8 tips for successful web design

There are endless websites on the Internet, all of which look different. Most of them were created without a planned design and are only used to publish information. They usually look a lot like a Word document. But there are also a large number of well-designed sites that really have a lot to offer.

But putting a decent website online is not easy. That's why we've collected eight tips for you that can help you create a successful web design.

1. The right website builder

Not everyone has the financial resources to hire a developer and a designer to set up a website. In this case, you have to build your own site yourself, and without programming knowledge, you have to find new ways. This is where the website builders are used. Website builders are programs that allow the user to design the desired website and then automatically put it online. This process can be done without writing any code, so anyone can create a website with these programs.

However, you have to choose the best one first. Since there is a really large selection, you have to find out about the various alternatives. The most common variants are, for example wordpress, Squarespace or WiX, but there are a few more. Of course, there are free and paid providers here, all of which include different functions and are suitable for different areas of application.

2. Use visual hierarchy

For visitors to a website to know directly which information is most relevant, this must be clear at first glance. It is therefore necessary to establish a visual hierarchy. This means presenting the important things, whether text or image, high up and comparatively large.
For example, your company name and logo is one of the largest objects at the top of your homepage. This is followed by, of course, a bit smaller, an overview of the products or an introduction to your company. Information that most users are not interested in comes small and unobtrusively to the end of the website. For this reason, legal information is always at the bottom.

3. Comprehensible navigation

Most websites consist not only of the start page, but of several individual pages that are linked to each other. In order for website users to be able to find these different pages, there must be navigation that connects all areas.

Visitors to the website must also be able to use this navigation. For this reason, it should be understandable and concise. For example, you can combine different areas under one umbrella term to improve clarity. However, the user of the site must find the area they are looking for under the term under which they expect it.

Existing user data is another criterion for designing navigation. Different customer groups have different preferences when visiting a website. These preferences can be found out through user tests and with the results of these tests, you can optimally adapt your own site.

4. Keep the website tidy

The topic of clarity is not only relevant when it comes to navigation. Attention must also be paid to this in the complete design of the website. This means that the page must not be too cluttered. Otherwise, visitors lose track of everything and cannot find the essential information.

For exactly this reason, there is currently a trend towards minimalism. Care is taken to ensure that the website is tidy and not overcrowded; in the best case, it only contains the most essential information. The visitor's attention is thus drawn directly to the important things. Sufficient negative space is very helpful here. The term negative space describes the areas in an image that have no content, i.e. contain only the background color or simply white. Pullout menus should also be limited. If they offer too many options, it can overwhelm the user.

5. Use colors correctly

Using colors is a powerful tool for every designer. First of all, each color has a different emotional connotation that must be considered. When choosing the right color, you should therefore pay particular attention to the image of your own company.

For example, if your company has an energetic and passionate brand identity, you should choose a stimulating red rather than a soothing blue when designing the website. However, they must also reflect the colors of their logo on your page.
In addition to the emotional component of the color selection, the visual hierarchy described above must also be considered. It is best to keep all main elements, all highlights and all less important elements in different colors. Since the website must provide a uniform image, you should keep the color palette you have chosen everywhere.

6. Choose the right typography

In addition to colors, the text on your website is of course immensely important. In order for this text to visually match the design of your website, attention must be paid to the correct typography.

First, the correct font must be selected. This should match the rest of the design and, above all, be easy to read, because the best text is useless if you can't read it. You should also pay attention to Web fonts to use. These are “web-safe” fonts that can be viewed on most devices. The size of the font and the color are also decisive. Headlines are best displayed large enough so that the hierarchy is clear. In terms of color, the previously selected color scheme should be adhered to in order to create a uniform image.

Once you've defined the entire typography, you should apply it to your entire page in exactly the same way as the color scheme before.

7. Use of photography

Photographs are a completely optional tool in web design. Because a website can also do completely without photos and still generate traffic. But in some industries, it's simply helpful to incorporate photography into the design. However, there are a few things you have to consider if you want to use them.

First of all, you should always follow the same criteria as good photography in general. The photos must therefore be of good quality and, in the best case, depict an impressive subject. But a great photo won't help you if it doesn't match the theme of the website. For example, photos of fruit on a grocer's website are perfect, but they haven't lost anything in the design for a technology company. This means that you have to choose the right theme and style, depending on the mood and content of your website.

To make visitors to your site feel more involved, photos of people are a good tool. You must remember to photograph real people whenever possible, such as your team or your customers. Of course, you can also Stock photos use. These can be found on sites such as Unsplash or Adobe Stock.

8. Optimize your website for mobile devices

Nowadays, it is essential to provide a mobile version of your own website. Of course, when most people think of web design, they first think of a website for a computer. However, the majority of people now primarily surf on mobile devices. So the mobile version of the site must not only be available, but also offer the same functionalities as the desktop version and run just as smoothly.

To achieve this, it is helpful to design the mobile version first. Because with limited space, you focus more on the essential elements and can then more easily create a normal website without accidentally overloading it with content. In addition, it is relevant to the design which type of mobile device users use to visit your website. Based on user data, you can see which devices are preferred. They can then prioritize them when creating your page.

conclusion

To design a successful website, you have to consider a few things. The page must be clear and easy to navigate, and colors, photos and fonts must also be selected appropriately. To do all this without programming knowledge, you can use Website Builder.

If you want to create your own website or refresh your existing one, simply follow our eight tips to be as successful as possible.

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