The DO’s and Don’ts of creating a web site from scratch...
First and foremost, let me tell you that these recommendations come exclusively from my own personal experience. That being said, if they help just one person build a better web site, then my job here is done.
I get asked, more often than not, about tips for building web sites, landing pages, and other web interfaces. Normally, I’d suggest that you ask me to do it for you. But, there are those out there that want to learn and be able to do it themselves. To which, I reply, “Good For you!”
Web development is a fun, exciting and rewarding experience. True, at times, it can be a bit tedious and seem like a chore. But on the whole, in the end, it’s worthwhile to learn the ins and outs of building a web site.
So, for those self do-ers, I created this wonderful list of practical Do’s and Don'ts for creating web sites.
DO #1) Know what your end result should be. If you know this, then you’re already half way there. Knowing the general purpose of your site will invariably help you along the way. Some of the simpler questions to ask yourself are, “What’s the point of having it? What message or messages are you trying to convey? Are you selling something? Are you only doing it for a blog?”
Make a list of the things you minimally need on your site. Then make a list of things you would like to see with it (things like navigation functionality, image gallery, shopping cart, etc.). These two lists will be the basis for your site’s purpose.
DON’T #1) Don’t switch gears. Changing direction in the middle of the site will confuse users. Don’t start off with one purpose and suddenly create a whole new one. Keep it uniform and stick to the plan across the board. The end result should be the same on every page.
DO #2) Know your design. If you already know the functionality of your web site – the purpose, then you should know how you want to lay it out for the best user experience. Take the time to sketch your layout; Navigation (menu) – if applicable, body (content placement), footer – if needed. With these in mind, you can begin to understand the basics of how your site will flow.
DON’T #2) Don’t wander off the beaten path. Once you have your design, stick with it – and if you must vary a page from one to another, make it only slightly different for you specific needs, and not change it too much that it looks like another site. Keep the design from page to page as similar, if not identical (in design) to the one before it.
DO #3) Keep it simple. Sometimes less is more. Too much clutter can kill a website; not only in design, but load time, as well.
DON’T #3) Don’t complicate things. While using high quality images enhances the user’s experience, sometimes the size (kilobytes vs megabytes) of an image can really slow things down. It’s best to use Web Optimized images (example).
DON’T #4) Don’t flash the users. While flash animations are a nice feature, and often times enhance a site, too much can slow down load times and keep users waiting for up to 60 seconds (dependent on connection speed). If you can avoid it, do so. There are many alternatives to flash animations, by use of various JavaScripts and third party script libraries (like JQuery) to achieve a very similar, if not the same effect.
DO #5) Knowledge is key. Make sure you, at least, understand the basics of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). There are plenty of tutorials, downloads, print outs, and demos out there that can help people learn, relatively quickly. The more you understand the basics, the better your site will be.
DON’T #5) Don’t give up. I know, sometimes, that it can be a little overwhelming at first, but in the end, it will be worth the effort. However, if you are, indeed, lost and in need of assistance, MB Productions 2000, Inc. is only a quick phone call or email away.
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