The Importance Of Web Design Rules

Optimal performance is the number one priority in any website design. One common error found in a web design is the existence of large and heavy files that require tremendous amount of patience on the part of the visitor to actually be able to view it.

Here are five important website design rules of thumb to observe which should ensure your website performs well.

1) Avoid the temptation to use splash pages

The first pages of a website that consists of dazzling fancy displays are the splash pages. They normally have a very beautiful image with words like ‘welcome’ or ‘click here to enter’.
They are pages with no purpose, and serves to discourage uses from fully utilizing the actual purpose of the website due to their slow loading time. The most important thing is not to allow any room for users to think about leaving your site, and this is almost impossible if you are using fancy splash pages with slow loading times.

2) Banners must be used with caution

Normally you will find these at the top of the web page where they will be advertising something (not always related to the site) but sometimes they will be elsewhere on the page as well. Blatant ads such as banners tend to be regarded as being less credible and it is a total waste of website space Web surfers tend to ignore such banner ads so adding them would only mean a waste of virtual real estate space. There is a better way to add contents instead of using banner is by giving them useful information and then add their affiliate links so that they would seem natural.

3) The best sites are always easy to navigate

Navigation must be simple so that even a small child can use. Stay away from complicated Flash based menus or multi-tiered drop down menus. Remember, if users find it hard to navigate, they will leave very soon after landing on your home page. A site map will help them find what they want and should be factored in to the website design right from the start.

4) Have a clear indication of where the user is

Give them a clear view of where they are now and how to get to where they want to be.
This way, they can head to the right information they are looking for. This can easily be achieved by ensuring each page has a title and a textual ‘breadcrumb trail’ that clearly shows the links they have made to get where they are now. If you confuse your visitors in any way they will leave.

5) Use less audio

Avoid the use of music if you can. A sound file should not be played continuously it can be irritating on the user.
When adding audio to your website, make sure to include some form of user control that allows them to mute or lower the sound as required.
If you use all these tricks of website design effectively, you will in time that your visitors will likely return again and again to your site.