http://smashingpoint.com Smashingpoint is a weblog dedicated to web-developers and designers Tue, 18 May 2010 03:08:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en http://smashingpoint.com/5-important-tips-for-developing-a-great-website.html http://smashingpoint.com/5-important-tips-for-developing-a-great-website.html#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 03:08:32 +0000 admin http://smashingpoint.com/?p=319

1. The website should be easy to navigate. Anybody who comes across the site should not have to spend several minutes trying to figure out where they need to click; if they figure it out at all. Choosing to go with an artistic and clever angle is fine, but this should not lead to unnecessary confusion. Make it very clear about where the links are; do not disguise them and make people have to work to find them. When this step is taken, you will save yourself from angry emails and loss of hits on the site.
   
2. Good web design includes omitting distracting music and pictures. This is a common mistake, and many new web designers tend to believe that their site needs these things in order to be enticing. In fact, it has the opposite effect. Particularly for people who have their computer stereoset high, or are in a public place, this can cause a lot of problems. Before filling your pages with large, blinking images, or setting a song from your favorite music group on auto play, stop and think. If you were the guest, is this something that you would like?
   
3. Any pages on the website that you do not feel are completed or ready, do not make them public. Few would find it desirable to click on a link, only to see that what they wanted to see is not ready yet. You may think that putting it up early will get visitors excited for the upcoming content; in fact, it will only annoy them. Making it known when the website was last updated is also important, especially if you are a store or other business. If nobody can figure it out, they may not be willing to take the risk and contact you.
   
4. When deciding on the colors you will be using on the website, make sure that they go well together. This is especially vital when it comes to the background and any text that may be present. For example, placing green text on a blue background, or purple text on a black background, can only lead to trouble. If you or anyone else is forced to highlight the text when they want to read it, this is problematic. Be absolutely certain that the colors do not clash before delving too deep into the design process.
   
5. It doesn’t matter how great your layout might be if your server does not work as it should. Ask those you know who already have a website for any indication of what the best hosting might be. There might be a few setbacks depending on your budget, but this should not be a deterrent. Some people may even be willing to let you use some of their web space that they are not taking advantage of. This is also known as shared web hosting . Though it is limiting, you will be paying less for hosting and can get help when it is needed at a faster pace.

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