Website design is creating, designing and maintaining websites for various purposes. Website design can be a challenging and rewarding career, but it also requires constant learning and adaptation to the changing trends and technologies in the online world.
If you are a website designer or aspire to become one, you need to have some effective principles to guide you in your projects. Website design principles are based on contributions from professionals in industries such as psychology, behavioral science, physics, ergonomics and more. They are flexible laws that help you create websites that are aesthetically pleasing, functional and user-friendly.
In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular and effective website design principles that you should know and apply in your projects. Let's get started!
Use readable and web-friendly fonts
Typography is a crucial element of website design, as it helps to communicate your brand message and values, as well as to grab your audience's attention. However, typography is not just about looking good, it also needs to be functional and readable.
You should use fonts that are web-friendly, meaning that they maintain legibility at any size and work well across different devices. You should also use fonts that suit your industry, mood and message. For example, serif fonts are more traditional and elegant, while sans-serif fonts are more modern and minimalist.
Some examples of web-friendly fonts are Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman and Courier New. You can also use online tools such as Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts to find more fonts for your website design.
Utilize the 'F' pattern
When we scan the information on a website, we tend to do so in an F-shaped pattern. This means that we first read the important headlines along the top of the page, then scan down the left side of the page for any numerals, bullet points or sidebars, then across the page again for any bolded text or subheadings.
In website design, using an 'F' pattern involves mimicking the eye's natural path so as not to disrupt the visual flow. This is especially important for landing pages and sales pages, where conversion is the ultimate goal.
You can use an 'F' pattern by placing your most important elements along the top and left side of the page, such as your logo, navigation menu, headline, call-to-action button and images. You can also use contrast, color and whitespace to highlight these elements and draw attention to them.
Or the 'Z' pattern
Another common scanning pattern that we use when we look at a website is the 'Z' pattern. This means that we start from the top left corner of the page, move across to the top right corner, then diagonally down to the bottom left corner, then across again to the bottom right corner.
In website design, using a 'Z' pattern involves placing your most important elements along these four points of interest, such as your logo, headline, call-to-action button and contact information. You can also use lines, shapes and arrows to guide the eye along this path and create a sense of movement and direction.
A 'Z' pattern is suitable for simple and minimalist websites that have one main goal or message to convey. It can help you create a clear and concise layout that focuses on your value proposition and encourages action.
Follow the principles of contrast, alignment, repetition and proximity
Contrast, alignment, repetition and proximity are four basic principles of design that can help you create a harmonious and balanced composition for your website. They can also help you improve readability
