Website design refers to the user experience aspects of the development of website
rather than the development of software. A web designer focusses on the layout,
appearance, and content of a website. Appearance mostly refers to the font, colors, and
images used. Layout refers to the way information is structured and categorized.
There are two common methods of designing websites that work well on desktops as
well as mobiles. They are:
Responsive design Website content moves dynamically depending on screen size.
Adoptive design Website content is fixed in layout sizes that match common screen
sizes.
Preserving a layout that is consistent among devices is crucial to maintaining user
engagement and trust.
Different areas of website design include interface design, web graphic design, authoring,
including proprietary software and standardized code, search engine optimization, and
user experience design. Web designers use both vector and raster graphics editors to
create web-formatted imagery or design prototypes.
There are two ways websites are generated:
Static websites They store a unique file for every page of a static website. The same
content is returned each time that page is requested. They were simpler to host, required
less server administration, had less chance of security breach, and could serve pages
quickly at a low cost.
Dynamic websites They use server-side technology to generate webpages and extract
their content from back-end databases.
Is Your Website Design User Friendly?
Usability is an important aspect that should be focused on when designing websites. A
good website boosts revenue and sales of a business. Good website usability ensures that
visitors find the information they need easily and quickly.
The essential characteristics of a user-friendly website are:
* It should be accessible to all, irrespective of any physical handicap.
* It should contain content that is formatted well and is easy to scan.
* It should be consistent across all major browsers such as Internet Explorer, Safari,
Chrome, Opera, and Firefox.
* It should deal with errors well and display the right error messages.
* It makes use of a suitable contrasting colour scheme so that the web content is legible.
* It should be compatible on mobile phones.
* It should present the web content in an organized way.
* It should load quickly within 4 to 6 seconds so that the users do not leave the website as
well as to improve search engine ranking.
* It should offer a clutter-free navigation experience. Advanced JavaScript libraries such as
Ajax and Motools and DHTML offer this solution.
* It should be robust and dependable.
* It should have easily accessible forms.
What Makes Website Designing Important?
Designing your website the right way impacts your business and your target customers.
Let us find out why website designing is important.
1) It boosts your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
To ensure search engine visibility of your website, your on-page SEO fundamentals should
be up to the mark. Your website code should be SEO friendly and the website content
should be presented the right way. A web design agency can offer help in this aspect.
2) It establishes trust factor between you and your target customers.
A cluttered and disorganized website may make it appear shady and drive away potential
customers. When users visit your site frequently, there are chances of business growth. A
professionally designed site attracts target customers.
3) It builds consistency.
Consistency across website pages is an important aspect of website design. Every page
on your website should have the same styles, layouts, and fonts.
Target customers remain longer on your web page and get a scope to become familiar
with your business when web pages are consistent.
4) It creates the initial impression.
A well-designed website is important because it affects how your target customers
perceive your business. It aids in keeping your leads on your page.
5) It creates the impression for customer service.
Your website design will convey to your customers how you view them. Your website acts
as your customer service representative. An inviting, modern, and bright website positively
attracts customers. Your website is the digital face of your business.
6) It is what your competitors are already doing.
Your website must stand out in the market. It should exhibit the unique qualities of your
business. An outdated website will drive away leads toward your competitors.
Website Design Trends that Are Here to Rule in 2020
Website design is all about stimuli and information this year. Your website should deliver
your message with clarity to stand out. Ideally, your website should be uncluttered and
clear besides being replete with visuals and content.
Let us quickly read through the website design trends that are here to stay this year.
1) Split screen content
This design trend breaks the rectangular mould of your screen in two. An additional
element, such as your logo, a menu header, or a CTA button, can be placed where the two
halves meet to create visual hierarchy.
2) Enough whitespace
The blank area in between the design elements is referred to as whitespace or negative
space. It lends a spacious and well-balanced look to a page. Whitespace highlights
important elements, increases legibility, and creates a tidy look. This year web design will
include clean, expert typography, and pristine images that float freely in space.
3) Fluorescent 3D digital artwork
Digital 3D images lend a luminous, neon-color shade to websites and offer a surreal
interpretation of familiar materials. When 3D artworks are combined with fluorescent
colors, it produces energetic and futuristic result.
However, moderation is the name of the game. Fluorescent colors should be used as
complementary hue and should be balanced with neutral shades.
4) Motion and interactivity
Online audience have a decreased attention span. Hence, motion is an effective way of
grabbing site visitors’ attention. Micro animations, fullscreen video headers or animations,
and typography are some forms of motion currently in vogue. Motion should be used in a
way that supports storytelling, else it can be distracting.
5) Appropriate illustrations
Website designers make use of imagery and visuals to craft a brand identity. The
appropriate illustrations prove helpful in this aspect. Vector art offers a unique collection of
icons, illustrations, and badges to choose from.
6) Prominent elements
Fullscreen videos and images, bold and large typography, and oversized website menu
icons are popular at present to communicate message clearly.
7) Solid color blocks
This trend involves exhibiting a collection of items in a visually striking website layout to
form a consistent composition. Ensure that the color blocks are neatly aligned and
complement one another.
8) Grids and windows that are exposed
Websites now make use of rectangles and strokes or thin lines (used in online skim
reading) to highlight segments of screen. Shapes that remind one of pop-ups and browser
windows form an integral part of web pages.
9) Overlapping layers
Layering up elements on web page adds depth to 2D screens. This look can be achieved
by tactfully positioning images or text on top of one another, with lightboxes, or a parallax
scrolling effect.
10) Fullscreen forms
Whitespace surrounding large elements is one of the main website design themes at
present. Fullscreen forms help in enhancing user experience.
It is essential that you incorporate modern web design into your marketing strategy. Web
design is instrumental in enhancing nearly 95% of a visitor’s first impression. This
helps in improving sales numbers.