Though you may be skeptical of website differences, take some time to compare sites like Facebook versus sites hosted by Google or Yahoo. You’ll notice this difference immediately, and you’ll understand web design bears much more significance than you could ever think of. Read on to find techniques which will make your site stand out in a crowd, even compared to these juggernauts!
Using auction sites for a domain name may be helpful, since so many domain names are in use already. There will be great domain names that were sold, abandoned, or ready for purchasing.
When you are making a number of pages that require the same template, the simplest way to do this is to use copy/paste. There’s no point in making a special HTML code to use on every page. Simply copy the main part of the code, adjust it for each new page, and make it a new file. You can re-use a single “master” set of code to churn out a virtually unlimited number of pages.
Make sure you have different designs from other designs of those in your particular niche. Go look at your competitors’ websites. You won’t rise above the competition if you create the exact same, or even a similar, website to your competitors’ website. You will end up being the generic version of whatever niche you are in.
Ask yourself if your website looks good and if everything a visitor might need is easy to find. If you have a poorly designed site, your visitors will most likely leave in a hurry. Make things simple so that the content is the focus of your site.
It is myth that creating a great website has to cost you a fortune. When it comes to the tools you need for web design, with a little effort, you can find very cost-effective alternatives to top-of-the-line high-priced software. For example, open source software can accomplish many of the same things you might use paid software for, and it is free. Open source software ultimately saves you a great deal of money.
Free design software is a valuable tool for quickly setting up a website. Do not listen to people who tell you that you can’t design and operate a website without relying on pricey software packages; you can find a free alternative for virtually every task. All that is required from you is a little bit of effort in finding and choosing the free tools that will give you just what you’re looking for.
Most people have heard of Photoshop and know that it’s a useful tool in web design. On the other hand, Dreamweaver is lesser known, and many people are unaware of the benefits it has for web designers. It’s important to get to know this application and learn how it can aid your design.
Web design becomes easier to learn and manipulate the more you view the process behind it. Test out your basic chops with C+ and HTML by building yourself a few simple web pages. You need to practice at some point, so why not begin now?
Invest in some books on the topic of web design. Start with books around your skill level, so that you don’t skip any necessary information.
You should not hire a family member to help you set up your website. Even if you have family members who have experience in web design, you shouldn’t hire them because you may not feel comfortable telling them when you don’t like something.
Draw a few sketches of possible looks for your website. You can receive some idea of the way people will react to these sketches by asking your loved ones their opinions on your drafts. By doing this, you can develop some conclusions on which direction your site should be heading in.
It is important to keep all links on your website up-to-date and working. A well-designed website should always be user-friendly. Broken links are not part of a user-friendly interface. Check weekly to see if each link on the site works.
Avoid overusing JavaScript. JavaScript is highly overrated because it can cause issues for some users. Browsers upgrade to newer versions regularly. Some of your readers are not going to have the most recently updated version of their browser. On top of this, some visitors will have JavaScript disabled in their browsers. These two factors can prevent many users from accessing your site.
It might be best to look at alternatives to Flash. Flash can slow down visitors’ computers, and make them unlikely to want to stay on your site. Also, keep in mind that there are mobile phones and tablet PC’s which are not flash enabled, and if your visitor goes to your site it will not be a fun experience.
When you include videos on your site, you need to be aware that not everyone has a high Internet bandwidth. The higher the quality of the video, the more bandwidth it takes to display it. Videos with extremely high speeds like this will load slowly and buffer frequently for visitors on slow connections.
Apart from the aesthetics of your website, remember that all files included must be small. The reason for this is that your file sizes directly affect how quickly your website loads. You want your site to load instantly. You must also be aware that everyone doesn’t have a high speed connection to the Internet. Continue to test your site to make sure it will load quickly, even with a dial-up connection.
Avoid having pop-up windows on your website. Pop-ups can disturb your clients and will distract them when they are navigating. It’s likely that many of your visitors can’t even see them due to browser settings, so keep them happy and stick to one window at a time.
It is unlikely that you will be able to make a site like Facebook or Twitter. Such a success would be very unlikely. Yet don’t be discouraged by this because you can create sites with high quality that millions of users can come to appreciate. Use what you’ve learned here, and start designing your website today.
