When developing a web design for your online business, keep in mind that timing is everything. In fact, from the moment a visitor lands on your home page, the clock is ticking. Your website must provide them with the information they need and within the time frame they need. For many busy Internet users, this is a matter of seconds.
It can seem difficult to create a web design that has the look and functionality you want, but also satisfies the time constraints of your visitors. However, you can do it by remembering a few simple rules of professional web design:
Minimize image size
Two file formats commonly used in web design, .JPEG for photos and .GIF for graphics, can be compressed to dramatically reduce file size and thus increase the download speed of the web pages they reside on. . Another trick to save time: put the dimensions of your images in your HTML code.
Avoid flash
Flash is a great example of how less is more in web design. Flash is guaranteed to increase your website download speed, but there is no guarantee that your website visitors will have the proper flash player to view your flash design. While flash has its benefits, most websites can benefit from using little, if any, at all.
Use CSS style
CSS web design allows the content of a website to be separated from its web design language and reduces the overall amount of code. The result is a significant reduction in bandwidth and faster download speeds.
Limit external content
If your web design contains elements that are downloaded from a different server (such as a video), each element will produce an HTTP request each time the page loads. While a single request can only add 1-2 seconds, it could be enough to cause irritation to your visitors.
Evaluate page size
While it’s important to consider file sizes individually, don’t forget to consider your website as the sum of its parts. Add your web page files and find ways to keep the total page size below 50 KB.
Speed is one of the many factors that contribute to the success of your website. When you create a website for your online business, you can save your visitors (and yourself) time by remembering these five time-saving web design tips.