When it comes to good web design, there are a few key points that can really make your website stand out. If you know how to set up your website before you begin, you can really be at an advantage over your competition. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are getting ready to set up your site’s design.
Eye Appeal
The more you can guide the viewer’s eyes to the points on your website you want the most attention to, the better off you are at turning visitors into buyers. You want to use a solid combination of colors, contrast, eye-catching elements, and positioning of your different options. The more you can point out what most viewers would be coming to your site for, the more quickly they will be able to see you have what they want and keep them interested in your site.
Make Your Options Easy to Find
If you are going to offer different options to your viewers, you want to make sure they can easily get there. When viewers have to click on multiple pages to get to what they want, it is often going to cause them to go elsewhere that is easier to navigate. Make your site straightforward and simple to use if you want people to not only use it once, but return to it again in the future.
Using Space Properly
It is important to not have your site so busy that people open it, see what’s there, and immediately click the back button. You want to be able to leave some open space so that your site appears organized and neat. Use some blocks of open space or even columns to help the eye easily travel from the top to the bottom of each of your pages instead of blocking how the eye would naturally travel.
Use Fonts Appropriately
You not only want to make sure you use a font that is easy to read, but one that is also going to be appealing to the eye. If you use script fonts that are super curly, it may be hard for people to read what you are trying to say. The same goes if you use super small fonts that are difficult for some people to read. Pick a font (or set of fonts) that is appealing to your website and a size that makes it easy for your target audience to be able to see and read.
Put Yourself in Your Viewers Seats
Pretend you are a potential customer and look at your site objectively. Are you going to like what you see? Is it going to keep you wanting to find out more or is it going to leave you confused and unsure of what this site has to offer? Don’t read what you expect to be there, but instead, read what is actually on the screen—out loud if you have to. That way you can make sure it reads well, makes sense, and gives viewers the information they would be coming to your site to find. Should you come across any issues, fix them up before setting your site live to the public and make sure that you are offering the best web experience you possibly can.
Setting up your website design for success can be incredibly simple if you know how. Just make sure you are not trying to overcrowd your site and you use each of its options effectively. The more you can appeal to those who would be coming to your site from the beginning, the better your chances are at being able to keep them coming back for more.
SOURCES:
https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/9-essential-principles-for-good-web-design–psd-56
http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/31/10-principles-of-effective-web-design/