Best Practices for Fixing Visual and Layout Taboos on a Website

When it comes to designing a website, even a simple one there is always a lot to consider when it comes to how your website is going to look. A lot of people simply dive in with an idea before any real consideration. Website Design isn't simply a matter of throwing in a few links, a block of text and a header and away you go. There is a selection of best practices, some of which are laid out here to make the best of your website.



One very common mistake is inconsistency within the web pages. A site could be visually well made but discrepancies with links and layout over the site can instantly put of any potential client or subscriber browsing the site. Consistency is the key. A website is based on a theme. If the pages of your website have no relevance to each other then they probably shouldn't even be linked. It's important to come up with a layout style that will fit your entire site. That was the links and topics will all be more easily accessible to a user making the experience more enjoyable for them, making them more likely to return.



Furthermore it's important to choose this layout wisely. There are a few standards which most websites subscribe to. The title and logo are usually arranged at the top of the page. (The first thing the user will see). There are a few methods for the pages main links. These are key to the user getting around your site so should always be right at hand. These links are generally placed in three key areas; directly under the page title, to the right hand site of the page and at the bottom of the page. The right is generally preferred to the left as if the page is oversized the browser will generally open the page scrolled to the right. (To avoid this, design your site based on the smallest standard resolution of a computer monitor. If your site has a very unusual layout it might seem very foreign to a user and they'll get frustrated pretty quickly.



Some thought should also be put into the background and fonts of the Website Design. Some unusual fonts can make the site look stylish, but aren't much use if they're too uncommon and many users browsers don't support them. To avoid this always have a list of backup font's setup (usually 2-3) to cover this. It's also important that your fonts fit together. Most sites only use 2-3 fonts for their pages. Generally one for the headers and sub headers and one for the main text is enough. No more than this should be used unless imperative to the site. Finally when setting the sites background, take care not to overdo it. You might think that an eye catching background with bright colours will make the site memorable, but it's usually distracting and gets in the way of the sites main purpose. A background should be appealing but not over complicated so as not o draw the user's attention.



By avoiding these common mistakes, an appealing and productive website can take shape, allowing users to browse the site with ease and hopefully attract others to it. Once the site is up and running SEO can give it greater scope for clients and business interest.