Web design ideas always come in handy, whether you're thinking about a new web design or thinking of revamping and existing web design. Not all of them will work for your particular website but the ones that do have the potential to help a lot.
- Do not make your website design complicated. Thin out the number of choices your user has to make on each page. Keep it simple and they'll be able to find their way around easily.
- Be clear on the purpose of your website. Often websites try to be all things to all people and they do not do any thing well. Instead focus on a few core items and do them really well.
- Use fancy graphics sparingly. Web design that relationships on lots of graphics soon gets visitors tired. Although the fancy Flash intro is good the first time, it's not so great the fourth, fifth and sixth times.
- Make it easy for the user to get at the information they want. Do not cover your web pages in lots of adverts, special offers and pop ups. Think what your visitors want and give it to them. If you want to monetize it then do it after you've won their trust, give and then take.
- Visitors hate being forced to do anything. So do not make it a core part of your web design. Do not make visitors sign up before you'll allow them access to what they want. They'll simply click the back button and go to the next site on their search engine list.
- Supply your contact details everywhere. Make it easy for your visitors to ask you questions, to phone you, to email you and so on. If they can not then they will not trust you.
- Give away free stuff. Although good web design is important it's not the only thing that matters to users. Give them the information they want for free and they'll come back over and over. Once they trust you then they'll buy from you / subscribe etc.
- Give excellent support. Again this is something to complement good web design. There is no point in having a great website and poor visitor interaction. They'll come once and never return.
- Review all your graphics. Make sure you do not have too many graphics on a page and that those are there there are reduced in size. Smaller images load faster and so get your visitors to the website faster. A big deal for those on dial up connections.
- Pick a clear font and make it black (or dark) on a white (or light) background. Do not get tempted to "do the fancy graphics". Just because it's there does not mean you have to use it.
Getting a web design is easy. Incorporating all the things that need to be thought of is not. You can not rush good design. It takes time and rework. Go over and over your web design tweaking and changing. Never stop and constantly look for new ideas. When you can afford it get in professional help. This will allow you to focus on building the site instead of trying to become an expert in web design.