6 Rules For Website Design

When you are learning how to make a website attention should be paid to every detail to make sure it is pleasing to visitors as well as the search engines. Many make websites that do not consider how to it will look to incoming traffic, and make it so dysfunctional that traffic goes as quickly as it comes. When it comes to your website, extra attention should be paid to every detail to make sure it performs optimally to serve its purpose, whether it is for personal fun or to make money.

Most best website software and website templates can be tweeked to personal preference and it is important that the design of the site is optimized to keep visitors there as long as possible.

Here are 6 rules of thumb to follow to make sure that the website you make performs and keeps your visitors there longer.

6 Rules for Website Design

1. Don’t Use Doorway or Splash Pages

Doorway or splash pages are the first pages you see when you arrive at a website, some webmasters do not use the home page as the main entry to the site but an extra page that may have a welcome message and then an extra click to get to the actual sites. First, the search engines do not like this, and second, many visitors will not bother with the extra click and may exit all together. The home page should always be a clear picture of what your site is about with prominent and simple navigation of your websites inner pages.

2. Clear and Simple Navigation

You have to provide a simple and very straightforward navigation menu so that even a young child will know how to use it. Stay away from complicated Flash based menus or multi-tiered drop down menus. If your visitors don’t know how to navigate, they will leave your site.

The simplest and most traditional navigation is usually in the top menu bar or the left sidebar, this is the safest way to go for all visitors.

3. Don’t Place Too Many Banners or Ads

For the most part the Internet surfer has become immune to banners and ads. Most are looking for valuable and rich content that is unique and brings value to the visitor. Monetizing your sites is fine, but if there is a constant barrage of ads that interfere with navigation and clarity of what your site is about you will inevitably lose visitors. Banners, affiliate links and ads should compliment the site not be the main focus.

4. Internal Linking Is Important

When visitors are deeply engrossed in browsing your site, you will want to make sure they know which part of the site they are in at that moment and have a clear internal link structure that will take them around easily. The Internet surfer is looking for quick and easy information, if they have to look too hard to get back to where they were or to find further pages they will leave your site, as there are plenty of others that will allow to easily surf their sites.

5. Avoid Audio

If your visitor is going to stay a long time at your site, reading your content, you will want to make sure they’re not annoyed by some audio looping on and on and off your website. Many webmasters have started using pop up characters that play some audio message in the background. For most this is annoying and many will not take the time to look for the off button they will just leave your website.  If you really need audio messages then give the visitor the choice to turn it on if they wish to hear it.

6. Avoid Pop Ups

Pop ups are annoying, and also for many novices, those who are not webmasters are often indicators of computer viruses and adware. A pop, and especially those used for an opt-in or email list sign up can affect the bounce rate on your website and often gets people to leave.

Overall most people have a hard time finding Affordable Web Design and so they prefer to do it themselves. Following these simple rules will provide you with the best website design parameters.