Simplying Web Design
If you are creating a new website for your business or personal needs, it may be tempting to go all-out and design a site with eye-popping graphics and multimedia effects. Before you do this, however, consider the negative aspects of having a complex website. The last thing you want is a site that is complicated and hard to maneuver. Read on for some ideas on how to create an effective presence online while keeping things simple and straightforward.
Images are important for any website and can add a visual appeal that helps readers engage with your content. There are two things to remember when it comes to graphics. First of all, make sure they complement your content and products, rather than overshadow them.
Use them to make your products and services more compelling. The second thing, which is crucial, is to pay attention to the file sizes of your photographs and illustrations. Most cameras allow you to choose the file size when you take the photo, allowing better quality for images that you may want to print.
For images that will be used online, you always want small file sizes so that they will not bog down your website and make it slow to open pages. This will make you lose customers, since people are too impatient to wait for slow loading times these days. When using images, make sure the file size is reduced to about 72 dpi.
Stay away from graphics that move and blink, even though they are eye-catching and fun. If your goal is to sell products and give information, these kind of graphics will be irritating to viewers who must wade through them to get to what they came for.
Even more important is the fact that some technology, such as Flash animation, cannot be viewed on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. If your site uses this technology, your site will not be visible to the increasing number of consumers who bypass laptops entirely in favor of mobile devices. Those potential customers will just click on to the next website offering a similar product or service, and you will ave lost business.
Keep things basic in the layout of your website. You can still have an appealing website while sticking to clean lines and standard design principles. You do not want your message to be obliterated with a jumbled, confusing website.
Choose basic fonts that appear professional, and only alternate between two font types across the entire site. This will provide a bit of variety while still being consistent. Remember to leave some white space and to keep the pages clean and well-ordered.
Make navigating from page to page extremely easy, with no thought required by the reader. This leaves them free to concentrate on your products or message, rather than on navigating your pages.
Use some of the ideas here to create a user-friendly website that serves both you and your visitors in a productive way. Your presence online is reflective of your business principles, so make the entire visitor experience a positive one.