5 Common Website Conventions to Apply
Sure, you are free to design your website the way you want it to be. However, there are website conventions you should NOT shove aside. We all want our website to be unique and different, but there are website standards we should always pursue. If not, the website will appear unfamiliar and difficult to navigate.
Here are 5 common website conventions that you should consider when creating a website:
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The Arrangement of the Company Logo.
- With the all the different websites you have browsed, the logo is always placed at the topmost portion of the website. Am I right?
- The common placement is usually placed on the top left region of the page. Well, there are site that place the logo on the center. If you are unsure where to display the logo, stick to the left alignment.
- Since it is one of the first things a user sees when accessing your website, there is no need to make it extremely obvious. Just make sure that when one clicks the logo, it should always redirect back to the website’s main page.
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The Website Navigation.
- Navigation is an essential component of a powerful website. When a user is specifically searching for something, navigation should be understandable without much explanation.
- Typically, navigation options should be at the top beside the logo. If not, it should be place right below the logo.
- Also, don’t provide many web pages. Limit it to only 5 pages. You can add more options by adding sub pages. This way, your navigation won’t overwhelm your users. Remember, your task is to help them find the information they need. If you add more options, it will just add confusion. So, don’t bombard them too many areas to explore.
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The Content Placement.
- Your website won’t be complete without its contents. With that being said, your content should have the appropriate title and heading. There should also an introductory paragraph, main body, and concluding paragraph.
- If you wish to highlight important details, use heading tags. H1 is, of course, the biggest and H6 is the smallest. Apply the different heading options as you see fit.
- Make sure that essential keywords are emphasized to help increase your page ranking, and draw in interested web visitors.
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The Use of a Grid System.
- You might wonder, “Why are grids important?” The truth is that a grid helps to attain consistency. You are sure the placements of the texts and images are symmetrical.
- The horizontal and vertical lines of the grid give you an idea where to put certain elements on a web page. It will help in perfecting the overall look of the website.
- Ultimately, the website will be pleasing to the eyes, knowing that the web elements are in order.
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The Use of Hyperlinks.
- You will provide your customers links to crucial parts of your website. When you are selling products online, you need to remind them about the shipping fees and options. So, these links should be visible. The users should be able to differentiate a normal text and an anchor text.
- Clickable links should be obvious. The web visitors should know that this link will redirect them to the FAQ page; this link will go the gift cards & coupons; and so on.