Web Design Basics

Web design is a large area, but there are some basics that every web designer should know and these fundamentals alone can get you started. While web design has changed dramatically in the last decade, many of the principles set forth in the early days of the commercial Internet apply to this day.

Learn HTML, know HTML, and use HTML. There are dozens of coding languages available and many of them are very powerful, allowing web designers to create interactive showcases and not just webpages, but HTML – HyperText Markup Language – is the foundation of the Web and all webpages and websites. Some languages work better, or not at all, under certain browsers and operating systems, but HTML works on them all; it remains the only true universal language on the World Wide Web.

Pay attention to the details. This includes META CONTENT, ALT tags, TITLEs, and all the other details so many forget. Title every page and include a brief description of no more than 15 words. Do not put e-mail addresses on webpages without taking proper precautions – unless you want to receive a lot of spam mail. Use spellcheck to catch and correct any misspellings and grammatical errors. Also remember that search engines and actual web-surfers “see” your pages differently, and you have to design for both.

Avoid clashing colors, glaring text, and animated graphics – visitors consider these indicators of amateurish, or even “spammy,” sites. Use headers as titles instead of graphics whenever possible, and minimize text decoration – such as italics and boldface. Use proper words and not “text speak,” but try not to talk-down to your visitors. Banner ads are a great way to get some return on your investment, but too many of them will drive viewers away. Also avoid stock photography and duplicate content.

As the Internet continues to advance into a true multimedia platform, web design continues to evolve on a daily basis, but the fundamentals of web design have remained largely the same for over a decade. A good background in traditional layout and design is helpful, but web design is a form unto itself. Knowing HTML is the single most important key to mastering web design. A few good books on these subjects, and some hours spent researching and deconstructing websites you admire, will go a long way toward helping you learn how to design for the Web.

Tags: html, web design

Category: Web Design