Web designing is a unique method of planning, arranging and conceptualizing content with the help of Internet connection. Modern web designing procedure is all about beyond the aesthetic look and functional ability of the website.
Nowadays, it reaches further by exceeding its own limitation to user interface, mobile applications and web application design. If you are interested about it then this guide can be your ultimate companion to design an efficient website.
Web Designing Elements
During website designing, both functionality and look should be given equalled importance for the professionalism of the site. Integration of such elements in the design helps boosting the site’s performing ability. So, let’s know which prime elements of website designing are from the below section.
Visual Elements
Let’s have a look at the elements that must be considered at the time of website designing so that it comes at efficient, perfect, professional and flawless.
Written Copy
The website look and its contributing factors run parallel along each other. One cannot be separated from another. So, content writers and designers should work together rather separate so that they can result in making a more efficacious website with professional design.
Fonts
During website designing, one must choose easy-to-read pairings of font for complementing the design. It is important as it helps in finding the ideal match of the font for your website. Certain apps and web designing tools offer this facility to make your choice from a number of font pairings.
Colours
Colour is the most significant element to consider while it is about website designing. Remember a number of misconceptions are there regarding the colour psychology. After selection colours to use it must be aligned properly with the message that you brand wants to convey.
Layout
Have you ever thought about the ways to put dramatic impacts on the website’s functionality and appearance? Although there are no certain rules regarding the website’s layouts yet a couple of principles are there which you need to follow. Some basic principles are prevalent to be versed with otherwise; you will get stuck in the halfway of website designing with your limitations.
Shapes
For over the last couple of years, the demand of graphical elements is remarkable! Certain things can be accomplished by making a beautiful combination of shapes and colours. It helps in dragging the visitors’ attention to any specific direction as well. It faces a challenge as well during any design implementation with relying on the code.
Spacing
A space always exists within every element of web designing whether it is the letters, the lines, the paragraphs and the images! According to Thumb Rule, spaces are much better than that of cramming of the things together. This emerges to the whitespace concept in the mind of the modern website designers.
Images & icons
Communication can be greatly done to lots of information within a few minutes by superb web designing ideas. It can be successfully accomplished with the help of using powerful icons and images. A quick search on Google for icons or stock images results in generating millions of options. Some of the remarkable ones are mentioned below:
Free icons and images
- IconMonstr
- Unsplash
- Pexels
Premium icons and images
- Shutterstock (Getty)
Videos
Nowadays videos are the trendiest amongst other web designing strategies. If it is used by the web designers properly then it will enhance the UE and UX of the website which is simply unexplainable. Eye-catching videos are main elements for distraction and can’t compete with the content.
Functional Elements
Now, it’s time to have a glance at the functional elements of web designing:
Navigation
It is regarded as the prime component for determining that working ability of the website. It can meet several purposes depending on your audience. It assists the first-time visitors in discovering your services and offerings.
At the same time, it guides them to find out varied sections of the site as well. All you have to do is to make the navigation perfect with the help of the best web designing practices.
Speed
Slow loading time is the main culprit of high bouncing rate of the website. Despite the flawless, manicured and professional design if it fails to load on time, it will be definitely turned out as worthless.
Although leading website developers will compress the content for maximizing loading times yet it can’t give guarantee that it will work. Therefore, you must keep its alternative for ensuring optimal performance and fast load.
Animations
Tons of techniques for web animation are available there for accomplishing the web designing by an array of tasks ranging from buttons, forms, giving feedbacks to garnering the attention of users. In case you are newbie then it is always advisable to adhere to the simple animation initially. More development intervention is needed to use complex animation.
User interactions
The visitors of the site can obtain numerous chances to interact you from the site. Of course, the communication type will be varied on the basis of the used devices (typing, clicking and scrolling). But best web design is always all about simplifications of the interactive facilities so that users get impressed with the full control of them. Some instances are mentioned below for your reference:
- Avoid scrolljacking
- Avoid pop-ups
- Develop mobile-friendly forms
- Don’t underline any text except the clickable ones
- Don’t offer auto-playing feature of audio
Site-structure
The structure of the website has an imperative role to play for both SEO and user experience. In case the navigation is too complicated then there is a high chance that crawlers and people will get lost in it.
Although free sitemap builder tool is available online for assisting small websites yet the best option is to lay the page on just a piece of white paper or on a white board.
Cross-device & Cross-browser Compatibility
A professional and well-manicured web design will look perfect on every browser (along with Internet Explorer) and device. Cross-browser testing tool is highly recommended when the site design is scratched from somewhere. This tool helps in making the site fast and much efficient.
Moreover, if any website designing platform is used cross browser testing assists the web development team to put focus on the design only so that it becomes flawless.
Website Design Types
Already you have come across a set of website designing styles like fluid, static, fixed and many more. But in this mobile-first era only two relevant ways are there for designing a website properly. They are responsive and adaptive websites.
When there are lump sum tools for modern web designing, there is no importance in knowing coding for tailoring attractive website with accurate compatibility on every device. By going through the pros and cons of both website deigning styles it will be easier for you to determine the most suitable one to create your website.
Adaptive website
In this web designing multiple website versions are used for customizing it in varied screen sizes. Furthermore, it can be divided into 2 prime categories in terms of detection style of the website to determine which version should be displayed.
Device Type-based Adaption
After developing the connection to the website in the browser (client), it will pop up a HTTP request comprises of the user agent field. With the help of this feature, server will be informed every time any new device attempts to visit the website.
This clearly depicts that the most displayed version (mobile or desktop) is properly know by the site. In this case, a problem may be faced that is shrinking of the browser will not be effective for desktop and as a result it will not get adapted to any other screen size. Moreover, it will keep showing full desktop version every time.
Browser Width-based Adaption
Rather utilizing the user-agent, breakpoints and media-queries can be used for switching within versions. So, its compatibility is depended on the versions such as 480px, 768px and 1080px instead mobile, tablet and desktop versions. To provide much flexibility at the time of designing, this feature enables the responsive look as per the browser size on wider and larger screen.
Pros
With custom web designing, websites can be prepared easier and faster than ever without using Cross-browser and cross-device code. It is entirely based on WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). The pages load very fast with assured compatibility on multiple devices.
Cons
When type of device becomes the prime concern of the websites, it may appear as broken if viewed on small-sized browser window of the desktop. It is only responsive websites which can accomplish limitations on multiple effects.
Responsive websites
A great flexible grid combination is used for designing responsive website. Grids are used on the basis of the percentage to that of the breakpoints (media queries) for catering custom look for each screen size.
The basic difference of the responsive website to that of adaptive site it layout changes as per the size of the screen. On the other hand, adaptive site gets adapted only after being hit by any breakpoint.
Pros
Despite the type of device, it ensures outstanding user experience on each size of screens. The developing tools of responsive website are really rigid which is why the design is really hard to bend or break. Thousands of templates are available to start with website designing.
Cons
It needs extensive testing and design for achieving quality (if started from scratch). If custom design is done without getting the access of code then it will be most challenging task to complete properly.
Efficient Tools for Website Designing
Primarily 2 vital methods are there for designing any website- utilization of website builder or utilization of any desktop application. The technical essentialities of the website, site’s type and budget and team size are contributing factors in determining the right tool for designing.
Desktop apps
Sketch and Photoshop are the famous desktop applications for designing the website. All it needs a designing layout to be prepared and send it to the developers for transforming it into code. It is the basic standard of complex and large websites as the team of web designers only emphasizes on the feel and appearance by leaving every technical challenge for the development team.
Unluckily, it results in time-consuming and pricey procedure due to the involvement of specific skills and multiple resources. But you can get the job done at affordable prices with the help of the website builder in creating an efficient website with less technical needs.
Website Builders
Naturally, a number of options of website building are available in the marketplace. However, not every one of them is regarded as the reliable tools for web designing. As most have editing limitations it will be hassle to make the website customized only by making use of the code.
As you already know 2 web design types are there, now; it is the time to have a look at the leading web designing tools on the basis of generated code type.
Adaptive Websites
PageCloud and Wix are probably the best visual web builders can be found! They make use of the adaptive approach along with the dragging and dropping facility of WYSIWYG ability. It clearly represents that any design can be made for the website without writing a single letter of code.
After introduced in 2006, it comes with a plethora of templates and features for accommodating your everyday business requirements. Now, it is regarded as the easiest and most effective tool to use during website designing.
On the other hand, since its implementation in 2014, it brings a revolutionary technology for allowing the developers and designers to get collaborated in the visual editing experience outstandingly. Now, it is well-known as the easiest customizable web builders. Though both of them are competitors to one another, you have to remind a couple of things while selecting any one of them. For customizing the experience PageCloud is good.
Wix is better for offering less yet easy design. PageCloud can be your assistance along with developers but with templates Wix is always ready to serve you. However, PageCloud gives shortcuts facility as well. There is nothing to worry as both provide free trials so that you can try each and figure out the best one for your business.
Responsive Websites
Obviously development of full responsive site is really difficult. Irrespective of that certain tools are there accomplishing the dream of generating it. Boxes and grids are used for its editing facility due to which unique designs can be offered to the site and that too without extensive coding.
It is the space where much complicated web designing tools to fill the gap. As there are numerous competitors, know the basic pros and cons to figure out the ideal one for your business requirement.
Pros
It has the capability for designing custom responsive websites with no necessity of code writing. It offers unrivalled control for each designing element and can export code for hosting the site anywhere else.
Cons
It comes with slow design procedure to that of the builders of adaptive website and complicated tools for step learning.
Web Designing Inspirations
Almost every website designer and developer looks for somewhere else to find out inspiration to curate unique, jaw-dropping, professional and effective websites. Some of the best spots have been named here for your reference:
- Webdesign Inspiration
- Best Website Gallery
- Site Inspire
- Awwwards
Whenever you will set out to design any website from now onwards, this guide can help you to choose the right elements and designing styles. Now all you have to do is to select a reliable designer from a number of leading website designers in India to get the job done. It must be chosen on the basis of considerable aspects.