Now I wouldn’t personally call myself an expert on web design, but I do have at least some experience to speak from — sure it’s less than six months’ worth, but still. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that web design needs to be intuitive and easy for the viewer to follow. It doesn’t make any sense to have a website that isn’t helpful to anyone.
With this in mind, I want to share with you a few tips I’ve learned with regards to making effective, visually-appealing web pages.
- Including a site navigation function. Whether your web page contains one element or several elements, it is important to let your viewer know where he/she can access similar material. The goal is to help the viewer not only enjoy their time on a website but also to increase the amount of time he/she spends there. An example navigation function may include things like a link to your home page, a link to a similar page, a link to a contact page, etc. Located at the top? Great. Located at the side? Great. Just make sure it’s there.
- Understanding page layout. It doesn’t matter what content goes on a website — what does matter is how it is presented. You can’t be having some text here, some text there, a random link here, and be making a jumbled-up mess. What do you see when you first look at any website? Company name, menu, clear headlines, clear text, dynamic photos. Thus, you must follow suit.
- Use of color. Color is sort of like the salt in a plate of food: you definitely notice if it’s not there. Because then your web page don’t be engaging. Make good use of primary and secondary colors — consider using a major color (i.e. blue) with various accent colors (i.e. black, white, yellow). Your page will be visually appealing but not overwhelming.
- Use of fonts. Same song, different verse. Best to stick to one or two fonts (i.e. one for headlines and one for body text) as to not overwhelm the viewer. The importance thing is to stay consistent with what fonts you use and where.
- Embedding URLs. The internet does not exist without URLs; everything is linked back to something. Let your viewer educate themselves on a topic. Is there a similar web page to yours that has more information? Link to it. Is there a web page that falls in the “You Might Like” category? Link to it. Need a fact-checker? Link to it. There has never been a web page without a URL.
- Pay attention to you spacing. Similar to page layout, but on a more specific basis. Nothing is too close together, nothing is too far apart. Everything stays in the same organized format when transferring from one screen to another. Viewers will be looking at your web page at any time from any device — thus you must be aware of how the page looks in relation to text and images.
- Proofread. Everything. Take it from someone who’s job revolves around communicating information: proofread any and all text on your web page. Fastest way to annoy a viewer is to have misspelled words and no paragraphs.