Golden Rules of Web Design
Web design isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about the user experience and helping visitors accomplish their goals. It’s easy to get hung up on minor details, like which shade of blue looks best, or whether the logo should go on the left or right side of the page, but those are just details that add up to an experience that either pleases or frustrates visitors. Considering there are more than 1.8 billion websites people can land on, it’s important to consider the whole experience from start to finish.
Golden Rule #1: Know Your Audience
A website’s purpose is to serve its audience – that’s why you need to understand your audience and focus on what they care about. For example, if you have a travel blog, your content should be about destinations your audience is interested in. This means using keyword research to discover the topics your audience is searching for, and creating content around those keywords. Knowing your audience also helps you determine what type of layout, visuals and copy to use on your site.
Golden Rule #2: Provide Context and Clarity
A web page is a conversation between the website and its audience. In order to ensure a successful outcome, both parties must clearly communicate their expectations and needs. This is accomplished through the use of a well-designed structure, including an organised menu and call to action. It’s also important to include relevant imagery and an appropriate amount of white space. Moreover, web designers should avoid overcrowding pages with too much information. This can be distracting and may cause visitors to abandon a page. For help with Web Design Gloucester, go to https://www.absolutecreativemarketing.co.uk/
Golden Rule #3: Provide Meaningful Feedback
If visitors encounter a mistake while navigating your website, it’s important to give them helpful, human-readable feedback. For example, if they click on the wrong button on your homepage, an error message that tells them what they did wrong can help alleviate frustration and reduce the likelihood of them clicking away from the page. Similarly, designers should use dialogue that yields closure, such as “Thank you” messages or confirmations after an online purchase.
Golden Rule #4: Create Consistent Layouts
A website’s layout is the foundation on which its content and functionality are built. A consistent layout creates a sense of familiarity and comfort for visitors, which can reduce the number of times they click away from your page. This is why it’s important to design each page in the same way and keep the navigation bar, header and footer consistent on each page.