Top 10 Web Design Mistakes

As a webmaster, you want to keep your visitors content so they'll come back again. Below you will find ten common mistakes made by webmasters that may deter people from returning.

1) Poor Color Choice

There's one important thing to keep in mind when designing your web site, and that is always keep it simple. More is not necessarily better. Your web site should contain no more than three colors. Also remember that your body text should be a contrasting color from your background. There's nothing worse than trying to read yellow text on a pink background. It may look cool to you, but cause your visitors to go cross-eyed.

2) Confusing Navigation

If your visitors cannot find their way around your web site, they'll leave...plain and simple. Your navigation should be logical and consistent on every page. Studies have also shown that web surfers prefer the standard left or right side navigation over other layouts.

3) Inconsistent Font Face and Size

Just like your navigation, you'll want your font style and size to be consistent. If your home page text is in Arial font, size 10, make sure the rest of your pages adhere to the same font style and size. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and you may need to use a smaller font for disclaimers, terms and conditions, etc. However, in most cases, you should use the same style on every page.

4) Long Paragraphs

This is a common mistake made by many webmasters.

To make your web pages easy to read, remember to break up your paragraphs often and use subtitles. Most people will skim when trying to find what they're looking for so when your paragraphs are small and separated by logical headings, it will make it much easier on your visitor's eyes.

5) Misplaced or Lack of Contact Info

Don't make people search for contact information...especially if you're selling goods and services. Always have your contact information visible on every page of your web site. Hidden contact information looks fishy and makes people leery of doing business with you.

6) Long Page Loads

If your web site does not fully load within 10 seconds, your HTML files are too large. Check your graphics. Are you using too many? Do they need to be resized? Make sure your multi-color graphics (photos) are saved in JPEG format and use GIF files for solid colors and poster art. Also remember to use table height and width tags in your HTML code because your text will load before the images. Animated graphics also slow the page loading time tremendously.

7) No Meta Tag Info

Meta tags are HTML code invisible to the human eye but read by many of the search engines. While these don't have as much of an impact as they used to, many search engines still rely on this information when displaying your site in the search results.

8) Use of Frames

Frames can become somewhat of a burden. Many search engines do not list pages with frames, they don't allow visitors to bookmark certain pages, and they can cause printing problems.

9) Scrolling Text

The marquee tag is a cool feature, but many overuse it. Although the idea of scrolling text may seem appealing, remember that not everyone will find this idea entertaining. If you do decide to use it, make sure you clearly evaluate whether or not it is adding value or enhancing your page. There are some instances where this feature works, but there are many where it doesn't. Use it very sparingly.

If you have a sentence or two that you feel is very important to your readers, don't make them wait eons for the message to scroll across your screen -- just use plain text and save the scrolling text for the less significant messages or perhaps sub-titles.

10) Wrong Resolution

The average web surfer surfs with their PC screen set to an 800 x 600 resolution. If you create your web pages to fit a 1024 x 768 resolution or higher, keep in mind many people will have to scroll left and right to see your entire page. I don't know about you, but I find that quite annoying.

If you want your web page to be displayed correctly in all resolutions, create your web pages with tables and use percentages to define your table widths instead of actual pixel values. For example, if the table width is set to 100% instead of "800" then it will take up 100% of the screen no matter what the PC resolution is set to.

About The Author

Lisa Irby is the author of 2 Create a Web Site -- a site that encourages you to plan accordingly and GET THE FACTS before diving into the web site creation process.

http://www.2createawebsite.com

no-contract cleaning service Park Ridge ...
In The News:

MacSync malware hides malicious commands inside iCloud calendar events to download additional payloads onto infected Macs without raising suspicion.
Joseph Holycross dismissed his racing heart for nearly two years until his Samsung Galaxy Watch detected atrial fibrillation and changed everything.
Home title fraud begins when criminals forge your signature on a deed. Here is how to check your own property records and set up free alerts.
Jeffrey Ladish, a former Anthropic security team member, warns AI agents are colluding and hacking with no reliable solution to keep them in check.
Instinct Concierge and Meta Muse can now place phone calls to businesses on your behalf, but the privacy and data access tradeoffs are significant.
Olivia Moore spent $100 to create a fake RushTok influencer using ChatGPT and MiniMax, and thousands of Bama Rush fans couldn't tell the difference.
RatHat Android malware uses AI to steal banking credentials, intercept two-factor authentication codes and reconstruct your PIN from touch inputs.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Apple and Google password managers can flag compromised, weak and reused passwords on your phone before credential stuffing attacks can strike.
Researcher Peter Garrigan says Moonshot AI's Kimi model was manipulated into providing instructions for biological weapons and assassination plans.
iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones now offer call screening that asks unknown callers to identify themselves before your phone rings.
Ransomware can lock your irreplaceable photos and documents in seconds. A tested backup strategy and stronger cybersecurity habits are your best defense.
ShinyHunters claims it breached FBIJobs.gov and stole Social Security numbers, home addresses and sensitive assignment details of FBI personnel.
Find My iPhone, Google Find Hub and Samsung Find have critical tracking settings to enable now, before your phone ever goes missing or stolen.
The FTC proposed a new enforcement policy on personalized pricing, warning companies that hide how personal data shapes the prices shoppers see.
The $250 million Apple Siri AI settlement is now accepting claims, with eligible iPhone owners potentially receiving up to $95 per device.
ShareAScan turns T-shirts into scannable digital business cards with QR codes that link to profiles the owner can update anytime they choose.
BragJack research reveals how a single malicious browser extension could hijack Gemini, Perplexity Comet and Edge AI agents with zero clicks.
A phishing campaign impersonating OpenAI uses fake ChatGPT billing emails with a convincing login page to steal credentials and payment details.
Startups are helping modernize America’s defense industry with new technology and innovative ideas as the War Department diversifies its inventory.
New account fraud victims jumped 31% in 2025, reaching 5.4 million. Criminals open accounts you may never see on your regular bank statements.
Flytrex says its AI-powered Rooftop Dock system in Dallas-Fort Worth positions drones at restaurants before orders arrive, cutting delivery costs by 60%.
Samson Sky's Switchblade flying car secures $80 million from Dubai's Matin Group, but the redesigned hybrid-electric aircraft still needs more testing.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
CenterPoint Energy confirmed customer data was stolen, while a hacker claims 7.49 million records with partial Social Security numbers were taken.

Web Site Accessibility

Making your site accessible means making it available to be... Read More

Great E-Cover Creation in 5 Steps

There are several graphic software packages available to help you... Read More

How To Rescue Your Graphic Design Project When All Else Fails

Whether you're giving a critical sales presentation to a client,... Read More

Choosing A Color Scheme

When you begin the design of your Web site, one... Read More

Top 10 Web Design Mistakes

As a webmaster, you want to keep your visitors content... Read More

Top Ten Absolutely Free Websites for Downloading Cool Fonts

The following list of websites is the best compilation of... Read More

How To Create A Professional Website In Less Than A Week

Here's a really simple way... any novice can create a... Read More

Web Page Building for Beginners 2

A search engine robot actually reads the wording on your... Read More

Web Design for Dictators

No question about it, web design is an art. Finding... Read More

Colorblind People, Can They Really Read Your Web Site?

I once created a notepad-like editor. It is possible with... Read More

Why Your Site Should be Developed with CSS and Semantic Markup

Why your site should be developed with CSS and semantic... Read More

No More Jargon! Pamper Your Audience!

When your company built its website, did you think about... Read More

Building a One-page Website

You've designed your logo, and you're ready to print your... Read More

Appropriate Key Words Choice

What do the key words represent?Key words - these are... Read More

Cool Web Design And Promotion Tips

This article gives free tips on how to find a... Read More

Creating Your First Website

Building your first website can be very frustrating. It looks... Read More

The Brutal Truth

Not too long ago while looking for businesses that do... Read More

The Testimonial Trick

One of the most popular methods of traffic generation is... Read More

Concentrate On Web Content Instead Of Search Engine Optimization

For many webmasters the title of my article may seem... Read More

How To Increase Your Conversion Rate or What Most People Miss When It Comes To Optimization

Everybody talks about the importance of testing your sales copy... Read More

Website Design Info - Part 1

What Will My Site Do?This is the first of eight... Read More

How Do We Know When Its Time To Redesign Our Web Site?

A question we frequently get asked is, "how do we... Read More

The Secrets to Successfully Learning Basic HTML

If you'd like to create/maintain a website, having some HTML... Read More

How To Use Color Effectively When You Create A Web Site

Colors are powerful, and create strong feelings. They can also... Read More

Becoming A Website Designer

The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages... Read More

home sanitizing services Wilmette ...