Many people want to make a website but don’t know where to start. In order to build a quality website you must have knowledge. The article that follows relays many tips for a person who is just getting started in web design.
If you’re designing a website, make sure the code you write has a valid HTML+CSS. Although most browsers can make sense of code that isn’t valid, it could be rendered correctly or incorrectly. Valid code will render the same way most of the time in modern browsers. You can check the validity of your HTML code with an HTML validator.
Have a site map. These are useful to your clients and the search engines, as they give a detailed overview of your entire website. It can be a guide for viewers searching for a certain part of your site, and also allow you to keep track of its structure and layout.
Use a tracking service, rather than displaying your visitor counter for all to read. Many websites still display their counters, yet they do not serve any real purpose. There are many high quality tracking services available, and some are even free. Use these instead of showing off how many people visit you.
If you believe your site may be accessed via mobile devices, you will want to keep your designs simple. The use of flash, excessive images, and complicated menus will not translate well to a mobile platform. Keep your page clean and simple, or create a specific mobile site for your users.
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.
Set up your website so that people can easily search it. This is especially important if you have a large website. Place a search box visibly on your homepage that helps your visitors search single terms that may appear anywhere on your site. FreeFind and Google both have these capabilities for a website.
Do not go overboard in using lots of fonts when creating your website. You have to consider how the fonts you choose display on computer screens. Some are simply too hard to read. Fancy fonts may look attractive at a glance, but a closer look reveals they can be extremely annoying to read.
Keep your education ongoing. Websites are constantly changing, every day, and if you stop learning new things, you may find yourself falling behind the pack with your designs. Try to convince yourself to learn one new thing each day, be it programming a new background, or a simple HTML setup.
You can create a good website with a minimal amount of solid tips and advice. If you understand the basics, you will have no trouble building a great looking website. Use what you learn here to get you started on your first site design.
