How to Create a Good Website Design
Here are some basic guidelines for a good website design:
- Consistency, Color scheme, Sitemap, Navigation, and more.
After reading these guidelines, you’ll have an idea of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement.
Once you’ve mastered these rules, you’ll be well on your way to creating a website that your audience will love.
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to use your creativity!
Consistency
A website can be made more attractive by maintaining internal and external consistency.
Ideally, the layout and design of a website should follow the same principles.
The same colors, fonts, and layouts should be used throughout the site.
The same spacing between elements should also be maintained.
Users expect to see the same elements and navigation buttons on every page, so visual consistency is key to achieving maximum appeal.
Here are some tips for making your website more user-friendly:
- Consistency in website design is a crucial factor for website usability and realism.
- By keeping the same visual elements on your website, users will be able to easily transfer the knowledge they gain from one page to another.
- Consistency also enhances learnability and usability.
- For example, consistent color palettes and fonts make it easier for a user to locate a particular item on a website.
- Moreover, consistency in design also helps make your website easier to navigate and read.
In addition to using consistent colors and fonts, keep the logo and other elements of your website similar across all pages.
This will help customers identify your brand and recognize it.
Also, a consistent design can improve the chances of repeat visits and increase revenue.
This is particularly important if your website is frequently visited by consumers.
If you can maintain a consistent design, it will boost your brand value and improve customer retention.
When you’re redesigning or updating your website, make sure to use fonts that are easy on the eyes and have a consistent color scheme.
Lastly, remember that consistency in website design is essential to ensure the overall quality of your website.
Your users want the same experience from your business as they would when visiting your physical location.
Ensure your website follows these guidelines to ensure the highest quality user experience possible.
Consistency in website design will improve the overall experience of your website and increase your search engine optimization (SEO).
Color Scheme
While choosing a color scheme for a website may seem like a difficult task, the process of creating a successful one takes a bit of trial and error.
The following tips will help you create an effective color scheme for a website.
When selecting your colors, keep in mind that they should be complementary and not too vibrant.
Also, keep in mind that a good website design should have both primary and secondary colors.
This will help your visitors identify the right actions and take them to the correct locations.
If you are selling watches, you will need to strike a balance between modernity and elegance.
To achieve this, choose colors that appeal to the majority of your audience, such as black and rose gold.
If you are targeting a younger audience, go for a different color scheme.
You might have trouble making a decision if your target audience includes baby boomers.
Alternatively, you can select a more modern color scheme.
As a rule of thumb, you should base your color palette on your existing brand image.
Make sure not to use your competitors’ colors if you are creating a new site.
Keep in mind that different brands respond differently to colors, so it is important to consider who your intended audience is and what they need.
It is also important to consider the psychology of color and your website’s intended user.
You can always change your color scheme later on, but having a solid foundation will help you build your website successfully.
The color scheme for a good website design depends on the content and style of your website.
Depending on your brand, you may want to choose two or three primary colors to start.
You should avoid any shades of a single color if you want your site to look more harmonious and professional.
If you are unsure about which colors work well together, you should use neutrals.
They should coordinate with the primary colors and the accent colors.
Sitemap
The importance of a Sitemap cannot be overemphasized, but many websites don’t use one!
In addition to providing navigation, it helps you find errors in your code, as well as point out where your website’s content is not organized properly.
You can create a Sitemap in mind mapping software, such as Venngage, or even with basic tools like PowerPoint.
Once you have a Sitemap created, you can add it to the root folder of your website.
A sitemap helps you determine the organization and hierarchy of your website, allowing you to easily see which pages are most important and which aren’t.
It also helps you decide where to place the content on your site and can make it easier for your visitors to navigate.
Moreover, the Sitemap can help you determine whether you need more pages or fewer, and thus help you improve your user experience.
But how do you create a Sitemap?
Creating a Sitemap is the first tangible step in the creation of a website.
A Sitemap is an essential component in the development process.
It defines the structure and flow of your site, allowing you to quickly add pages to the site.
Additionally, a Sitemap also helps you develop SEO plans.
By mapping keywords to specific pages, it improves the overall satisfaction of your end-users.
You should create a Sitemap, even if you already have a website design in mind.
A Sitemap can help you avoid a complex site by helping you eliminate redundant pages.
A Sitemap will also help your team create the content and determine which pages need to be grouped together.
If your site is too complicated, it can cost you money.
It is better to make changes in the early stages of your site’s development than in the end.
It’s important to understand your site’s structure and purpose before launching your website.
Navigation
The most important thing to remember when designing a website is to consider usability first.
A poorly designed site will be difficult to use for its intended audience.
Navigation is the main means of interaction on the internet, so you want to make sure that your visitors can find what they are looking for.
Make sure that the top-level navigation has only the most essential options – usually seven – and that they are clearly categorized.
The navigation of your website is a vital part of its design.
If your site is difficult to navigate, visitors will most likely leave and never return.
Make sure the navigation is simple and consistent throughout your site.
Studies have shown that visitors scan web pages using a specific pattern, or F-based pattern, which mimics the pattern of human reading in the West.
By making navigation simple and obvious, you will be able to improve your online presence and increase your customer base.
The layout of your website is another important consideration.
If it is difficult to navigate, visitors will have trouble finding important information.
Use a simple, uncluttered layout.
This will make your site easier to navigate and will make your content stand out.
Then, think about the navigation and how to organize your content.
You can also use a single site that works on every relevant device.
If your website uses a variety of platforms, make sure the layout is responsive to them all.
You should focus on your most important elements, such as your login form and call-to-action buttons.
Highlight these elements in different sizes and colors.
Your visitors read from left to right, so consider their reading habits.
A well-designed website uses the “F” or “Z” reading shape to allow for ease of navigation.
Make sure your website design is easy to read for everyone, and you will get repeat visitors and customers.
Usability
Websites that are easy to use and appealing to users are more likely to attract customers and generate sales.
However, there are many factors that must be taken into account when assessing the usability of a website design.
Usability is defined as the ease with which users can accomplish tasks.
When a website has poor usability, customers will move on to another site.
Likewise, a website that looks appealing and has good content may not be as effective as it could be in attracting visitors.
Website usability is enhanced when a website has clear options and a clear layout.
The use of labels, headings, and titles makes it easier for readers to find the information that they are looking for.
Users may become frustrated if they cannot easily find the information they are seeking.
When designing a website, consider the user’s perspective.
It is important to ensure that navigation is simple, clear, and intuitive.
Make sure to ask your users how you can improve usability.
One of the most common reasons why visitors leave a website is because it takes too long for the page to load.
Today’s customer has changed considerably and is willing to wait only a few seconds before proceeding to a competitor’s site.
Even the most popular websites are vulnerable to browser compatibility issues.
The poor usability of a website can negatively impact conversion rates.
Therefore, it is critical to improving the usability of your website to appeal to the most potential audience.
Good error handling is a key factor in improving the usability of a website.
Correct error handling ensures that your website is robust and bug-free.
When errors occur, you need to provide the appropriate error message to the user.
Moreover, websites that follow web design standards will load faster, look consistent on different devices, and be easier to troubleshoot and use.
Learn more about usability on the W3C website.
