How to create a website

Create a plan

Planning will make the creation process of your website a whole lot easier. There are many different ways to plan and everyone will have their own methods. This could include creating spreadsheets, documents, diagrams, flowcharts etc.

You need to have it clear in your mind how exactly you want your website to look. A good way to get ideas and inspiration is by taking a look at some other websites that are already out there. What is it you like about them? What don’t you like? This will help you to determine what you want for your own.

Navigation

Website navigation is largely responsible for whether your user stays on the page or not. The homepage is the first page that your visitor will see and this is what they will judge your entire website on. Therefore, the purpose and function of your page should be clear within a few seconds of landing on the page. Ways to do this are to provide a brief introduction, a logo and images etc.

It should be easy for your user to get around your site. The layout of your website must be consistent on each page with the home button in the same place each time. It should also be easy to get back to previous pages so that your user can browse with ease.

Effective content

Your content needs to be tailored to your audience. Don’t be scared about being specific when targeting your audience as this will help you to bring in more relevant customers with genuine interest.

Make a list of all the important points that you would like to make and create copy around this. Your copy should be precise, engaging and draw your reader in. The text should be easy to digest, scannable and broken up into appropriate sections. Not only will this look better but nobody wants to be faced with an intimidating chunk of text.

Design

The design of your website is really important in attracting customers. A lot of people will consider human emotions when designing especially when choosing colour schemes. Different colours will appeal to different emotions.

Choose web-safe fonts so that they display correctly on your webpage and across different browsers. Make sure that the text is clear and easy to read. Commonly used web-safe fonts include Arial and Helvetica.

A common mistake is to try and cram too much onto one page. The best option is to keep it simple. An overcrowded page will only distract your user so only include what you need. Delivering your message clearly should be a priority and this is done best with simple and effective design.

Images

Images are crucial for your website. Users will really benefit from visuals. They can be used to help convey a message more effectively and break up the text on your website. Always make sure your images are of high quality, relevant and enhance any existing content.

Remember, if using images taken off the internet then always check the copyright laws on them.

Test


Before making anything public, a test should always be done. Although your website may function on your current screen and browser, it doesn’t necessarily mean this will be the case for others. This is why you’ll need to test across different browsers, screen sizes, iPads and mobile phones. There are many online tools which can help you to do this.