However there are some key factors that all designers need to keep in mind because they have a real impact on how easy the site is to use, there are some rules that can't be broken.
Navigation is the most important part of any site because when surfers can't find what they want fast they tend to go elsewhere. So make sure you navigation uses clear fonts and colors that are easy to read, not everyone will be looking for the same thing when they land so make it easy for them.
Consistency can be very hard to implement as you really have to spend time getting every page looking the same. Even small things like the link color changing on different pages will be noticed and when you're trying to get people to trust your site professionalism is essential.
Many webmasters make the miss-take of going overboard with applications like flash or silverlight. You have to remember that some people find flash sites very hard to use because they are so different. Also keep in mind that search engines cant read flash sites.
It still amazes me that some webmasters only test their site in their own web browser! The fact is that there's more browsers than ever now and each has quite a high percentage of use, so download them all and get testing!
Content is also considered a part of web-design because it has such a big effect on how well a site performs. Make sure all of your static pages have at least some kind of graphic or video to keep people interested, it's hard to get people to read a big block of text otherwise.
So those are my main tips for effective web-design, remember to test your ideas on as many people as possible, it's the only way to build the perfect site.
Navigation is the most important part of any site because when surfers can't find what they want fast they tend to go elsewhere. So make sure you navigation uses clear fonts and colors that are easy to read, not everyone will be looking for the same thing when they land so make it easy for them.
Consistency can be very hard to implement as you really have to spend time getting every page looking the same. Even small things like the link color changing on different pages will be noticed and when you're trying to get people to trust your site professionalism is essential.
Many webmasters make the miss-take of going overboard with applications like flash or silverlight. You have to remember that some people find flash sites very hard to use because they are so different. Also keep in mind that search engines cant read flash sites.
It still amazes me that some webmasters only test their site in their own web browser! The fact is that there's more browsers than ever now and each has quite a high percentage of use, so download them all and get testing!
Content is also considered a part of web-design because it has such a big effect on how well a site performs. Make sure all of your static pages have at least some kind of graphic or video to keep people interested, it's hard to get people to read a big block of text otherwise.
So those are my main tips for effective web-design, remember to test your ideas on as many people as possible, it's the only way to build the perfect site.
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