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Web Design Information |
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8 Tips for Designing a Great Website
Square buttons, round buttons, flashy buttons ? will they match my shoes, my handbag or my tie? Are you stuck in a maze of buttons, headings, bullets, sub-headings and colour schemes? STOP!!!! Take a deep breath and read some practical tips for professional looking websites. 1. Select a colour scheme and stick to it. If your company has a logo or preferred colours on its stationery that's a good start. For those of you starting from scratch, choose two or three complementary colours and stick with them - don't change colours on every page. The most common colour schemes include:
If you're not sure what colour scheme to choose, surf the internet and find a website that you like. You can then model your colour scheme on what already exists. 2. Use templates. Can't find a website you really like? Another option is to choose a template. There are many templates or pre-set designs. These come as part of your web design software (such as FrontPage) or you can check out some websites that specialise in designing templates. Visit:
3. Provide an easy to use navigation system. This is one of the most important issues to consider when designing a website. You need to ensure your visitors can find what they are looking for easily. Most websites either display their navigation bar on the left or at the top. And since most people are used to this type of navigation, it's best to stick with it. It also helps to include your navigation bar at the bottom of each page to save your visitors from having to scroll back to the top. 4. Don't go overboard on special effects Whilst it is ok to have one or two special effects to jazz up your website, spinning graphics and logos often distract your visitor from the content, not to mention they can take too long to download. Your visitors may click away even before your spinning logo finishes loading. 5. Backgrounds Ensure your visitors can read the text on the background, ie. no black writing on dark blue background or yellow on white. Also be careful that your links are visible before and after being visited. The default for links in most programs is blue (before being visited) and burgundy (after being visited), so if you have a dark background, ensure your links are light. 6. External Links It is a good idea to open links to other websites in a new window. That way your visitors can easily return to your site when they are finished browsing the external link 7. Site Map & Search Feature If you website is more than 15 pages, it is useful to have a site map or a "Search" feature to ensure your visitors can easily find what they're looking for. 8. Content is King While it is important that your website looks clean and professional, it is far more important that you concentrate your efforts on the content and promotion. If you want a professional website, things to stay away from include: Don't sweat the small stuff and get yourself focussed on what to include on the website and the best way to promote it. We will cover these topics in future articles. Copyright 2004 Ivana Katz About The Author Ivana Katz is the owner of Websites 4 Small Business, a company specialising in the design and promotion of small and home-based business websites. She believes that every business deserves to have a successful website, no matter what its budget is. For more information visit www.web4business.com.au or email info@web4business.com.au
MORE RESOURCES: Why Custom-Coded Websites Are Becoming Essential for Local Miami Brands - Insights from Digital Silk Newsfile ThriveLine Web Design & SEO Introduces Cutting-Edge Website Solutions for Dental Clinics The Globe and Mail 2/6/25 – EXPLORE OUTDOOR HAWAI‘I SITE WINS WEB DESIGN GOLD Department of Land and Natural Resources GoDaddy Airo: An AI-Powered Revolutionary Solution for Asian Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners WhaTech Web Design and Development Muskegon Community College Unveiling the invisible hand: how AI is reshaping web design UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media Grège Website Design Analysis DesignRush Capacity Interactive Website Design Analysis DesignRush Digital Silk Explores How Miami Brands Can Optimize Their Websites for a Mobile-First Audience Newsfile Herbertus Website Design Analysis DesignRush Neri Oxman Website Design Analysis DesignRush Atomle Website Design Analysis DesignRush Website Design Trends 2025: How to Stay Ahead with Site.pro Indonesia Expat Boomex Agency Website Design Analysis DesignRush Massachusetts Prison Program Teaches Coding, Web Design Government Technology Web 3.0 And The Evolution Of Website Design: What You Need To Know Harlem World Magazine Top Web Design Trends for 2025 Designmodo Digital Silk Shapes NYC Web Design Trends for 2025 Yahoo Finance Faculty Profile: Libby Perry (Editing for the Web, Web Design - Media Communications) Full Sail News Where to sell a website? SitePoint 11 Best Interactive Website Designs in 2025 DesignRush Best Website Design Inspiration: Amazon DesignRush 16 Best Modern Website Designs of the Moment DesignRush Best web design software of 2024 TechRadar Minuteman Press Elevates Fayetteville Businesses with Expert Web Design Greater Fayetteville Business Journal 18 Best Tech Website Designs in 2025 DesignRush The Opportunity Agenda Web Design Analysis DesignRush Top Web Design Trends in 2024 Netguru Web Design Statistics By UI/UX, Market Size, Web Development, Industry and Demographics Coolest Gadgets 5 Upcoming Web Design Trends for 2022 SitePoint The best web design tools: work faster and smarter Creative Bloq Iconic Website Design Inspiration: Nike DesignRush Interview with Jack Watson, Branding and Web Design Expert CreativePro Network The Quake's Website Design Analysis DesignRush Best website design service of 2024 TechRadar The Importance of Responsive Web Design in 2024 The Gila Herald The US Digital Service ten years later: how the agency cuts through web design bureaucracy Fast Company Lululemon Athletica Website Design Review DesignRush How to easily use AI-powered web design to build your own site CyberGuy Report |
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