1- You must use the elements of your branding
Here’s the first tip from our graphic designers: if you already have a brand image, you must use your branding elements on your website. You must make sure to have a strong identity. To do this, you must use the same branding elements everywhere: on social media, advertising, printed documents, your website, so that people can recognize your brand easily.
On your site, we should find your color palette, fonts, values, and logo. These are all branding elements. To help you, do not hesitate to create a brand style guide where you can gather all your brand elements at one same place.
2- Is your website accessible?
You must ensure that your site is accessible. But what does it mean exactly? In sum, you must make sure that it is easy for people to navigate your website, even if they have visual disabilities, for instance. It is relatively easy to design an accessible site. You only need to follow a few rules.
First, there must be a sufficient contrast between the color of the texts and the background to help readability. Then, use an adequate size for the texts, at least 16 pixels. Finally, write an alternative text for each of the images on your site. This short description will be read by screen readers used by people with visual impairments. It can improve your SEO as well.
3- Align the elements
A mistake that can harm the general look of your site is to have elements that are misaligned. When you have misaligned elements, the eyes will tend to look everywhere on the page instead of focussing on the relevant information. On the WebSelf editor, when you place a picture or text on your website, guides will appear to help you align the different elements. Also, if you need to duplicate a button or an image, you will have its dimensions when you click on it.
It is also possible to use premade sections that were created while respecting graphic standards. Do not hesitate to try them!
4- The importance of image quality
If there is something that can harm your site's professionalism, it is the use of images of poor quality. At a glance, you will lose all credibility. But what can you do to have beautiful pictures on your website?
If you cannot afford a professional photographer, note that it is now possible to take beautiful photos with your smartphone. Look for natural light, stabilize yourself, try various angles and framings, and edit your pictures if needed. You can also use photos from rights of rights image banks like Pexels and Unsplash; however, the main disadvantage of these options is that you lose originality since you will not be the only ones using these pictures.
5- A concise writing
Another frequent mistake we see is the lack of text formatting on website pages. Some people want to be well-indexed by search engines so badly that they write novels on each page. Some do not know how to present their content adequately. First, your visitors will likely not read everything. They might also be intimidated by the quantity of information they have in front of them.
To avoid this, structure your content with titles and subtitles. You can also add visuals to make the pages look more attractive. It is not necessary to put all your content on one page, especially your homepage. Indeed, your homepage should be a summary of the rest of your site. It must then invite visitors to look at the other pages if they want to read more.
6- Look at what others do
Whether it is in your field or simply the sites you regularly visit, before starting your website, take the time to look at what other people do. This can help you find inspiration for your pages and understand how you can stand out from the competition. Do not forget to add elements of your branding to create a site that will represent you.
If you need inspiration, feel free to take a look at our examples page. You will find there amazing websites created by our clients.
7- Think mobile
Websites are more and more browsed with smartphones. It is then essential to think about this when you create yours. Do not forget that the space is limited; it must then be relevant to think about how the content will be presented, so your visitors do not have to scroll through all the pages to find what they are looking for.
On the WebSelf editor, it is possible to modify the mobile version of your site. To do it, you only need to click on the mobile icon located top right. You will then be able to modify elements to ensure this version is easy to use.
8- Aim for a functional website site first
In order to stand out, many people think that they need to create a website out of the ordinary. It can indeed be something to try; however, if it affects the user experience, your site will not be useful. You can have the most original website, but if your visitors do not find what they are looking for, they will leave and never come back. Furthermore, this will hurt your general SEO.
The most important element is to make a website that is easy to use. It should be your priority. Then, look for creating the most beautiful or original site if it is really what you desire.
9- Leave some blank space
Too much content is like not enough. Some people fill every section of their sites with many texts, videos, or pictures like they were scared of leaving an empty space. Please note that each element you add to your website has a visual weight. If the webpage is overloaded, the users will not know where to look to find relevant information.
For example, leave margins between elements or sections. This will allow the general design to breathe and will reduce the feeling of suffocation. Do not hesitate to use a white background too.
In conclusion, we hope that these pieces of advice will help you create your website. At WebSelf, we believe that everyone can create their site; you only need to follow a few basic design rules to get a beautiful result. Good creation!