Making It On The Web: Useful Design Tips
As more of our day-to-day lives happen online, businesses looking for success need to have a competent Internet presence. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of time building a site that doesn’t deliver. Look to the tips here to make a website that really shines.
Try not to overuse graphics. While you need graphics to create a website that looks well and works right, you don’t need a lot of them, because they can clutter things. Graphics should enhance what you have to say on your site. They shouldn’t be put there to just look pretty. Having the right amount of graphics that does not impede on the overall website design is key to how well the site looks.
Always separate topics. If you have several topics of discussion on your site, put them on different pages. This will keep things clear and simple for readers, and also help you rank with search engines.
Know what you’re talking about. If you are using the site for blogs, research something thoroughly before you post it. The last thing you want to do is distribute incorrect information. You need to understand the subject to write a good blog.
Remember to utilize ALT tags for images as you design your website. Those who are visually impaired will benefit greatly from ALT tags. Using ALT tags also help to explain what clicking on the link will do. The ALT tags will bring up the search rank of your site because search engine crawlers use them as well.
Don’t forget about Internet Explorer 7 and 8. Lots of people grumble about IE, but they still use them, and they often use outdated versions. Workarounds are needed because the browser is not 100% compliant with standards. Read up on the so-called “box model bug” which has bothered IE users for a long time.
Utilize conditional loading and CSS pages when you are building your site. Using these techniques makes it much easier for testing and ensuing maintenance later on. You want to have an easy time making changes and doing the inevitable maintenance you’ll need on your site in the future.
Adobe Dreamweaver can help you create a great site. Even amateurs can quickly get the hang of using this program. It also includes great templates to make your site look amazing.
You need your own office space if you are going to be a webmaster. Get rid of all distractions, and have your workspace organized and ready for when you go to work. It is invaluable to keep all that you need at your fingertips at all times, in order to make smooth and efficient design choices.
Ask others around you about concepts and skills in programs such as Photoshop or WordPress. You want to make sure that all of the information that you learned was truly retained; the last thing you need is to be in the middle of making a site and become lost or confused.
Web design isn’t the hardest thing in the world, it just takes a bit of getting used to at first. Learn the basic principles and you will be able to create a very fine website, indeed. Get the results you want with these tips.