Top 7 Design Trends for Web Sites continued…

4. Buttons

Back when the web was new, the way to navigate a site was either by moving your mouse over text rollovers or by clicking square buttons. Today, though, many designers are using buttons that have rounded corners or are full circles. Why? Some people speculate that humans prefer organic shapes. Others suspect that we have deep-rooted fears of sharp corners. Whatever the reason, round is the way to go.

5. Big type

A lot of people don’t like reading off of web pages. Too often small type together with the eye-strain that goes with staring at a monitor turn people away from text heavy pages.

But now, many designers are making it easier on the reader by employing bigger, easier to read type. And not only is the type larger, but designers are flowing text onto multiple pages rather than trying to make everything fit onto one. This might make the size of your site a bit larger, but your readers will thank you for the lack of headaches.

6. White space

Many people, especially advertisers, fear white space. They feel that if the whole page isn’t filled then they’re not getting their money’s worth. But the opposite is true. Pages that contain a lot of white space, or empty space between elements, is easy on the eyes and helps people focus on what’s really important - your content.

A good rule of thumb is: if it doesn’t enhance your message, leave it out.

7. Centered Layout

More and more sites are aligning their content in the center of the page with plenty of white space on the sides. Why? Well for starters, this helps to ensure that visitors don’t have to scroll side to side in order to read all of your copy.

Another reason why this is popular is that it helps people to focus on your content, which is why they’re at your site in the first place.

These are just a few of the current trends in web design. If you’re thinking about creating a new site, or giving yours an overhaul, give some of these a shot and see if you don’t get better results.

The Web is constantly evolving as technology improves and web site design is evolving right along with it.

Online businesses are slowly realizing that the saying “If you build it, they will come” doesn’t always apply to their web sites.

A successful, high-traffic web site requires a lot of work in the areas of design, content and search engine optimization.

Web design has grown by leaps and bounds from the days of blue text on black backgrounds, type that goes all the way to the edge of your screen and beyond and sites that are packed with graphics.

Now, both web designers and online business owners are paying much more attention to how their web sites look and function. The following are 7 of the hottest trends currently in web design:

1. Design for Function

While the overall look of your web site is important, good looks will only go so far with visitors. Your design should be used to enhance your content as opposed to competing with it. The message you have for your visitors is what brings in sales, not how pretty your web pages are.

Most site owners and designers now recognize that the functionality of a web site is more important than how it looks because, if people can’t find their way around and purchases can’t be easily made, then the site has failed to do its job.

2. Colors

Back in the “old days” of the web it seemed as if the color palette people drew from consisted of eye-burning neons or black. Today the shift is more toward soft, neutral colors. Many designers are using gradients and reflections to make the site feel warmer and more inviting. Color palettes are leaning more towards earth tones, which don’t stand out or cause people to lose focus on your content.

3. Simplicity

While graphics and Flash animations continue to grow in complexity, the best web designs go for a simple approach. If you look at sites like Apple, Ebay and Amazon, you”ll see simple, easy to navigate designs that draw customers in and make their shopping experience as easy as possible.

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the remaining 4 design trends for web sites.

Practically nobody would build a store at the mall or downtown making the place uninviting and difficult. So it’s surprising that so many people skimp on their web sites with their online business.

Your web site is the first impression people get about your business and the products or services you provide. And regardless of how awesome those products and services are, people will pass you by if your web site isn’t professional looking and easy to navigate.

I understand how expensive it can be to start up any kind of business and the temptation to cut corners is great, but if you don’t know anything about web design, you might consider hiring a professional designer to put your site together.

So how do you find a competent web designer?

Word of mouth
The first thing to do is to ask for referrals. Just like asking around to find a good plumber, find some businesses with successful web sites and ask who their designer is. Compile a list of several top names, because web designers all have different areas of expertise. Some are great at making clean sites, some specialize in fancy graphics and animations while others only focus on the programming part.

A great designer should have a combination of design skills, technical skills and marketing skills as the web site needs to be clean, easy to use as well as promote your business.

And remember that, while it’s always best to meet someone face to face when doing business, don’t let the fact that someone who works out of town discourage you if they’re good. Many successful web sites have been created without the parties ever having met in person. That’s the beauty of the net.

Interview
Once you have a list of likely candidates, contact them and ask for a portfolio of web sites they’ve created. This is the best way to get a feel for how a designer works and to see if they’d be a good match for creating the site you have in mind.

Also, when looking through these web sites, there are several points you need to ask yourself:
- Is it easy to find your way around the site?
- Is the navigation system clear and easy to use?
- Can you easily access all of the pages and are there any broken links?
- Is the contact information easy to find?
- What about the content? Is there enough information about the company including location, what they provide and policies?
- How about the text? Is it easy to read? Are they using ‘artsy’ fonts or something more business appropriate?
- How fast do the pages load? This is especially crucial for your business. Even though many people are now using broadband connections, most don’t want to wait more than a few seconds for pages to come up.
- Pay attention to the colors the designer uses. Too many colors and too many different fonts are confusing, unprofessional and usually are the mark of an amateur.

Answering these questions, as well as taking some time to thoroughly investigate a web designer’s portfolio can help you narrow down your search. Also, when looking through a designer’s portfolio, pay attention to see if the sites all look the same. There’s no reason to hire someone if you’re simply going to get a web site that looks like someone else’s.

Are all web designers created equal?
One thing to watch out for is people whose primary design skills lie in print media and graphic design. Many of these folks, while talented, don’t understand what it takes to make a good web site. There’s a lot more involved than just knowing how to use programs like Dreamweaver, Front Page or Go Live. A good web designer will be able to assist you with every element of the creation of your web site. They should know the ins and outs of good web design, web hosting, creating optimized graphics for the web, database creation, Internet marketing and promotion and maintenance of your site.

Never be afraid to ask as many questions as you want and don’t ever be satisfied until you get the answers. Good designers are always willing to help a client get the best web site for the money spent and most are experienced in dealing with people who aren’t web experts. Also, ask about a guarantee. Professionals are concerned with their client’s satisfaction.

What about communication?
Another thing to consider when choosing a web designer is their response time. Get someone who is readily available and can be counted on to get back to you in a timely manner if there are questions or problems.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to a few good candidates, ask each one for some references that you can contact. Ask these references about their experience working with the designer. This is probably the best way to gauge how well the designer will work for you.

I know this seems like an awful lot of work, but when you’re spending thousands of dollars to get your site up and running, you must make sure your money is being well spent. Follow these guidelines and there’s little room for failure in finding a competent, professional web designer who is easy to work with and will do a professional job.