Web Design Tips: Make It Work For You

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Web Design Tips: Make It Work For You
A lot of people think that building websites is difficult, but you just need to learn what goes into building a site. There are a variety of programs available to make your page look great. Keep reading for excellent ideas on choosing the best design options for your website.

Avoid using so-called "mystery meat navigation". This involves using unlabeled images or other elements for the site's navigation. In many cases, the visitor has to mouse over the icons to even see what they do. Navigation is best kept simple. Use text links across the top or along the left side of the page.

Give your visitors the ability to search your site so that they can more easily find what they are looking for. If someone cannot find what they are looking for right away, their next thought will be to look for a search field. Put this somewhere obvious and include a search buton.

Use images wisely. Bitmap images do not tend to fare well for internet use, and some GIFs do not work well with lots of color. Image size is important as well, as larger images may make your viewers have to wait for them to download. Choose smaller images, and use them sparingly to make your site more manageable.

Learn how to use colors to influence your readers. Every color has a certain feeling that it can induce. For example, using black backgrounds or images could bring up feelings of depression and darkness. The use of a color like yellow is associated with happiness. Take the time to read up on the psychology of colors when determining your site's color scheme.

When designing your site, try to come up with three or four keywords that you expect users to input into search engines as they try to find your page. These keywords should then be repeated frequently throughout the title, page body and description meta tag. This will make it easier for users to locate your site on the web.

If you desire feedback from your visitors, design your site to include a feedback form rather than a guestbook. A feedback form lets your site visitors contact you without having anything negative be shown to everyone else who sees your site. If you have a guestbook then everyone can read both good and bad comments, something you really do not want people to see, especially when the comments are negative.

When you are choosing your background color, white is an effective choice. If you use a white background, your content can end up being simpler to read -- and build trust in your site. When there is a more complicated design in the background, it can be very distracting, and make your website look less professional. Make your background as simple as possible.

To help you design a website that is free of clutter, do not include any scrolling text on your site. Websites that have things constantly moving back and forth on the screen is really distracting to the visitor. Not only is this distracting and annoying, it screams unprofessional and will cause your visitors to leave quickly.

As discussed above, there are a lot of automated tools available to help you design a website. By following their directions, you can succeed in building your own website. Use these tips to find your way in the web design world.