The Basics of Web Design
Web design is the process of building websites to be viewed on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. It involves both the visual and functional parts of a website and encompasses many different skills and concepts. Whether you’re an experienced web designer or just starting out, knowing the basics of web design will help you create a successful site.
A business, educational institution, or individual’s website is often the first impression potential clients, students, or customers have of a company or person. It’s therefore important that the website be professionally designed and easy to navigate. Websites with clear navigation and attractive visuals will be more likely to engage visitors and encourage them to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
As a design concept, symmetry is the balance of elements in a composition using size, placement, color, contrast, and other factors to make a composition appear whole. Symmetrical designs are appealing to viewers because they can evoke feelings of stability, balance, and beauty. Web designers use symmetry in their designs to add depth, create balance, and emphasize key points.
Hierarchy is a concept that comes from information design and describes the arrangement, visibility, and prominence of visual aspects in a website layout. Web designers establish hierarchy by varying the amount and positioning of visual elements, increasing or decreasing their size, using color to highlight or de-emphasize them, establishing continuity, promoting proximity, or using other techniques. A web designer must always keep the goal of a website in mind when creating hierarchy.
Unity is a feeling of agreement, conformity, and harmony when different parts of a website design come together. It is an essential element in web design because it can determine a website’s level of usability, effectiveness, and appeal. Web designers achieve unity by utilizing the principles of color, space, size, shape, texture, and style to create balance and harmony.
Navigation is the set of links or paths that a website’s visitors can use to move around and get to different pages on the site. Websites with effective navigation will provide an easy-to-use experience for all visitors, and improve their overall performance.
A website isn’t a finished product, and it needs to be regularly updated to stay relevant, fresh, and accurate. Regularly updating a website will also boost its search engine optimization, and improve visitor experience.
Speed is a factor that all website designers should pay attention to. Websites that load slowly are not only frustrating for visitors, but they can also result in high bounce rates and lower search engine rankings. A web page’s loading speed can be improved by using image compression, caching, and other techniques.
As the digital front door to businesses, educational institutions, and governments, websites need to be constantly updated to meet the ever-changing needs of visitors. It’s important for all businesses to ensure their websites are current, functional, and engaging. Websites that are out of date can negatively impact user experiences and lead to decreased conversions. A regularly updated website will help increase visitor engagement and sales, and improve the overall performance of a business.