This article is just what you need if you are hoping to learn how to develop websites. This article will tell you the principles of general web design. Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re already an accomplished professional, there’s always more to learn in this ever-changing field.
Make sure your text and background has the proper contrast. There’s evidence showing that white text on a black background is easiest for most people to read, but other colors are fine so long as they’re readable. Also keep in mind that people with visual impairments may not be able to read your site if the contrast is poor. Check to see if your site complies with various contrast standards using the tool at http://snook.ca/technical/colour_contrast/colour.html .
Choose the right graphic formats for your site. Keep in mind that bitmap images are not usually the best type of images to use. Try PNGs instead. For text buttons, screenshots, and other images that are not photographs, use PNG for images with over 256 colors and GIF for images with less. JPEG images are good for pictures.
When you are creating graphics or photos for your website, be sure to keep the file size small. If your graphics are too large, your page will load slowly and your visitors will leave. You can find many free or inexpensive graphics programs online that will optimize your images before you load them to your website.
Have a site map. These are useful to your clients and the search engines, as they give a detailed overview of your entire website. It can be a guide for viewers searching for a certain part of your site, and also allow you to keep track of its structure and layout.
If you are creating a very big website, you want to always incorporate a search function into the site. People have become accustomed to search boxes being in the upper-right corner of the page, so put it there. These should let you at least search for one term, but it’s better if it allows multiple terms. FreeFind and Google both offer these search functions to use on your site.
Remember to use ALT tags on any images you use in your website. These tags are important because they describe the images people see when they don’t have their graphics turned on or they’re for people that can’t see and need help with getting a website read to them. If you use images as links, the ALT tags will give you a way to describe the links’ behaviors. And most importantly, search engine bots need to see the descriptions through ALT tags in order to help your search engine ranking.
So, now that you’ve learned about some of the ways you can go about becoming a better web designer, you should feel more optimistic in your future web designing skills. Stay on top of trends and be aware of the changing needs of your audience, and your site can be a superb example of smart web design.
