Some research shows that websites have about 5 seconds to grab a user’s eye. That means website developers need to make serious decisions about the overall aesthetic of their pages. Good design skills, however, are not static. What works well for one site might not suit another site at all. That’s why website developers need to learn the fundamentals of design to capture their audiences quickly and hold their attention.
Design for Your Demographic
Before you actually design anything, you need to consider what appeals to your target demographic. Research can help you make some important choices at this stage. You can make some decent guesses on your own. You already know, for instance, that websites targeted at children should not look the same as those designed for adults. Aside from generalities, though, most designers know very little about their target audiences.
Hiring a designer who works in coordination with an analyst can help you target specific demographics with your websites. That way, you know that your overall aesthetic, including graphics and word choice, appeal to the people you want paying attention to your page.
Seek Critical Advice
Another design basic: seek critical advice from people who will tell you the truth. That means you can’t ask your husband, mother or best friend to give you feedback about your website. Unless, of course, that person happens to be a professional who can keep work and relationships separate. If you have been in the web design field for very long, then you probably already know other people in this profession. Ask them to look over your work and offer to do the same for them. That way, you can critique each other’s work and improve your design skills. If you don’t know any designers, media specialists or artists, then you should consider hiring a consultant to help you get started. A more experienced eye can show you things that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.