FAQ

There are good web design tutorials out there, but they are hard to find. The problem is that many of them want to sell you software and do not give you proper information. The following free tips will provide you with what you need to know.

If you want your website to cater to the needs of visitors, it must be user-friendly and simple to navigate.  Place your links so they can be found easily. Menus also make site navigation much easier. Make sure that links to your main pages are on each page in your site so people can find their way no matter where they are.

Avoid using frames. Most sites have abandoned frames on their own as better alternatives have become available, but there are still sites out there that are trapped in 1996. Alternatives to navigational frames include fixed-position navigation panels, having navigation in multiple areas (e.g. left and bottom) or simplifying page structure so that navigational links are never far away.

Always mark files that must be opened in an external program with an icon.  Many sites host PDF files, and less commonly, DOC files, that must be opened in Foxit Reader and Microsoft Word/OpenOffice, respectively.  These files should be marked with an icon representing the file type, and a link to download the appropriate viewer if the user does not have it.

Use a style sheet to stay consistent.  There is almost nothing more disconcerting than being sent to a page that looks at nothing like the site you were just looking at, even if it is concerning the same subject.  Style sheets help with saving your formatting, so each page looks similar to the rest.

Learning about web design shows you that this task isn't that hard.  You need to have the pieces placed in front of you, though; this article has done just that. Use what you have learned from the article above to put your puzzle together and to design a great website.

Whether for personal or business reasons, many people have a website these days.  But, the most common problem they face is coming up with an eye-catching design for their website.  With some helpful advice, like what you are about to read, a site can look better than ever imagined.

You will need to pass the NoScript test.  Download the NoScript extension in Firefox and test it on your site to see if it is still readable.  It is necessary that you pass it in order to sell items or services online as most of these functions require script or you won't be generating revenue.

Don't disable the visitor's right-click functionality. Some sites do this in order to prevent people from copying and pasting text or saving images from the site. The thing is, it doesn't work and disables other useful functions.  OCR can be used to capture text from such sites, and grabbing images is as simple as taking a screenshot.

White space is an important part of web design, so don't be afraid to use it. Cluttering up your web pages with too many images or too much text, or using a distracting background, will only irritate your visitors.  White space can make the important elements of your page more visible.

Avoid creating user interface (UI) controls that mislead your visitors.  These controls include elements, widgets and more that create an interactive experience, such as a link, drop-down list or button.  You do not want to make visitors think that clicking on an underlined word or phrase for example, will lead to a new page if it is not actually linked to something else. When your visitors have expectations of something working a certain way and it does not, they are more likely to assume there is something wrong with your site and leave.

As stated in the beginning of this article, it is common for a person to have a webpage, be it for business or pleasure.  In order for their design to look great, they have to know what they are doing.  Now that you have read the above article, you will have no problem with designing the website of your dreams!