Website design sounds intimidating, doesn't it? Well, it doesn't have to be intimidating. In fact, just a few web page design basics should be enough to get you on your way to building a great web site of your own.
Here are some basics to keep in mind:
1. Never lose sight of your visitor and the goal of your website. What does this mean? It easy to get caught up in all the fancy things you can do with a web page. You can add text that slides in from one side or the other. You can add flashing graphics. You can add banners across the top and down both sides. You can highlight text, bold text, use different colors of text, even add flashing text.
But here's the catch ... just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.
So before you even think about starting your web page design, you need to have a clear picture of what you want your visitor to do when he arrives on your site. Are you trying to encourage him to click on an AdSense ad? Are you trying to sell him a product? Are you trying to get him to sign up for your list? What do you want him to do?
Your web page should be designed with this purpose in mind.
2. Less is better. The more information, banners, links, flashing images, videos, etc. that you incorporate into your web site, the less likely your visitor will know what to do when he arrives there. In fact, most visitors to your website will stay less than 10 seconds. They'll glance at the page, decide whether or not you're providing what they're looking for, and if not, they'll leave.
So make it easy for your visitors. Place the essential material above the fold (this refers to the space they'll see without ever having to scroll down). Make it so they'll see what you want them to see first. This means you'll want to have your AdSense ads above the content of your article if you're trying to encourage your visitors to click on AdSense. It means you'll want to have a strong headline at the top of the page if you're trying to sell a product. You get the point. Focus your webpage designs around the goal of the page.
3. Use plenty of white space. It doesn't cost you more money if you use more space for your web page. So there's no reason to cram all your text together in a small space. Your visitors won't read a word if it's unappealing and hard on the eyes. Use plenty of white space to help make the reading of your content easy and effortless.
If you keep these three web page design basics in mind before building your website, you'll be well on your way to producing web pages that accomplish exactly what you want them to accomplish. The easiest way to accomplish this is by looking at your design from the eye of your visitor instead of looking at it from the eye of the website developer.