TOP 10 RULES OF WEBSITE DESIGN

     

     As I begin to build my personal website in Comm 350, it's imperative that I consider the "dos & don'ts" of website design. From my research, I found a couple great websites from which I will compound my own list of the top 10 rules I believe are the most important to web design. Click on the numbers to visit the original website and to view other important rules I haven't mentioned.

 

10) Simple is beautiful
     Cramming too much into each page creates confusion. I get so frustrated when a website is overly complex and busy. By keeping your pages simple, your website will be easier to use.

9) Navigation should be intuitive

     There are few things more frustrating than not being able to find certain content on a website. Pages should be well-organized and links should be clear so that visitors can easily browse through the different sections on your website. 

8) Consistency is key

     Visitors shouldn't feel like they are visiting a new website each time they open a new page on your site. Unless it is intentional, keep the theme and overall layout consistent among your different pages and visitors will feel much more comfortable exploring your site.

7) Colors are crucial

     Color selection can make or break a website. Most of us have visited websites that are simply painful to look at. When deciding which colors to use, stay away from colors that clash, but also make sure you have sufficient contrast between the background and the elements on your pages.

6) Eliminate Clutter

     Another common mistake that many people make is placing as much content as they can, on one page. Often, many people place so much information together that the visitor has an information overload. If a page seems to have too much information, try to categorize that info and organize another page under a different name.

5)  Website should work on multiple browsers

     Gone are the days where the only Internet browser that everybody used was Netscape. Today, there are various Internet browsers that people prefer to use like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome. Test your website on other browsers so you can find errors yourself instead of receiving complaints from visitors.

4) Website should be easy to find/look up/search for 

     Due to the fact that there are millions of websites on the Internet, it becomes important for you to ensure that your website ranks high in search engine results and is easy to find. Having keywords on your website that strongly relate to your website's purpose will increase the chances of people finding it when they search for those keywords on a search engine.

3)  URL should be easy to remember

     One of the most common mistakes in website design is choosing an improper domain name. Your domain name should be easy to remember and easy to spell. Period.

2)  Have a clear indication of where the user is

     The website’s visitor should always have a clear indication of which site page they are on and how they got there. Have the title of each page defined and clearly visible.

1)  Don't forget the content

     So your website finally looks professional, but it is no more than an empty shell without content. A good website has both great design and great content. Therefore, make sure all your pages have unique, original content that makes them worth visiting, and that all your information is reliable and truthful.

    To find more information about website design, feel free to visit the two websites I used in my research at clubrunner.ca and sharpened.com