If Website usability and search engine optimization create an easy-to-find, easy-to-use Website, then the aesthetics or looks of the site becomes icing on the cake, creating a unique Website design. A pleasing, professional layout builds your brand image, makes a more inviting site, helps visitors feel more comfortable, all of which feeds back to the Website usability and search engine optimization results.
Top 3 elements of Website design
1) Develop a page hierarchy. Don't just dump everything on the Web page. Build a flow of information through the use of white space, heads and subheads, type size and style. Some items on the page are more important than other items. Make those distinctions clear and help your Website visitors understand what is most important.
2) Use color effectively. Study the meaning conveyed by different colors and use appropriate colors on your Website. Use colors that make reading easier. For instance, you may love bright pinks and blues but putting them together on a financial services Website just doesn't make sense and will impede the readability of text on the Website. Use a color wheel to help develop a pleasing and appropriate color palette for your unique Website design.
3) Top Website designs eliminate the use of distracting backgrounds or busy backgrounds that can reduce readability. Overly textured or cluttered Web page backgrounds take attention away from what's important on the page and can make reading text a real chore. Before you add that cute graphic behind the text on your Website design, take an objective look at the effect it has on clarity and ease of reading. Move these kinds of backgrounds out of text areas on your Website.
Top Website design is not just pretty. In fact, pretty is pointless on a site that can't be found or is difficult to use. The three tips above aren't really about making a pretty Website. They are about using principles of aesthetics to make your Website better at communicating with visitors.
Objectively view your site for workability first. Is it easy to use? How well does your Website place in search results? Does it accurately reflect the professionalism and brand image you want? Does your Website express your unique message?
Try this Color Scheme Tool to help develop an appropriate color palette for your Website.
Then learn more about top Website design at pinscreative.com. Read the newsletter or subscribe to the Ballyhoo Blog for more information and tips on marketing, graphic design and Website development.
By: Cynthia Pinsonnault
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