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Website Design Guidelines And Tips Just Common Sense
ere are some design cover the subject matter
guidelines and tips to help thoroughly and convey the
you build a user friendly messages direct to your visitors.
websites.
5. If your design look
1. First, figure out what you complicated - redesign and
want to do and make a plan for simplify it. Complicated design
it. This may involves some brain layout will not only make it
storming. Then, translate your harder for you to build your web
ideas and plans onto paper by pages, it may also confuses your
drawing a diagram or a flowchart visitors if your site is full of
so that you can visualize it. complicated mess of information.
Then, ACT on it.
6. Be consistent throughout in
2. Keep your design simple, your design approach. The
clear, consistent and user background, color usage and text
friendly. format should be carefully chosen
and the screen layout for all
3. A simple design layout makes your pages visibly consistent.
it easier for you to build your
website. The end result will be a 7. Create a simple logo to
website which your visitors will identity your website. Have a
find easy to navigate and easy captivating tag line somewhere
get whatever information they with the header, and write an
want. About Us page which describes the
uniqueness of your website. These
4. Your content should be simple, will leave an impression for your
complete and direct to the point. visitors to remember your
It should make clear the website. Make a copyright
intention of your web pages, statement at the bottom of you
web pages. the pre-set width.
8. Have a clear color scheme 11. Long blocks of text passages
based on the theme of your can be tedious and strenuous to
website. Choose carefully a set read. Try to use short sentences,
of colors you use for your short paragraphs and bulleted or
background, text, border, tables numbered list form to break them
and cells etc. The color scheme up.
expresses the characters of your
website and makes it unique and 12. The width of you web pages
attractive. should preferably not exceed that
of the computer screen. People
9. Identify who are your target viewing your site usually don't
visitors and how you would make mind scrolling up and down the
your presentation. Decide the screen; but will be annoyed when
tone of language usage and the they have to scroll left and
approach that will best suit your right.
visitors. Whether your language
usage should be casual and simple 13. Font size: use larger size
or formal and technical? Whether font; Bear in mind that some of
you should use pictorial or your visitors may have poor
language oriented approach in eyesight; some may have partial
your website. impaired vision and some ordinary
people who just can't stand
10. For ease of reading, the reading tiny script on the
length of a text lines should not computer screen.
exceed certain width within the
computer screen. To limit the 14. The text color should
length of a line of text, use contrast well with the background
indent text or use a table with color to be easily read.
Likewise, Background image or
texture chosen should contrast 18. Keep the size of a web page
well with the text color, so that small so that it will open up
it is easy to read on screen. fast - preferably less than 10
seconds. If the page is too long,
15. It looks great on the screen have too many items to load and
and soothing to the eyes. But it slow to display, you should
is not recommended to use white consider breaking it into smaller
text on a dark background. When pages and link them up.
somebody wants to print out your
page for reference, it won't 19. Contents such as video,
print because the background will audio, flash animations etc. are
not be printed; while the white huge in size. They will slow down
text is printed on white paper, the display of the page. If it
you see nothing. takes too long for to load a
page, the viewers might give up
16. The images you put in a web and leave. They also use up more
page are not there just for of your bandwidth.
decoration. They should be
relevant and necessary to use as 20. Ensure that the visitors get
visual to help to convey the around navigating your website
message, or serve to break a long with ease. They should be able to
and monotonous text messages. find what they are looking for in
quickly and get there. Use a menu
17. Limit the size of an image or image map, a site map, arrows,
you insert in a web page. Large links and buttons to provide
image takes longer time to direction to your visitors.
display, and most visitors don't
like to wait too long to view a 21. Make sure the pages are
certain image. interlinked for easy navigation.
Links should be well organized, gimmick and animated images you
strategically placed and easy to can find just because you think
detect by using appropriate they are cool. In reality they
colors. Use anchor links to are distracting and confusing.
facilitate navigation on the same
page. Always check for any broken 26. Decide whether to use or not
links and fix them. to use pop-up windows. They are
great for catching the attention
22. Load all the important and of the viewers; but can be
essential information in the distracting and annoying as well.
first page that the visitors see. Some viewers would dismiss pop-up
Give a quick introduction to your as ads and close it immediately.
website with brief header, Pop-up also will not work if the
bookmarked lists, short viewers have installed a pop-up
summaries, etc. This will quickly blocker.
let them know whether your page
is what they are looking for. 27. Encourage visitors to contact
you by providing a Contact Us
23. Is your website screen layout page with your email link. It is
look neat and tidy? Ask someone even better to have an opt-in box
to have a look at it and get her that serves to collect visitors'
feedback. You will be surprised! contact and data.
24. The contents inside a table 28. Study other's website design
should have a little space and set up. See how they layout
between the borders. Set a and organize their header, links,
padding around the table or set menu, buttons, images and etc.
indent to your content. Then choose, adopt and modify and
whichever design to suit your
25. Don't simply add every neat needs.
a lot of trouble in the event
29. Use website templates if you that you have to rebuild your
don't have any designing flair. websites.
It's easy and saves you time and
effort. Well, some website design
guidelines and tips - It's all
30. Make a back-up copy for all common sense.
your web pages. It will save you
About the Author:
Mary Magdalene is the author of "How to design and build your own websites". Design and build websites in 8 hours - with easy to follow step by step guidelines.
http://www.108diywebdesign.com
Read more articles by: Mary Magdalene Chia
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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