Web Designer, Entrepreneur

okay, so you would like to design or redesign your website but you think you can’t do it because you have no experience. Let me tell you, you can be a good designer even if you have never seen the inside of a design school. All you need is a sense for design and some passion for detail. Also, knowing some basic rules will make it much easier for you. Here are some tips for you to help you design a better looking site.

1. No centered paragraphs: All text, barring headlines, should be left aligned. Sites that run center aligned copy look unorganized and messy but more importantly it will make your copy very difficult to read.

2. No decorative fonts in all caps: Only green horns would make the mistake of using a decorative font in capital letters. It is worse than reading paragraphs that are center aligned. Simple non-serif fonts are the best for headlines as they are clear and add weight to the page.

3. White space: Clients (website owners) tend to be allergic to white space on their web site. To them it is valuable space that has not been utilized. Learn to put your foot down. Every design needs some white space to breathe. In fact it provides visual relief and goes a long way in making your design readable.

4. Less is more: Don’t overdo the site with fonts and colors. This may create a busy and destructing look on the page which will serve no purpose other then frustrating your site visitors. So remember less is actually more.

5. Don’t frame (box) page elements: Use boxes carefully and make sure you don’t overdo it. Use it to emphasize important information, such as a sidebar or a quote; but try to avoid using it as a random design unit.

6. Tie headlines to text: Tie the headline to the text that follows it. You may want to experiment a bit before finding the right space between the headline and the text. But once you do so, you will make the life of the reader easier.

7. Reverse text with care: White font on a black background works wonders as an attention grabbing technique. But use it with care. Can you imagine reading reams of white matter on an endlessly stretching black background? Your eyes would give up after a while. And, if you are going to use the reverse technique, make sure that the fonts are non-serif fonts. Delicate serif fonts tend to become hazy and break making it difficult to read.

8. Create a visual hierarchy: The more important something is on your page the more prominent you should make it. Also, thinks related logically should be related visually. Present similar kinds of information in similar ways. People love to look for patterns. And they feel good when they find them, so let your users in on that happy feeling. Chances are it will help them retain your information better and use it more effectively.

I hope those few tips will help you to make your site better looking and more user friendly. To close this article let me give you one more advice. Don’t be afraid to experiment while keeping in mind the advice given in this article.

Cheers.