Website Design Guidelines

Web design is an integral part of web development and helps make an ever-lasting impression on viewers. It refers to creating an artistic, visually appealing, functional, and top-notch website that primarily prioritizes user experience. Generally, web designs are viewed as aesthetics but it doesn't be a constraint until there, you have to be open to the other end as well because apparently, the user will be the one with a mouse to navigate the site, which is why it is important to think about usability as well.

You could spend years studying the ins and outs of these disciplines but for the sake of giving you a jumping-off point, we've assembled a list of the fundamental guidelines and best practices you can apply to your next website redesign or website launch.

This web design guide will provide you with insights you might require about the thing to do, what ought not to be done, what elements to be thought of, and what should be reported in an appropriately efficient and formalized structure for clarity and certainty. When you know what you are doing, this not only gives you a mesmerizing look but on top saves time, money, and energy.

Step-by-Step Approach

Content Planning and Strategy

Web design should be intuitive, and comprehensible so that doesn't give users a hard time thinking of what it really portrays. This planning and strategy phase should be done in a manner that covers all aspects from the viewer's eye not only the designer's. Web design planning follows some protocols, standards, style ideas, typefaces, typography, and color themes, After this whole planning phase, strategizing begins to lay a pathway that tells what/how/when/why you should be doing certain things.

All comes down to simplicity, the design must be sophisticated and minimal to attract, ease, and delight users not scare them away. Such as this Fiverr website, has a minimal and pleasingly simple look and interface.

Site Layout and Testing

The layout of a website is the framework or structure over which it stands. It is vital for navigation as it not only tells the user but also tells the owner about necessary information as well. Layout organizes information and clears a path so you must sketch out the content organization of pages such as the landing page, the home page, about us, and service/product pages of the website beforehand and also about elements like headers, footers, CTA’s, forms, etc.

Poorly organized sites frustrate visitors and bring no good results at all. A good layout increases your website engagement and navigation. Layout design should be tested over time to acknowledge its responsiveness and functionality.

Right Platform and CMS

Selection of the right platform and CMS is a critical factor and it should be aligned with your website requirements and technical expertise. For instance, Joomla web design is a high-quality CMS software that allows you to effectively and efficiently manage, and publish the content on your website. It gives an easy-to-use interface that enables you to revise and publish content online without working from scratch. The platform is like an infrastructure of websites such as WordPress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, etc.

Visual Hierarchy

A website should not be over flooded which gives a chaotic feeling to the user, rather it must contain a hierarchy such as content should be presented that catches the user's attention ultimately to your message regardless of where on the page it is displayed. Psychological aspects are an integral part of designs because if you have no knowledge about your user’s perspective this lacks the credibility of your designs. For instance, in this image below there is cluttered text order however the user will be drawn to the exact message ultimately.?

Not only text but also size, composition and alignment, color and contrast, fonts, white space, repetition, and infographics. Remember in designing the ultimate goal is to direct users to navigate your site just the way you want.

Poor hierarchy confounds users and frustrates them so it is important to make your designs on the website natural, and pleasant.

Technical Aspects:

Page loading speed, security, and accessibility must be considered with special attention and priority. Pages should be improved so it doesn't baffle the visitors to stand by longer than expected, as it endangers user experience.

Web pages should be optimized for every screen, because if it distorts on mobile screen and works fine on the computer that’s a problem then. All technical aspects must be considered and configured beforehand in order to secure your website’s user experience.

Security measures are highly important to protect your website’s confidential data. HTTPS must be used and also a ranking factor, SSL encryption, strong passwords, and updated software are a top priority to secure your data.

Branding and Navigation

Branding is vital as it gives a solid identity for your brand and it has to be appealing and satisfactory. Success is when people familiarize themselves with your brand. After branding the real purpose of your website is the communication channel you intend to build between the user and you. Whatever strategy you use, make sure it delivers your message and displays your identity simultaneously.

The interface should not be difficult in that it frustrates the user rather the route should be smooth for a user to reach the information that he was seeking initially. These should not be neglected as they contribute majorly to UI & and UX.

Domain and Hosting

The domain name is essential as it reflects your brand and gives your business credibility whereas hosting gives a professional and trustworthy online presence to your business. Both should be brief, easy, and accessible. Thus, it is crucial to invest in a domain and hosting to make it reputable and as per your website requirements. It can be referred to as without domain and hosting, your website will not be accessible to anyone, it is like your website doesn’t exist.

SEO Implementation

Web design and SEO are interconnected and must be considered in order to create an effective and SEO-friendly web design. SEO implementation significantly elevates your website’s visibility and makes your website rank higher in SERP, driving more organic traffic, and bringing in potential customers. You must use relative SEO-optimized keywords, Meta tags, backlinks, etc. to give the website credibility and authenticity. A well-designed website prioritizes user experience therefore working on SEO makes your website look well and in order to stand out in the digital landscape you must work for it.

Wrapping up

Remember, web design is an ongoing process and takes continuous requirements, regular testing, and analysis, in order to keep the website effective and functional. Both design and development work side by side making your website look seamless and providing credibility that results in high user experience and ultimately trust.

For an effective website design, there is always a pattern that should be followed in order to make your website optimal, effective, efficient, and robust. It gets easy when you consult a professional. BozTechCo is a well-known web design company that offers affordable custom web designs and has a skilled team that has the potential to grow your business and lead you on the road to success. Mentioned above are the web design guides and best practices that must be taken before creating an SEO-friendly, responsive, custom, and high-converting website. Contact us today to learn more about our services and stay informed to create an updated website for your business