Back when people first started creating web pages, sites comprised little more than text, basic tables and an occasional graphic. Design involved writing your content and going back through it adding the appropriate HTML tags to achieve the desired layout. It was very much a manual process.
Today, a typical web page features a number of additional elements — multiple graphics, complex tables, frames, dynamic content, and more advanced features such as JavaScript and other web languages.
Web authoring software came along and automated common web page development challenges. The point-and-click method was created. However, learning HTML is still essential. Many web page editing programs insert long streams of unnecessary code. If there are problems on your page, you are relying on a program to find them for you, and, because of the way they operate, these programs often are unable to perform this task.
HTML knowledge comes in handy because with a basic understanding of HTML you will be able to find those glitches yourself and correct them. It also comes in handy when you want to add different design features you come across, such as JavaScript and applets. (For some examples, visit http://dynamicdrive.com.)
Creating a Web Page
1. Gather Information
Collect information to be included on your web pages, such as images, text, diagrams and means of contacting you. Make sure the information directly relates to the topic of your web pages to increase audience appeal. Permission must be obtained to use any information you did not create yourself.
2. Organize Information
Divide your information into sections. Each section will be a separate web page, which will discuss a different concept or idea. Each web page should contain enough information to fill a single screen. Be careful when deciding what elements you are going to include in a single web page, because as it grows, so too will the file size of the web page — and the larger the file size, the longer the page takes to transfer to a user’s computer (download time).
3. Enter information
Write up all the text you want to appear on your web pages in a text editor, such as Notepad, UltraEdit, or Textpad. Each web page should be a separate document. Then add HTML tags to the text to convert the documents into web pages. HTML tags will allow you to add elements such as images, sounds, tables and videos to web pages.
4. Add Links
Links are text or images that users can select to display other pages on your site and on the web. The links you add to your web pages should allow users to maneuver easily through information of interest. However, it is good practice not to have links on your front page that will direct visitors away from your site. Those kinds of links can be saved for a links page or somewhere further back in the site.
The Visual Appearance of Your Site
1. Use text colors that complement your background color or image, while providing enough contrast to make it easy for the eyes to read. Pink text on a green background is a shocker; a visitor would spend so much time obsessed with the color scheme that the content of the text would be lost.
2. Never make your pages more than 4 screen lengths long. You don’t want visitors to be turned off by scrolling too far down the screen. There should be about 4 clicks on the scroll bar to complete the page. Also, a page that is too long loads more slowly, and search engines may stop spidering it before the end of the text.
3. Using too many graphics or animation on any one page visually clutters and detracts from your message. It can also cause the page to be confusing and disagreeable to your visitor, making him or her want to leave. Each added graphic adds to download time. Large graphics may load so slowly that your visitor will give up, click “stop”, and go somewhere else.
4. Be careful of the amount of JavaScript you use. Some users and companies have JavaScript disabled for security reasons, so they will be unable to read it. There also appear to be some accessibility issues surrounding JavaScript, too. Always provide alternate navigation.
5. If you must use music on your page, don’t auto-start your sound file or loop music forever — instead, give your guests the option of playing it. Don’t place the music reference in the code at the top of your page, especially if it’s a large file, because nothing will be happening while your music file downloads and visitors will leave your site.
6. Beware of copyrights! Content on the Internet is the same as any published intellectual work — it is afforded copyright protection unless it’s explicitly declared as public domain. There are hefty fines associated with breaching copyright, so before you go adding graphics, text content, etc., from another web site, be sure you obtain permission to use it.
7. Unless you have permission, never link directly to images or other files on another site. Commonly called “bandwidth theft,” this uses another person’s bandwidth and is illegal. Bandwidth theft is easily caught, and the fines are very steep. Web pages are parked in servers, and each server keeps a log of all file accesses, as well as recording each time the image is called to your page. That access log provides a complainant with clear evidence for a court of law.
All too often websites are thrown together in haste or fun, and no thought is actually put into properly designing and presenting it. Your website is the impression that online users will have of you. With a bit of forethought and planning, you can create a visually appealing web presence.
Now, here’s an exercise for you. Go back to your website, and see how many things you can and should change. Change them, and stand back and marvel at the difference!
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Cindy’s media design business, Attitude e-media is located in Mandurah, Western Australia, with an international client base. Her business specializes in graphics, media and web design. Cindy has experience in hardcopy journalism and advertising, including diplomas & degrees in Film and Media Design, and various Environmental Management fields. She traveled the world extensively before returning home to open her own media design business, located at http://activnet.org/attitude/
