When you are creating websites for your business, organization, or charity, it’s essential to focus on design. Not only will using basic graphic design elements create a website that is attractive and professional-looking, but it will also make it easier to use and help you keep your visitors coming back. Here are some of the elements of design you should remember while designing your website:
Color Scheme
One of the most important parts of any graphic design project is the color scheme. Color is dynamic and can help to create specific emotions, attract attention, and tell your story. When you’re choosing colors for your website, consider your brand image. You can start building your image and choosing colors now if you have a brand-new business or organization. However, if you already have an existing company, you will need to let your already-existing brand image guide you.
You should also work to create a website that looks cohesive, attractive, and interesting. If you use too many colors or if they aren’t well-coordinated, it can create a clashing, jarring, or unsettling look. Ensure that your site’s colors go well together and that you aren’t overwhelming the space. One way to do this is by using the 60-30-10 rule. With this rule, you use your primary (or most important) color 60% of the time, your secondary color 30% of the time, and only add your accent color to around 10% of your website.
Layout
Before you can make any headway on your site, you will have to choose a layout. Web design can be difficult for people with no graphic design experience, but there are templates, example pages, and other online tools to help you. In addition, learn some of the basic elements of good graphic design layout before you begin creating your site.
Your website, and especially your home page, shouldn’t be too crowded or hard to navigate and should send a clear and understandable message about what your organization does and who you are. One way to create an attractive and easy-to-use site is by following a grid system. This can help you create an organized and balanced layout and make things easy for your users to find.
If you have a lot of information, pages, or topics to add, it can be difficult to organize everything intuitively. Start by creating a menu that makes sense and will allow people to find the different parts of your site. You can also use size, color, and placement to help prioritize content- your most important and basic information should be larger, easier to find, and near the top of the page or menu. Less important information should be smaller and lower down on the page.
Finally, keep your website looking professional by maintaining consistency throughout each page and the site as a whole. Stick with the same colors, fonts, layout, and design for a cohesive look.
Fonts
While it seems like a small aspect of your website, your choice of fonts can help make or break the look you are creating. When choosing your fonts, focus on readability first. Use basic fonts for body text and more stylized fonts for graphics and titles. However, even your more decorative fonts should be easy to read and clean-looking.
Limit the number of different fonts to two or three throughout your whole site. This helps to keep a clean and cohesive look. One of the biggest mistakes amateur designers make is choosing too many fonts and choosing fonts that don’t look well together. For this aspect of your site, less is more. Finally, make sure your font size is appropriate and that your website is designed to automatically adjust the size for various screen sizes.
Whitespace
Whitespace, or margin, is vital both in life and on the internet. Without having whitespace, it’s hard to deal with the visual clutter that usually occurs. Websites with no margin can be overwhelming and frustrating, as well as looking unprofessional.
Use whitespace around and between elements, such as your titles, headings, blocks of text, logos, menu items, advertisements, and images. Not only does margin help your readers find and use the information on your site, but it can also be used to guide users’ eyes to specific areas and emphasize key elements you want them to notice.
Images and Photography
When choosing your images, make sure they are high-quality and relevant to your overall theme. If possible, avoid using free stock images in the main areas of your site such as your heading. This will help ensure that you aren’t using images that your users have already seen and will ensure your site looks professional and unique. It’s worth it to pay for a few images to help your site look original. If you know a photographer or have photography skills yourself, you could consider using a truly original image, as long as the quality is high.
In addition, try to stick with a consistent image style throughout your site to enhance the theme and create a cohesive look. Finally, make sure your images align with your brand image and help you to deliver your message.
Contrast
Make sure you maintain some contrast in your web design to help it look attractive and catch the attention of your visitors. For many viewers, it’s easier to use websites that have some contrast. For example, text that doesn’t contrast with the background can be hard to read. Contrasts in color, size, and fonts can help create visual interest and draw attention to important items.
Consistency
Consistency throughout your website is important for maintaining ease of use, brand recognition, and professionalism. Not only should you maintain a consistent design on your website, but you should also ensure this consistency continues throughout the rest of your business’s marketing, including signage, brochures, and social media accounts.
As well as consistency in design, your website also needs consistency in function. Keep your navigation menus, buttons, and color schemes similar throughout the site and it will be easier to use. Consistency in style and function builds trust and familiarity with users.
Loading Speed and Responsive Design
Today, most web browsers are using a mobile device, not a computer, to access the internet. This means it’s essential for your website to load quickly and seamlessly adapt to various screen sizes. Most web design programs and templates are now programmed to automatically optimize sites to be accessed by phones or tablets. This includes the ability to resize photos, graphics, and text for ease of use. Make sure to test out your site on a variety of devices, including cell phones, tablets, and computers with different screen sizes.
It’s also essential to minimize loading time by avoiding large files, resizing photos to the ideal size, and not using too many plug-ins. Prioritize load speed and performance so your site isn’t frustrating for your users.
Navigation
Finally, when designing your website keep navigation in mind. It should be easy and intuitive for your users to find information and services on your site. Your menu items should be easy to understand and read. If you have a store, make sure the menus and other items are easy to use. Checking out should also be intuitive. Remember that a frustrating experience will result in visitors going to your competitors.
Conclusion
The goal of website design is to create a visually appealing and user-friendly experience for your visitors. While designing, take the time to regularly test and gather feedback to make informed design decisions and improvements. If you get stuck, consider hiring a freelance designer or a graphic design expert to help you.