All creative disciplines have their rules. The same holds for the web design principles too. A website design will only be effective when it fulfills its intended purpose and functions while also engaging the users. Several factors contribute to a good and effective website design. Here are some practical web design principles that you can follow for your next web project as a web designer:
Purpose of the Website
The primary intention of a website is to fulfill the requirements of the users. When you have a clear purpose laid out on all the website pages, it becomes easier for the users to interact with the offers you have on the website.
The call to action (CTAs) is thus one of the critical factors that support the website’s purpose. Check the CTA buttons used by samsung.
There are a variety of purposes that a website can offer. But some of the core and common varieties can be designed like:
- Describing the expertise or the products offered
- Brand building
- Lead generation
- Sales and after-sales customer service
Content Is the King
A website, regardless of its design structure, must have some substance that attracts the users. Only thoughtless filler content will not serve the purpose. Use content that speaks the user’s language. Use words and concepts that are familiar and useful for your intended customers.
High-quality content will guide your visitors towards the action that you want them to take on your website. SEO is a critical factor for the content of the website too. Plan and weave SEO throughout the content of the website so that it serves both the purpose of attracting visitors and making a page rank.
Engage Your Visitors With Attractive Visuals
Visuals are also essential design elements that reflect the brand’s identity. Use illustrations and photos that can visually appeal to the users. Use high-quality visuals that are color balanced with appropriate resolution and size suitable for your website. The visuals should complement the overall website designs to entice your users to take action.
Check the appleading design from apple.com.
Shape Your Audience’s Perception With Appropriate Typography
The content shapes the intention of your website. But the style and the shapes of the letters are also important in conveying the real meaning of the content. Typography can thus be defined as a bridge between the ideas of the content and the visual representation of the same.
The font style should be such that they complement the design tone and also the placement on the website. Traditional fonts work well for a large block of content that holds crucial information. It makes for better readability. You can opt for stylized typography for the headers and subheaders for a bit of flavor.
Set the Path for Easy Navigation
Navigation is the key to retaining your visitors to the website. If your site fails to offer easy and understandable navigation for the visitors, they will quickly move out of your website. It will not take them long to look for the required information elsewhere.
Keep the website navigation consistent and straightforward on each page. Always remember that simplicity is the key to a better journey on the website.
For E.g., Check this website’s navigation menu.
Use Soothing Color Themes for Your Website
The color palette for your website should complement the identity of your brand. The color palette for a website can communicate so much with so little. The color theme of the website should reflect the spirit and the message of your brand subtly. The background color on the site must not hinder the readability of the content. Use a color contrast checker to check the various color combination for better readability.
Balance the Web Designs With White Space
White spaces in the website help the information on the site to stand out. It also helps in keeping the layout clean from getting cluttered. Ample white space between the visuals, graphics, and contents will offer a better user experience for your visitors too. White space will highlight the important content on the website for your visitors, making it a satisfactory experience for them.
A Mobile Responsive Theme With Quicker Loading Time
People are nowadays more comfortable browsing the web with their mobile handsets. Thus it is vital to consider a mobile responsive theme while designing a website. With a mobile responsive theme, your website will adjust to different screen sizes, making it a good experience for the users.
The other equally important factor is the website loading time. Visitors will not wait forever for the website to load. They will look elsewhere instead. Use optimized images for loading the website quicker. Make sure that the website is not very heavy with loads of content and graphics, visuals, and videos. The heavier the website, the more it will take time to load.
Take a look at this mobile responsive website.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned principles are the basic guidelines that almost all websites follow. You might find some exceptions too, but it is always better to play by the rules. Knowing the rules and bending them as per your requirement will only make your web designs better than before.
