A lot has changed since the early days of the web, and these days most of us rely on website builders with inbuilt themes to design our websites. This is a great idea, but half the problem is that after looking through a few of them, a lot of the templates begin to look the same.
Tips to Make Your Website Design On Top
Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash
However, rather than noticing the similarities between the different website designs, what you should be doing is identifying the key differences.
When choosing a template there are likely to be several options, even on a budget-friendly, cheap website builder, but unless you have specific training in design, you won’t really know what to look for, so here are three tips to get you started:
1] Choose the Correct Content Width
Most often, you’ll be offered two types of content width: full-width or boxed-width. Broadly speaking, the former works best for creative, contemporary designs, and the latter works well for traditional business designs.
You must think about the perception you are trying to give off with your website. How do you want your website to look and feel? Who is your audience?
If you want to portray creativity and openness, then a full-width design may be best. If you want to put across something that is less bold and inventive, then go for a boxed-width design. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, and you are not limited to these choices.
You should just go ahead and choose whichever content width you think will work best for your website. However, if you’re not sure, then thinking this way in terms of full-width or box-width is a good way to get started.
2] Choose the Best Home Page Header
Often, the header of your home page is what any visitors to your website will see first. It is the section at the top of the website, which will contain important information about your business, such as the name and any logo. Usually, a header will contain static images, but can also display slideshows, or even play videos.
Don’t be dazzled by technology or get carried away with what you personally think looks good at the time, think of the wider aims of your business and what impression you are hoping to give off. Choosing a header design is certainly a very strategic decision.
3] Choose an Effective Menu Bar
Finally, we’ll highlight that the utility of your website should be a high priority, and this means choosing the correct layout for best usability, including the menu bar. You should be thinking of the most effective menu bar types, position, and layout. Remember, the menu bar is the main way your visitors will navigate through your website.
If it is not designed correctly, then this will turn people off, and they are likely to move off your page onto one of your competitors.
Make sure that your menu bar is designed so that any visitors to your page can easily find the information they are looking for. Don’t forget to include user navigation as a high priority into your website design amongst the aesthetics.
Even though aesthetic beauty is important, this shouldn’t be your primary concern when choosing a website template. Ultimately, you should be seeking to choose a design that meets the needs of your website, rather than what you consider to look the nicest.