Web Design Principles Everyone Designer Should Know

Just like any creative discipline, web design has rules. Content, navigation, and visuals work together to ensure design strikes the perfect balance. But how does one approach the foundations of good website design?

Let's find out.

A clear and cohesive site design will be easier to maintain as your business grows, a plan that you will scale without forgetting its original purpose.

Emphasize the essential information on your site. People scan the internet rather than read so:

• Use a grid system to guide you when laying out content and keep everything organized with consistent spacing and margins. 
• Being consistent in design allows people to track where they are on the site and helps establish credibility and trust, increasing conversion rates.
• Creating an intuitive site for users, meaning the main action is obvious. For example, on an eCommerce site, the call-to-action button leads to a checkout page; the path to get there should be clear with little distraction.
• Begin with a clear plan that provides a guide for design and content. A site design isn't something you should make up as you go along. 
• Connecting with an agency that understands design philosophy and principles is the best practice for any business and will save time, frustration, and resources.

Users may not always follow the plan as laid out on a website,  but instead look for the fastest route, scrolling through every website link until they find what they need. Often pages are not read in order of importance; instead, users scan and click until they find the content they want. When designing your site with this in mind, you can plan for user behavior.

In his book, Don't Make Me Think, Author Steve Krug explains that the first law of usability is that web pages should be self-explanatory. He stresses that your site's job is to eliminate any question marks for the user. 

If navigation patterns and site architecture create confusion, questions will arise as users try to understand how the system works. Whereas a clear structure (with moderate visual clues and easily identifiable links) helps the user navigate the site as they complete a task or find the information they need.

A website's messaging and call to action must support the site's goals. The purpose of a website can be simple or complex, but either way, you want to capture its intention quickly, in a sentence or two — think mission statement.

Attract Attention - Websites offer both static and dynamic content, so some aspects of the interface will garner more attention than others — images are more attractive than text or sentences marked as bold.

When designing a website, you need to factor in the human eye's non-linearity. The human eye can identify edges, patterns, and motions quickly. That's why videos are distracting but also very practical from a marketing perspective.

Strive For Feature Exposure: Forward-thinking web design will guide you with visually appealing 1-2-3 steps, large buttons, effects, and more. Although bells and whistles are subject to criticism, these elements have their merits —when used effectively, they ease the users through the site content.

A user interface designed with simplicity makes functions readily available and easy to navigate. The user will be comfortable browsing your website and software application. Be consistent with colors and shapes for clickable items on the website.

Make Use Of Effective Writing.

There are some tips to keep in mind when writing for the web: 

• People generally don't read promotional writing 
• People skip over long blocks of text 
• People ignore exaggerated statements.

Avoid cute or clever names, marketing-induced names, company-specific names, and unfamiliar technical names when naming a new site. 

Effective writing means clear statements a user will understand and react to.

Remember to write for your reader.

In conclusion, 

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