Whether for business or personal use, a website’s design is just as important as the content. Unlike a book, websites are more than plain text featuring interactivity from links to comment feedback. While Web design can vary from site to site, there are some standard guidelines each developer should follow.
1. Create pages with loading times in mind. As more and more users clog the broadband spectrum, it’s important that graphics and images be smaller for more speed.
2. Tailor pages so that they are relevant to the content. Users may find themselves confused by a disassociation between images and text.
3. Designers should avoid flashing or transforming objects that can prove to be a distraction to visitors. Not only can they create nuisances for users, but also they can keep them from looking at other parts of a site.
4. A website should be uniformly structured. Readers should be able to navigate through pages within seconds of landing on a site and content should be placed in neat packages.
5. Simplicity always works best. While this can limit the chances at being unique, it caters to the familiarity of the average Internet user.
6. Use only text that is easily readable. While headings or titles can have a little flair, paragraphs should be composed of basic text that people can readily decipher. There is a reason sans-serif font can be found on nearly every website.
7. Keep the number of different fonts to a minimum. In the spirit of uniformity, varying fonts can throw users off and limit the ability to scan content.
8. If selling advertising space, don’t allow it to crowd the rest of the page. Readers visit a site for content, not to be bombarded with ads.
9. Make sure the site is compatible with all web browsers, and test it with the release of new editions.
The right web design makes a site seem both legitimate and more appealing to users.
