When developing a web design for your online business, keep in mind that timing is everything. In fact, from the moment a visitor arrives on your home page, the clock is ticking. Your website must provide them with the information they need — and within the timeframe they need. For many busy Internet users, this is a matter of mere seconds.
It may seem difficult to create a web design that has the look and functionality you want yet also satisfies your visitors’ time limitations. However, you can do just that by remembering some simple rules of professional web design:
Minimize image size
Two files formats commonly used in web design — .JPEG for photos and .GIF for graphics – can be compressed to drastically reduce file size and, therefore, increase the download speed of the web pages on which they reside. Another time-saving trick: put the dimensions of your images in your HTML code.
Avoid flash
Flash is a great example of how less is often more in web design. Flash is guaranteed to increase the download speed of your website, yet there’s no guarantee that your website’s visitors will have the right flash player to view your flash design. While flash does have its benefits, the majority of websites can benefit from using little – if any at all.
Use CSS styling
CSS web design allows a website’s content to be separated from its web design language and cuts down on the overall amount of code. The result is significant bandwidth reduction and increased download speed.
Limit external content
If your web design contains elements that download from a different server (such as a video), each element will produce an HTTP request every time the page loads. While a single request may only add 1-2 seconds, it could be enough to cause irritation for your visitors.
Evaluate page size
While it’s important to consider file sizes individually, don’t neglect to look at your website as the sum of its parts. Add the files on your web pages together and look for ways to keep overall page size below 50KB.
Speed is one of the many factors that contributes to the success of your website. When you create a website for your online business, you can save your visitors (and yourself) time by remembering these five time-saving web design tips.