adminEvery once in a while, you stumble across a website that just blows you away. They’re the ones that make skip a beat and immediately hunt down the designer to see if you can hire them. But most websites don’t hit this level…and it’s not because they don’t want to, but rather they’re just not sure how to get there. You see it all the time, sites with meaningless and distracting elements, inconsistent visuals, or disjointed content— it’s hard to know what they’re trying to say. One of the biggest mistakes is when designers pursue trends instead of grounding themselves in principles.
When it comes to designing an engaging website, here are four handful principles that you can follow to make a great one:
- Clarity in Design
The first thing to consider when designing a website is how clearly it communicates its message. You want to make sure that the visitor knows what they can do on your site and how they can use it. This will help them make a decision about whether or not they want to stay on your site or move on to another one.
- Attention to Detail
When you’re designing your site, remember that every element has an effect on the overall look and feel of the site — even if it’s just a small detail like using white space around an image or putting an image at the top of the page instead of at the bottom where it gets lost in the text.
While a little detail can go a long way, too much can be overwhelming and distracting. Make sure that you’re not overdoing it when it comes to adding extra details — it’s best to err on the side of less right now than more.
Every little thing counts when it comes to design, so remember that everything matters!
- Consistency of Style
Every aspect of the website should be consistent with the overall style of the company’s brand. This includes both the color scheme and fonts used. A change in font or color can be jarring and make it seem like you don’t know what you’re doing.
Consistency of style is important because it establishes a sense of trust with your visitors. They’ll feel more comfortable navigating through your site if they know what to expect every time they visit it.
- Conceptual Unity
The most powerful websites are those with a single, strong concept that ties everything together into a cohesive whole. This can be difficult for small businesses since there may not be enough content to create such a unified layout without repetition or redundancy. However, it’s still possible to create conceptual unity by using only one (or two) colors throughout your design, avoiding “clutter” and ensuring that each widget has its own place in the layout so as not to confuse visitors about where they should pay attention next.
A beautiful website can help you make a good impression on new and prospective clients.
A well-designed website doesn’t need to be complicated or take a long time to create. Sometimes, all it takes is some thoughtful planning and a few fun elements to make an impact. Try implementing some of the tips above in your next project, and prepare to wow your visitors. There may be no guarantee that your website will be ranked among the best of the best, but you can make a good start.
