Want to Create Your Own Website?
If you’re new to web design but you really want to build a website yourself, there are many options open to you. You can build a simple site by teaching yourself basic html and CSS coding. Just be sure that you can also make it look nice and professional!
You can purchase or find free pre-made websites very easily. Envision can also help you. These are pre-made codes which you simply use and alter to your own needs. There are many reputable providers of templates. We would always advise to purchase theme and code from a reputable company. Otherwise you can put your business and website at risk from security breaches.
Hire a website designer
If you want something tailored to your needs that looks professional and runs great, it’s probably a good idea to hire a website designer such as Envision Online. While this will cost you money compared to a DIY website it won’t be as expensive as it sounds. This will allow you to focus on growing your business, and leaving the technical side to a professional web design.
Keep it Simple
You will most probably wan everything on your new website to be as fast and easy to use as possible. So we recommend minimising the number of choices that someone has to make. Make navigation extremely self-explanatory, and help them get to what they’re looking for as quickly as possible.
Clear User Interface
Keep the website consistent by positioning the the title, sidebars, logos, graphics, and text, in the same places on every page will make your site navigable and intuitive.
- Keep the same header at the top of every page. Whether or not your site content lends itself to many repeating elements, making sure that the top of every page is identical is a must.
- Use logic in your design. The elements on a single page should be ordered logically by importance or by topic; the various pages in the site should do the same.
While the layout should give your site structural consistency, the style should also be harmonious. Stick with two or three main colours to keep your design clean and simple. Avoid using too many font styles or sizes; if you do plan to alternate between a few, make sure you use them the same way on every page.
- Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to manage uniform style, and to make it easier to change elements across an entire website without having to go to every individual page.
Maximise readability
Make your text easier to read by breaking it into smaller sections. Use subheadings and appropriate spacing to separate each of the sections. Use bold or different-sized fonts to show the hierarchy and importance of the topics
Pay attention to text handling. Don’t make the font too small, and widen the line spacing to make large blocks of text more readable. Large blocks of text will be harder to read; break these up into smaller paragraphs instead.
Universally Readable Website
We recommend using standardised HTML and avoid tags, features, and plug-ins which are only available to one browser.
Whilst most modern browsers and computers can handle complex images. However you can optomise your site by keeping your images smaller in size and optimized for the web. Balance the desire for quality against the need for speed.
Test test test…your website
Make sure that every link works on your website as you would expect, and that images appear correctly.
We also suggest you conduct some usability tests by having members of your target audience test the clarity and ease of use of your design, and provide you feedback on your website.