Web design interests many, but many get discouraged when wanting to pursue it seriously. If you are someone who is interested in web design but doesn't know where to begin, check out this article for some common sense strategies that will help you build your first website.
Be sure to have your site's logo link to your homepage from anywhere on the site. Most people now expect clickable logos that take them back to the main web page. Static logos frustrate users because it forces them to search for the link to the homepage. If your logo is clickable, people will find your site more navigable.
Draw concept sketches of the way you want the look of your site to be. With a sketch in hand, you can solicit feedback from family members and friends and start to develop your first impressions of how visitors will react to your site. Using this information, you can start to improve your website even before you sit down at your computer.
Be mindful of your background. Backgrounds with moving GIF views can be great, but can make text hard to read as well. Choose backgrounds that coordinate with your site, rather than clashing with it, and your message will be much more clear to your visitors.
If your website is intended for commercial use, a web hosting service that is free is not a good idea. Free web hosts often require you to include their ads on your site, which looks cluttered and detracts the focus of your site, which should be your own products and services. It's better to use a type of paid hosting service.
White is generally a safe background color to use when designing a professional website. White puts the focus on the content, making it easier to read. If you are trying to to exude a professional tone, a white background lends a trustworthy feeling to your site. However, intricate designs on your background can distract users and give your site more of an amateurish look. Make your background as simple as possible.
If you intend to design and create more websites in the future, it will be beneficial to learn how to work with multiple platforms. For example, learn Java, ASP, PHP and MySQL so you are prepared for any client who approaches tou. Regardless of whether you intend to create websites for yourself or for others, being skilled in multiple areas will make you a better designer.
Think things over very carefully before adding Flash content to your website. Flash looks exciting and fun, but it will cause some peoples computers to lag, freeze, or reject the site altogether. Also, you should keep in mind that a lot of mobile Internet tools, such as smartphones and tablets, will not display Flash. You could be cutting yourself off from a pretty large pool of potential visitors by using Flash.
Once you are educated on web design, you will be confident on trying it for yourself. Just don't become stagnant with the learning process; staying hungry for new information and industry developments is absolutely vital in the tech field. If you keep your knowledge current, and keep the advice of this article in mind, you should be producing valuable web design with much success.