| Whether you are designing your own web pages for | | | | difficulty finding vital information in your website. |
| the first time or whether you utilizing the services of | | | | - Try to use the same color schemes across web |
| a Toronto web design company, it's always useful to | | | | pages |
| learn a few effective web design tips. So, read on: | | | | - Maintain consistency in the location of key links |
| 1. Keep it simple and clutter-free | | | | - Avoid using a wide variety of fonts across pages |
| You may know all those cool effects on Photoshop | | | | - Consistently use easily readable fonts |
| and Fireworks, but that doesn't mean that you have | | | | 6. Gratify user needs instantly |
| to use them all on your web page. Users are put-off | | | | There are several million websites on the internet |
| by designs that seem totally cluttered. Design a | | | | today. Users are overloaded with information and |
| simple and appealing web page by: | | | | chances of them coming back to your website time |
| - Creating visual focal points where vital information is | | | | and again are, realistically speaking, minimal. BUT, you |
| provided to the user | | | | can get them to become regular visitor, IF, you |
| - Organize information in the page so the user can | | | | gratify their needs - and gratify them instantly, every |
| easily find what he is looking for | | | | time. You can do this by: |
| - Text and visual must complement each other and | | | | - Providing immediate access to information. Don't |
| one must never overpower the other | | | | test user patience by making them search for what |
| - Make sure the images are optimized for faster | | | | they need. Provide it instantly |
| downloads | | | | - Updating and providing fresh content on topics that |
| 2. Communicate visually | | | | interests them |
| Don't just use visuals to grab eyeballs. Use them to | | | | - Consistently delivering valuable information |
| effectively communicate to the user. | | | | - Interacting with users and making them feel valued |
| Use colors to project your website's image. For | | | | 7. Adhere to convention |
| example: You can use green if you promoting | | | | Convention is not really a bad thing when it comes to |
| bio-degradeable products; pink if you're selling little | | | | certain aspects of a web page design. For example, |
| girls' shoes; or restrict to using your regular corporate | | | | users are used to finding the twitter link, the RSS |
| colors if you are an established company trying to | | | | Feed link etc., in a certain way across most web |
| take your business online | | | | pages. If you try to do it differently, chances of |
| - Use visuals for highlighting. Use buttons to highlight | | | | them missing your link are very high. After all, would |
| links, so navigation is much easier. You can also use | | | | you be comfortable if somebody placed your coffee |
| thumbnails in place of a text link to a graphic image. | | | | mug in a different place each morning? |
| - Direct the user to updated content or important | | | | 8. Make navigation easy |
| links using visual cues like arrows or bold text or | | | | Make navigation crystal-clear if you want users to |
| scrolls | | | | stay longer in your website. Make it easy for them |
| 3. Keep it content-rich | | | | to find important links. Check and re-check to see if |
| Focus on providing interesting content if you want | | | | all links are working just fine. There is nothing worse |
| users to come back to you, time and again. Visuals | | | | than a frustrated user who decides to go to your |
| may get the user to say 'wow' the first time, but it's | | | | competition simply because he was unable to find the |
| the content that keeps them coming back. | | | | appropriate link. |
| - Keep updating as users are always looking for fresh | | | | 9. Check for browser compatibility |
| content | | | | Check to see if your web page is opening up right |
| - Provide informative content in an interesting fashion | | | | across all browsers and not just IE. Clear up all |
| - You may keep the tone conversational and lively | | | | resolution issues. Work out technical issues pertaining |
| - Keep it short. Users don't have time or patience to | | | | to the use of several design software. Ensure that |
| read reams of content | | | | your website is up and running in peak form without |
| - Ask users for feedback and comments. Interact | | | | any technical glitches. |
| with users and they will come back to you | | | | 10. Test and re-test for usability |
| 4. Keep text narrow | | | | You may think that you're website looks fantastic; |
| Keep the text layout narrow. You don't want your | | | | it's really easy-to-use and so on. But does the user |
| readers to scroll sideways to read every line. They | | | | feel this way. Test your website for usability. See |
| may eventually get bored and stop reading after all. | | | | what's working and find out what's not working. |
| This is the same reason that newspapers also have | | | | Make appropriate changes. Re-test your web design |
| short columns. Narrow text columns are easy-to-read | | | | from time-to-time. Most successful web design |
| and visually more appealing. | | | | company portfolio is built on testing and refining to |
| 5. Be consistent | | | | enhance usability. That's because people's needs and |
| Be consistent in design across all pages of your | | | | expectations change. Make sure your web design |
| website. Users may feel overwhelmed and may face | | | | keeps up with changing demands. |