Web Design Tips

• Attending To Detail
• Organizing Content
• Basic Web Design Tips
• Utilizing A Talent Agency
• Design For Simplicity
• Overall Website Layout
• Easy Navigation
• Important Pages To Consider

Attending To Details

One of the best pieces of freelance Web design advice out there is this: pay attention to the details. Freelance Web design is a very competitive field, and if you aren't able to show clients the difference between your services and that of other designers, you may not get the job. So, what type of details are important to note? Here are some that can be easily overlooked:

• Copyright. Each Website should have a current copyright at the bottom, protecting the material that is on there.
• Alignment. If you scan the page, things should have a neat appearance. If there are columns, they should line up. Text should not be all over the place; the Website should have definite parameters.
• Page consistency. If you have a "home" button on one page and not on another, the Website design is not consistent. You'll want to be sure the layout makes sense and the pages all have what they are supposed to on them.
• Spelling. Yes, you need to check and double-check the spelling--of everything. Make sure you get people's names right. Look up any questionable terms. Ask for clarification if the terminology is industry-specific. Even if an error isn't yours--it will reflect on you if it isn't caught.
• Grammar. Same goes for grammar. While you may not be a writer, it will serve you well to learn a bit about proper sentence structure. Although this may not be a regular part of a Web designer's job, it doesn't hurt to be able to catch errors for your client.

Organizing Content

If you are trying to become a successful freelance Website designer there is one thing you must have: organizational skills. This applies not only to your business skills, but to your approach to Web design as well. You must be able to organize a page in a way that makes logical sense, and put together a Website that has "flow" to it.

Organizing a Website means knowing all of the content that will be loaded onto it. This first step can help you get a clear overall picture of the site so you can begin to ask yourself the following questions:

• How many different categories will you have overall?
• How many pages will be needed total?
• How much text will you have?
• What type of imagery will you need to include?
• Will there be any flash elements on the Website?
• Will there be any multimedia applications included?
• Where will you set up your navigation?
• How can you set up the Website so it can be expanded down the line?
• What does your client want?

Basic Web Design Tips

Are you a new designer looking to impress clients? If so, you may want to heed some basic Web design tips to give yourself a professional edge. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Minimize clicks. The more people have to "work" for information or products, the less successful the Website will be. Think about ways you can set things up for easy access.
• Don't put too much information on one page. When possible, break things up a bit.
• Keep text short and sweet. People don't like to read long paragraphs on the Web. Use bulleted lists, subheads and smaller paragraphs whenever you can.
• Compress images. Photos can take up a lot of space on a Website and make it very slow to load. Compressing images and reducing their quality can help speed things up quite a bit.
• Use simple backgrounds. You don't want to clutter up the screen and make the text difficult to read.
• Make text a legible size. Again, you want to make it simple for people to read.
• Don't use the underline feature to emphasize text. People may think it is a hyperlink.
• Test your links and other features. Make sure you are doing everything correctly.

For more great tips or help finding clients, contact Artisan today to speak with a helpful representative.

Utilizing A Talent Agency

If you are trying to find a Web designer, you may find that going through a talent agency is a helpful thing. Talent agencies like Artisan are skilled at getting a feel for what type of designer a particular client is looking for, and can then match them with the perfect Web designer from their roster of talent. This helps take the guesswork out of finding a designer that will meet your needs and expectations. It also saves you time.

Talent agencies will have the type of skill that you need to help you select a Web designer that is capable of doing whatever it is that you are looking for. This can be extremely helpful if you don't have anyone who is particularly "Web savvy" in your organization. Be sure to check and see if the particular agency you are considering works with this type of talent on a regular basis. That way you can be sure they will match you with someone who is a good fit.

Design For Simplicity

One of the best Web 2.0 design tips is to keep things simple. In the "old days," Web designers tried to cram tons of content onto the pages, assuming that readers need to be walked through everything. The current style is to try and make content more thoughtful--and more powerful. This means thinking about how you can have the maximum impact with the least amount of text and information. Simplicity is key.

This idea doesn't necessarily mean that a Website needs to have next to no content on it. It just means that a discriminating eye should be used when creating the pages to be sure that things are not redundant or overworked. Take a good look at the overall picture and pare down the information, until you have just what you need.

In addition to being more user-friendly, a simple design also highlights the current way of thinking when it comes to layout. Web 2.0 design is more modern and will reflect as such on both the company and the Web designer. If you want a Website that looks up-to-date and fresh, simplicity is something you should keep in mind.

Overall Website Layout

Do you know the current thinking on Website layout? These days a central screen position is desirable, where before the orientation of the Website could be full screen--or even set off to the side. Central layout gives a Website a straightforward feel, and adds a modern edge to the look as well. You'll also want to avoid content that stretches all the way from one side of the screen to the other. Keep the size a bit smaller and it will look better.

Columns are used less often than in the past as well. Where before it was common to see multiple columns, these days two or three is about all you'll want. Again, this keeps the design fresh and easy to navigate. Go easy on the columns and use multiple pages rather than multiple rows.

Just using these two Web page design tips will help keep the design of a Website looking current and professional. Actually, it makes creating the overall look a bit easier in some ways, since you are not trying to include as much information as possible on any given page.

For more web design tips or help finding a great web designer, contact Artisan today.

Easy Navigation

A smooth navigation system is one of the most important features of any Website. There are many ways to achieve this, but here are two of the most important factors--and they will work well for almost any type of Website:

• Have a clearly marked menu at the top or the side of your Website. This will help people understand how to proceed to find the information they are looking for. Make sure that this menu is on each and every page, so that the user can get around easily. This will help them get used to the Website.
• Have a "home" button. Home buttons take the user back to the main screen or "home page". This is a good thing to include, especially on sites that are complex and have many pages. Again, the home button should be present on every page of the site.

Important Pages To Consider

There are several Web pages that most companies should have on their site, and you may want to consider adding these to your design if you don't already have them. When it comes to Web page design tips, having these pages available for users is almost always a good idea:

• Biography page. Having brief biographies of the major players in a company can help instill confidence in potential customers. People like to know who is in charge. If you don't want to highlight individuals, you may want to do an "about us" page.
• FAQ page. If people ask you the same questions over and over you may want to consider having a "FAQ" page (frequently asked questions).
• Contact us page. Providing your contact information is crucial. Include your full street and mailing addresses, telephone (with area code) and e-mail address.