How about some tips regarding web design? This is something that you probably will always be able to use for a very long time. You owe it to yourself to take a few minutes and read this article in order to get the best advice on web design in order to improve yourself.
Keep the size of your web pages small. A lot of modern web pages are full of unnecessary elements, including huge images, Flash advertising, and lots of AJAX. Many people, especially those in rural areas and other countries with less-developed internet infrastructure, don't have high-speed Internet and will have to wait forever for a large page to load.
Always mark files that must be opened in an external program with an icon. Many sites host PDF files, and less commonly, DOC files, that must be opened in Foxit Reader and Microsoft Word/OpenOffice, respectively. These files should be marked with an icon representing the file type, and a link to download the appropriate viewer if the user does not have it.
Include a search element that allows visitors to search within your website content. For people who look for specific things, they'll look for a search box first. If your site is not equipped with one, visitors may go to an alternate site. Always place the box at the top right of the page, as this is the first place visitors tend to look for one.
Break up long text blocks. Having a huge wave of text is unnecessary for any site, especially when you can break it up by using images, or even separating it into different pages. Boring your viewers will only make them leave, so keep things as simple and fresh as possible.
If you believe your site may be accessed via mobile devices, you will want to keep your designs simple. The use of flash, excessive images, and complicated menus will not translate well to a mobile platform. Keep your page clean and simple, or create a specific mobile site for your users.
Use a descriptive title. Many site owners forget to name their pages, or name them something generic, such as "Welcome Page." Search engines do use title descriptions in their rankings, so make sure you are as descriptive as possible, without going overboard. Make sure it is usable for your viewers and the search engines.
One thing you should always take into account when you're thinking about web design is the latest technology that is out today. As technology advances to does the web, so be sure you are always up to date with what is changing so that you're that much more understanding of how the web works.
Always keep the end user in mind. As a web designer, it is your job to always keep your attention tuned to the needs of your user. You have to think about how well the site is built and how good of an experience you can offer to people. These are vital considerations you must take into account. Keep in mind that it is not your view that is most important, but the visitor's view.
A good resource where you can learn some insightful knowledge is a book store. You can go to a bookstore and read books that have information on html, c+, photoshop, and dreamweaver as these are some of the key things you need to learn when it comes to being a well- knowledgable web designer.
When designing a website, you want to keep the privacy of your customer's information in mind. Set up proper encryption for submitting data, and never store customer passwords and such in a text document. Make sure you set up your website properly so that your customers know that visiting and interacting with your site is safe.
Forums are going to be your best friend in the next few weeks, this is because there's a lot of information to be gained from various forums where you have the ability to gain endless amounts of knowledge from people all over the world. So check out what websites and forums can help you along your way with web design.
When you are making a number of pages that require the same template, the simplest way to do this is to click here use copy/paste. Instead of writing your HTML from scratch every time, use the shared section of code as a template and make the necessary changes, then use "save as" to save the file under a new name. The index page can be worked off of ad infinitum.
Allowing guest content on your site is a good idea, but never, ever let someone else get into your server to post it! You need to receive the content via email. A lot of amateur site designers actually allow people to access their host's server. Even if this doesn't lead to theft, it's still a really bad idea.
Focusing on your target audience is important even for website design. For instance, if you're designing a site in order to sell winter coats, you're not exactly going to have a beach themed background with Joe Strummer tunes playing upon entry. Keep your site closely related to its targeted audience.
Web design can be a fun way to get to your target audience, and promote your company or product. If you do this right, you will be a stronger promotions professional. Begin utilizing the advice in this piece immediately in order to maximize your results.