Website Design- The Basics

The world of web designing is huge and complex. Moreover, with new innovations made daily, it has become all the more complex. However, there are basic rules that stand tall for all times and changes.Here are some basic of website designGRAPHICS• Limit the size of each image to about 10-12 KB. Though the number of broadband users is increasing, tolerance of slow loading pages is still nil. Huge images cause web pages to load very slowly and so, they should be optimized appropriately.• The images that you put on your website should be in sync with the content there. A website related to real estate doesn’t go well with pictures of dogs and horses. The only exception to the rule is when your website caters to images, like photography websites. Then you can, and should, use a variety of pictures.• Refrain from using blinking or moving images on your website. They only serve the purpose of annoying visitors.LAYOUT• Always use standard layouts. Some websites use multiple frames on one page. Others need users to make use of the horizontal toolbar to read the full text (there is no scrolling down to be done). These layouts make take toll on the user experience. Use three column layouts instead.• Another important element is the Whitespace. It decides how presentable the content of the page looks. However excessive or even restrained use of the Whitespace can have contrasting effects.• Graphics can be used as design elements of the website page. For instance, you can wrap text around an image and load in onto the web page.FONTS• Always use Serif font for the headlines and Sans-Serif for the textual matter of the website. Because of low screen resolutions of computer monitors, the Sans serif fonts make the text easily readable. But if Serif fonts for the text content of the website, it can have a blurred effect and will not be readable.• Refrain from using different types of font on your website. It might be fun to do it but there is nothing more amateurish that this. It’s advisable to use maximum 3 font types. You can use a one font for the headings, another for the text and a different one to highlight important information within the text.• Make use of standard font families. Stick to fonts like Verdana, Geneva, Arial, and Helvetica. They would make the content look better.ADVERTISING• Visitors to your website don’t come to see the advertisements, but to look for information that they need. No visitor would stay if the ads on the website overwhelm the content on it. Advertisements are necessary to earn revenue but scaring off visitors would defeat the very purpose of the website. Therefore limit the number of ads that you place on your website.• Again, keep the advertisements limited to a small size. Don’t make them blinking either. Rather include advertisements that are relevant to the content pasted there.