Though you may be skeptical of website differences, take some time to compare sites like Facebook versus sites hosted by Google or Yahoo. You'll quickly spot the difference and realize that web design matters a lot more than you initially thought. Check out the ideas here to raise your awareness of the possibilities you can incorporate into your web design.
White space, or space that is unused and empty, is truthfully beneficial to a website, so don't think your site has to be chock full of pictures, graphics and content. It makes your site easier to read, and your content easier to remember.
Every website should have an effectively designed favicon. This means a recognizable icon will show up next the link to your site if a visitor bookmarks it. As they look through their bookmark list, your favicon will stand out more than the bookmarks of other sites. Brand your icon to match your logo and website.
The design process doesn't stop once your website has gone live. Keeping on top of your website will help you to ensure it's always current. While you don't need to do something all the time, it will need to be updated on a regular basis. This is important if you have content that includes videos, a podcast or articles. Remember, website updating is much different than blog updating. It takes quite a bit of work.
During the site design process, it may be helpful to create a series of lists and shortcuts that can be referred to whenever needed. Additionally, this is a good way to generate ideas for site improvement.
If you plan to include video content on your website, you should first verify that your web host allows it. There are a large number of hosts in the world that do not permit video hosting to be on their servers. The FLV files used for modern video can either consume too much storage space or use too much bandwidth, so don't waste your time and check beforehand.
A newsletter can help you to get more repeat visitors to you website. When a customer can get frequently updated on things, they will keep visiting to see more. It is good practice to place the newsletter signup form in your website's side bar. Furthermore, you should always keep track of everyone who signs up. Stay on the ethical path and only send newsletters to users who request them.
Step up your creativity when you write your site's "About Us" page. Too many websites use boring, generic biographies. Therefore, it is a good idea for you to spice things up a bit! Try giving people a tiny peek into your personal background. Try showing how you got into web design, who inspired you, and what you hope to accomplish with your business.
Odds are, you will not create the next Twitter or Facebook. Unless you come up with the best idea ever, aim lower. However, your website can be every bit as professional as the big cheeses. All this requires is some knowledge and effort on your part. Use the tips laid out here, and start designing today!
