Categories: Web Design

Keys To Making Web Design Less Terrifying

So you have a business, you know you need a website, but you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to have it created. Maybe you’re creating a website from scratch or from a template online, but you want to make sure that you’re creating something unique to your brand. To keep this process simple for you and to avoid paying that arm and leg, here are a few guidelines for your web design.

Keys To Making Web Design Less Terrifying

1) Keep it simple

I don’t know if there was ever a time in my lifetime (within the past 30 years) where a visually cluttered website beat out a simple, yet well-designed website in appearance. This is good news to the web design novice. It doesn’t mean that design isn’t important. It just means that if you have great content in your images and text, you have the tools to create a great website. Apple‘s current homepage is mostly simple text and images arranged attractively. Your goal isn’t to create the space age, your goal is to present your brand and what you do well.

2) Make a good first impression

Don’t have a “meh” homepage. Your homepage is vital. It’s the equivalent of you extending your hand to meet someone for the first time. Don’t make visitors have to struggle past the first impression, create something simple and attractive that points to the next step, which is to…

3) …provide a simple way to navigate

I’ve been on websites where using the navigation bar was like driving blindfolded. No matter how cool the animation looks, a navigation bar that isn’t simple and easily accessible from any part of the website gets a big thumbs-down from me. Again, make the content amazing, and don’t rely on complicated design novelties to keep people interested.

For gosh sake, please don’t do this.

4) Keep the design consistent and in line with your brand

The website should feel like the same website no matter where you go on the navigation bar. You want the homepage to be a door that opens to other rooms that fit the design, not completely other worlds that feel disconnected. For the same purpose of continuity, choose colors and shapes that reflect your logo/graphics you use in other marketing channels.

5) Check your work

Gud speling maters (we jest). But seriously, what greater turn-off is there from any form of marketing than spelling errors? It means one of two things: you didn’t take the time, or you don’t know how to spell. Don’t kiss credibility goodnight. Value your brand! Take the time to review your work, and reinforce the good first impression you made!