Almost everyone now has a website. Be it a company website, blog
site, business site, etc. And like all website owners, you want your new
website to be a hit.
There are many factors that can affect the usability of a
website. As Steve Jobs once said, "Design is not just what it looks like
and feels like. Design is how it works." In designing your new website,
you need to consider not only the form (how it looks), but also the function
(how easy it is to use). Remember that it is the user and not the website owner
who judges whether the website is effective or not.
Below are the basic web design tips to help you create an
effective, aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and engaging website:
1. Load Time
No matter how amazing your website is, no one will see it if it
takes forever to load. According to Compuware, the old eight-second rule, which
is the maximum time consumers generally wait for a website to load, has been
reduced to the three-second rule. If your website takes more than 3 seconds to
load, optimize your image sizes, simplify your codes, and upgrade your servers.
2. Who and What
When a user accesses your website, they should be able to tell
outright what it is for and it should always be able to cater to your visitors
needs.
3. The Kiss Principle - Keep It Simple
Your website should be self-explanatory and aesthetically
appealing to your users. You should always strive for simplicity instead of
complexity.
4. Clear Navigation
You need to have a clear navigation to make your site visitors
go through your website. To achieve this, you need to make sure all important
links are at prominent places. This is where you can apply the "F"
pattern design. Based on eye tracking studies conducted, it is identified that
people scan computer screens in an “F” pattern. Most people see is in the top
and left of the screen. Rarely do they see the right side of the screen. So,
rather than forcing the visual flow, try to design around the reader's natural
behavior by displaying your information in order of importance, which is from
left to right, and top to bottom.
5. Use the White Space
The white space is the space between the elements in your
website. It is an essential element in web design that is often neglected. It
is used to direct the viewer's eye to the important parts of the website and it
helps in balancing the design and readability. Also, it makes the page appear
modern and uncluttered, which helps the viewers absorb the content of the site
more easily. As Luke Wroblewski said, "for designers, white space is often
as important as the content" so, avoid cluttering your page with too many
images, backgrounds, and colorful fonts. Minimize the use of graphics and use a
lot of white space.
6. Choose the Right Color
A well thought of color palette can enhance the viewer's
experience and will keep them around longer. Colors can influence the emotion,
set the mood for a design, and attract the attention of a viewer to certain
parts of your design layout. Use complementary colors to create balance and
harmony. Use contrasting colors for the text and background to make reading
easier on the eye. Finally, use vibrant colors to create emotion. However, they
should be used sparingly (e.g. for buttons and call to actions).
7. Typography
Typography, like white space and color, can be used to
effectively draw the attention of viewers to key elements in a site layout. Try
to use readable and professional looking fonts. Sans Serif fonts (fonts without
decorative finishes) such as Arial and Verdana are easier to read online. Keep
your design streamlined by using a maximum of 3 typefaces in a maximum of 3
point sizes. Also, keep in mind that 16px is the ideal font size for easy
online reading.
8. Mobile Friendly
Keep up with the trends by creating a responsive web design
(website that adjusts to different screen widths). Your website should look
good in different platforms and devices, whether it is being viewed on an
iPhone, Android tablet, a desktop computer, or a Windows phone.
These are just some of the basic design principles you can apply in creating a beautiful and functional website. Have fun designing your new website!
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