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How To Design A Website From Scratch
ow to design a Website! interest to them.
So you know what your Don't, therefore, set your site
website is going to be about - out like chapters in a book,
how do you set out to design it? where later chapters rely on
information which has been picked
You need to think of two things. up in earlier ones. Instead your
What content are you going to pages should all be able to stand
have on your site, and secondly, as items of interest in their own
what is your site going to look right, and have links through to
like? And what will the layout of other relevant information your
the pages look like, the colours visitors might need!
etc.
No one needs to start with a
Content blank sheet of paper - there are
millions of web sites already out
The first thing to think about is there. The first thing you can do
the possibilities that a website is research. Look at what other
gives you. Even if your website people have done - no, you are
is going to be an online store, not going to copy their ideas,
do not think about the site as a but you are trying to see what
catelogue. The benefits of the appeals to you, what you think
web is that your website does not works well, and what turns you
have to follow a linear format - off completely!
it is not restrictive like a
book. The format of the web means So you've looked around, had a
your visitors will be able to dip few ideas. How will you know that
into your site at any point, and your ideas are going to work? How
also be able to jump around to can you waste hours of abortive
those parts which are the more effort?
What you want in three clicks. Next think of the main topics
which people may expect to find
Want to know the golden rule? You in a site such as yours - on a
should make sure your site retail site for example, the
visitor can find what they want first layers may well include the
in a maximum of three clicks! You catelogue as a general heading.
should remember the three click On a site about dogs the first
rule when deciding how to set out layer may be 'breeds'.
your pages.
Second layer
A common suggestion is to use a
story board approach but the You are now able to go further
problem with a story board is it into each of your subjects. A
makes you think in a linear way - catelogue for clothes may be
and as we discussed above, with a divided here into Men's clothing,
website you've got the ability to Children's clothing etc., and the
go backwards and sidewards as dog breeds may now be listed as
well as forwards! Gun Dogs, Toy Breeds etc.
One method of thinking about Third layer
designing a new website is to use
a mind mapping process, or to Not all of your first layer menu
draw up a spider diagram. items may lead to a third layer,
but some will. To continue our
You start with just your main examples above, Chidren's
subject in the centre - this will clothing may now be divided into
be your home page. boys and girls. The Gun Dogs will
be divided into the Retrievers,
First layer Spaniels etc.
sites, especially those you like.
By playing around with your ideas What looks good about them? Sites
on paper in this fashion you can which have a uniform layout on
see where your topics fit best. each page often look far more
It may be that some third level professional than those which
pages fit under two second layer experiment with different colours
pages - no problem, you can link on every page and different
a page to each, and have it templates. This isn't to say that
appearing on more than one menu. every page must be the same, but
It is what makes sense to the have some consistency, for
visitor that counts! example, where you place the menu
buttons, so that people know they
Having your site set out in a are still on your site. If the
diagram also makes it easier to navigation menu buttons are
see how to link up your pages always in the same place people
using hyperlinks, i.e., but will quickly become familiar with
clicking on a word on your site, the feel of your site, and be
the visitor gets taken to a able to move round it a lot
different page without having to quicker, and therefore take in a
go back through the menus. lot more of the information which
you want to provide them with.
Colour scheme, templates etc.
Making your site look
Once you have the plan of what professional is important unless
you are going to put onto your you are just putting up a few
site you can start to think about pages to share with family! Let's
individual page layout and colour assume the reason you wish to
schemes. make a website is to earn some
extra money at home, or to
Again, look at other people's advertise your business or
promote an activity. Apart from Now you have the schema for your
colour and consistency here are a website, you have chosen your
couple of other tips. Firstly, colours and background, you can
look at the size of font you use start to put together your first
- don't mix it up too much, or pages.
use too many different colours.
Make your the type face you use Here are a few tips:
can be seen clearly on the
background colour. Secondly, is 1. Get a few pages together and
it easy to get to the information get your site up there and
published! It will take anything
from a few weeks to 7 or 8 months
The most important person! to be indexed by the search
engines. The main search engines
Finally, don't forget that YOU such as Google like to give
have got to like your site. You comprehensive listings only to
will be having a very close mature sites. The sooner you get
relationship with it and it will your site published the sooner
be very demanding on your time, you will get good rankings in the
espeically in the early days. search engines.
Take advice from friends or
colleagues, but at the end of the 2. Do not use the words 'under
day, go with what you are happy construction'.
with. If you are uncomfortable
with your site you will not have 3. Get other people's opinion on
the same enthusiasm to work with your site - good comments will
it. give you confidence. If your
hosting company has a forum you
Your first pages may be able to showcase your new
website there to get advice from
others using the same software. creations. If you build your
website badly your visitors may
Conclusion not be able to find their way
around, and a lot of what you do
A website doesn't just emerge - will be wasted. If you take that
it takes a lot of work and an bit of extra effort and care you
awful lot of planning. But if you will have a site that is very
make the investment of time you easy to use, and which will
won't lose out. If you don't have become popular because of that!
a website no one is able to tap
into your knowledge or see your
About the Author:
Pat Ransom has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and is experienced with local government and company websites. Having designed and published a successful and acclaimed website in her own right the secrets of website design and publishing are now shared at http://www.webmasterproductions.co.uk
Read more articles by: Pat Ransom
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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