The Beginners Website Design Checklist

The Beginners Website Design Checklist

Website Design in 2020The Top 12 Items You should Include in your Website Design in 2022

Every web designer has different ideas when it comes to developing a website, but they all have a common checklist.

Regardless of how hard you avoid it, there are certain elements that must be considered when designing a website in 2022.

Elements you need on your web design

Space

Website Readability and Spacing

Space is a significant design tool since it dictates how users interact with your written content. Designers are now beginning to use space in ways we didn’t decades ago. More website designs include increased spacing between the lines of text, vast space, as well as the general use of open space.

A key to spatial relationship includes consistency in your text spacing. Similar elements must have similar spacing. The lines in a paragraph should have an equal amount of space. Space is also essential when creating focal points for users. A piece of text or image surrounded by a white space would appear larger and more significant than one that’s crammed into smaller or even tighter locations within the design

Simple Navigation Design

Simple and Clean Navigation

Navigation needs to be easy to identify as well as easy to use. It’s important to keep navigational menus to the minimum so you do not overwhelm users. Menu items should be at the top-end of your website and be intuitive and easy to navigate through. For example, web pages with parallel scrolling usually have directional arrows for making the site more user-friendly. The easier it is for one to use, as well as navigate through, the longer that user is likely to interact with it.

 

About Us

Moz About Us Page Example

The About Us page needs to inform the users who you are as well as describe what you do. The page may outline company goals or philosophies or how the website came into existence. It can also be the point for user /customer testimonials or even success stories. The page could also act as a gateway to the social media profiles or related pages. However, a common problem that happens with About Us pages is that they get too long and wordy. Instead, keep the page brief and simple, give users the information they need and not essays that will make them bored. Also, make sure to keep the design interesting.

 

Contact Information

Clear Contact Info

Contact information usually appears in the header or contact us page with expanded information. Any option can work great depending on your website design. The key here is making the contact information visible. After all, having contact information such as a physical address, and phone number to reach the site owner adds legitimacy to the website and business. Not having this information introduces frustration and could  end up losing you a customer.

 

Call to action

Website Call To Action ExampleMost websites today are developed with the intention of converting traffic into leads. In order to make sure your website is performing in this capacity, it’s important to have a strong call to action that prompts the user towards certain activities. To help understand how your call to action should be designed, first determine the purpose of your website. Then design your website and it’s call to action it in a way that the call to action is obvious and persuades users to read more. Techniques like color and contrast could help lead visitors to the right buttons. Another common call to action is the sign-up form and if this is your objective, place the form in an easily seen area and size it prominently. Always make sure the sign-up form is simple and easy to fill out.

 

Website Search Functionally

Website Search Feature

Have you ever tried to find old information or content you remember seeing on a website? That is where search comes in. This tool is vital if you have a site that has a lot of information. Make sure you create your search box in unobtrusive and easy to use way. The search box should be big enough to type terms from the website but not so obtrusive that it takes away from your websites esthetics. If you choose to use an icon as part of your search box, the standard magnifying glass icon is usually sufficient to inform users of the search boxes intent.

 

Informational Footer

Website Footer Design Example

A footer is how you connect to your audience with a wealth of information and without getting in the way of design. Since a footer is found at the bottom of a page, it’s a logical position for small sitemaps, company/contact information as well as links & context for your website. Make the informational footer useful by keeping it simple. If you choose a couple of link-style designs or buttons, the footer must be created to match with the website but should have a more minimalistic feel. Always make it easy to use.

 

Style of Buttons

UX Button ExamplesThe buttons on a website need to be recognizable. They must have the same design effects and shape irrespective of location or purpose. Creating a different set of buttons can somehow be a daunting task for websites with lots of clickable items. Always consider using design kits to develop a consistent set of elements.

 

Great Images

Great Website Photography

Websites with professional looking images that show their products or demonstrate their services, often outperform sites that are lacking in this function. When designing your site, make sure to include stunning images to draw visitors deeper into your website. Well planed site imagery and photography can be the difference between closing a prospect or losing them to the competition.

 

Web Fonts

Webdesign Font Placement

Web fonts are necessary for two main reasons, compatibility and licensing. When using web fonts, start with the service Google Web Font. It’s free to implement and has a set of stunning and intriguing typefaces you can place into your website without the need to spend fortunes on licensing or even worry about compatibility problems.

 

Final Thoughts

Although there are lots of essential components to effective website design, including the aforementioned website design best practices in your website are sure to make it more effective tool in both engaging and converting visitors into your business.

 

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