The Inner Asylum's Web Design Tips,
Part 2

Continuing on the first web design help page, this page will delve into the more techinical aspects of design, such as graphics, placement, colors, etc.

Spenser-spork and his side-kick are knowledgable in newspaper design and have done quite a bit of webwork and graphic design. The Inner Asylum doesn't show all the principles discussed in this page, but it incorporates a lot of basic principles discussed here.

1. Consider your visitors.

   
   Web visitors are a fickle bunch. They tend to loose interest in a site if they have to scroll down to much or a page takes up too much time to load. They always want it right here, right now. So here is a list of a few ways to help you in this matter.
   • Keep your HTML file down below 35,000-40,000 bytes.
     The smaller your HTML files are, the faster a web browser loads them. This is especially true for people who use dial-ups to connect to the Internet. If it takes longer for your page to download, the more likely someone is to stop their browser and go to another site.
   • Most readers read from left to right.
     That is most English readers. That means that more times than not, they'll start looking at your page from the top left to the right and then skim down until the come to the bottom left and then go across to the right, like a "Z." This is called the "Z" formation in journalism. Keeping that in mind, you want to put your most important stuff need the top half of you page, and at the very bottom of your page.
     Usually, people put an index in the top left of their page and an overview of the page right next to it. Then they have another index on the bottom with legal stuff or contact information on it. It's a pretty standard webdesign. I'm sure you have already seen several variations of it on the Internet when you surf through pages.
   • Browser compatibility is essential.
     Many people don't have the latest-greatest Internet browser out there. Nor do some have the capability to see images or read Java scripts. That's why it's important to remember this and try to make your site as browser neutral as possible. If you can't do it, then make sure you put a note on your site letting people know what kind of browser works best with your site. The Inner Asylum is browser neutral, although you see some erros in Netscape that don't show up on Internet Explorer.
     It's helpful in web design, to have two browser on your computer, so you can see how your site looks and make changes accordlingly.

2. Consider the all-mighty search engine.

   
   We will go into detail about this in other page, but for now, let's go over a bit of the basics of how search engines work.
   When you type in a search, the search engine runs a program that pulls information from all the websites it has access to. There are two ways in which your site can appear -- according to meta tags or according to your text. Meta tags are code, you put into the head of your page to let search engines know what your site is about.
   With search engines that scan according to text, it is important to use as many words to describe you site as possible in the first 3-5 lines of text. Those words will be used by the search engine to determine if your site should be listed or not.

   This poses a problem for some sites. Do you put your index on the left or elsewhere? If your index is on the left, the search engine will pick up the words listed there and may decide not to list your site. That's why some webdesigners choose to put their index on the right or bottom of their page. With the index to the right or on the bottom, the search engine will be sure to pick up the important words in your site.

3. Color, Text and Graphics

   
   The two most important things on your site will be your text and graphics. Having good text and graphics can make or break a site. My Allura Logs are a perfect example of text and graphics gone wrong. I won't go into the details, here, I'm just to embarassed.
   But here are three notes on color, text and graphics.
   • Color is a dish best served softly. Load colors can annoy many people. Sites will a black background with white text can be straining on the eyes. It's best to try to find a balance. Most sites tend to use soft colors like pastels. But be careful. Colors that are close to one another like haveing a white background with yellow text is hard to read. The other extreme is black background with bright green -- kids will be drawn to your site by the colorc, but adults will turn away since the site will strain their eyes after a while. Find a happy medium between the two, then you have done your job.
   • Text is important in more ways than one.I love text. And many other Internet visitors like it to. It give their eyes something to do. Text let's people know what's going on with your page (in case they can't see images on your site) and gives them information faster than it takes graphics to download. So alway, check your spelling and make sure your text conveys what you want it to. Remember everyone takes things differently and the Internet is open around the world, so try to avoid slang or terms that people in other cultures won't undertand. It avoids confussion.
   • Graphics can make or break a site.Graphics are used in sites to accent text or highlight something important. Don't let graphics go to your head and put them everywhere you can. It will detract your visitors from your text. Nothing says nothing like an excessive use of graphics. *insert Pillsbury dough-boy laugh here* Remember, graphics should accent your site, bringing in a visual cue to your text. Use them to help spread the message of your text, not overshadow it.

Feel free to e-mail Spenser-spork if you have any questions, comments or concerns about Web design or this page.

{The Relaxation Room} {The Rec Room} {The Theater} {Writing tips}
{Outreach Programs} {The Mound} {The WIB Webring} {The Staff Office}
{Webrings} {Letters to the Inner Asylum} {Barnes and Noble}
{Sign Our Guestbook}