Top 7 Things I Wish I'd Known About Web Design

Written by Jamie Kiley

1. Reading is incredibly valuable

In my opinion, both books and online newsletters are very valuable. Books are more methodical than newsletters, but newsletters are free and can cover more up-to-date topics. Personally, I try to read on a variety of subjects.

2. It's imperative to understand the target audience and the primary goal
for every client.

In order to design a site that truly meets a client's needs, the designer must understand what the site is supposed to accomplish, and what kind of visitor they will be working with.

3. A basic understanding of search engine optimization and copywriting is imperative.

Although you can design a website without knowledge in these areas, it's pretty hard to design a GOOD site without knowing at least something about SEO and copywriting. Designers have to realize their craft revolves around their ability to communicate a message-and that is dependent on the site's copy and visibility. Without any content or traffic, a designer's work doesn't do any good.

4. It helps immensely to narrow your own target market as a designer.

It means restricting your focus to e-commerce sites, or single pages for sales letters, or B2B sites, or sites in a specific industry, focus is key. It allows you to become specialized in one area and to develop real expertise in that niche.

5. Web designers should be marketers, first and foremost.
If a web designer does not understand the mindset of a marketer or a salesperson, they won't understand the logic of how to create pages that sell.

6. The point of graphic design is to increase functionality, NOT to create something that looks pretty.

As soon as designers begin treating appearance (and graphic design) as an end in itself, functionality starts to suffer. Instead, graphic designers have to recognize that every line of text, every photo, every button, and every other element on the page should be designed to make the page more functional.

7. Knowing the rules is good, and knowing when to break them is better.

You learn the rules and principles that underlie good design, you're a step ahead of the crowd. But if you have skill in knowing how to apply (and when NOT to apply) those rules and principles, you're leaps and bounds ahead. Knowing (and following) the basic conventions of the web is very important, but it's even more important to be able to think through the logic of a given situation.

Want to Know in Detail then Read Top 7 Things I Wish I'd Known About Web Design