How to Design a Website

 A web presence is essential in a digital world, especially if you're a business or brand. Did you had any idea that the absolute first website was launched on August 6, 1991? Now there are nearly 1.9 billion of them! Be that as it may, how do you even design a website in the first place? 

A website uses 3 main languages to set its framework, design, and performance 

• HTML defines the basic structure and accessibility of websites 
• CSS sets the presentation, style characteristics, and layout of its pages. 
• JavaScript controls a website page's interactivity 

So how about in plain English this time… 

How about we break that down bit by bit, shall we? 

Set your intent 

What's your purpose in creating the site? Got a product to offer or a help to promote? Maybe you want to start a blog or portfolio or new social center point, and the expression "Community Standards" makes your head want to detonate. Set your own! Having a clear image of why you're creating will make the progression of this process such a ton easier from start to finish. 

Choose a host or website builder 

A site host like Vultr or SiteGround may be all you need if you genuinely want to create your site from scratch. However, if that's a little more inside and out than you're interested, under tight restraints out a website builder like WordPress and Zyro. Wanna simplify the process even more? Agency Partner can take care of web improvement for you! 

Register your domain name 

There are three primary, customizable parts to a domain name: 

• Subdomain: typically, 'www' (#funfact it can technically be any combo of letters!) 
• Root domain: your unique site address 
• Top-Level Domain: .com, .net, and .org are most common 

Depending on availability, you can purchase a domain name for as little as $2.99 annually. Think about what your full URL could seem to be when choosing each part. Consider the relevance of TLDs in your specialty and industry; for example, .org typically doesn't make a lot of sense for an eCommerce site. 

Define the layout 

The structure can be critical to the outcome of a website. If navigation is not satisfactory or intuitive to the user, they won't keep close by, and your bob rate metric will soar. No Bueno! 

Consider your brand 

Make sure the site mirrors the brand and its messaging. Even an artist building that online portfolio or a non-profit seeking online donations need a clear brand identity. From the miniature and UX duplicate of your hamburger menu to any site error messages, the tone of voice must be consistent across the whole site. How about the colour palette? If you have a brand logo, is it being thoughtfully placed in your design? 

Prep your content 

Think about what relevant sorts of content can assist you with building authority and trustworthiness in your industry to drive traffic and engage your ideal customer avatar. Batch create your content as far in advance as conceivable, have a go at using content calendars to stay organized, and always hit that 'Review' button before you publish anything! 

Strategize your SEO 

How do your customers find you in an ocean of competition these days? Through search engine optimization, or SEO! This affects almost everything about your site, right down to that domain name you picked. Consider your keyword strategies when creating content, defining your user interface (UI), and even crafting back-end content like metadata! Ensure these keywords are terms your customers would naturally use when looking for what you offer, and always follow SEO best practices. 

Include useful pages 

Could your site's users benefit from a FAQ? Need a 'Contact Us' or booking page? Always keep first in mind your users' needs and experience while they're visiting. Anything that you can make native to your site to minimize site redirection is ideal! If you're a restaurant, make sure to have your ongoing menu, contact info, business hours, and so forth, straightforwardly available within your own site so the user doesn't need to go anywhere else for it! 

Design your website elements 

Popular user-friendly platform Canva is an excellent resource, both its free and Pro versions, especially if you're more of a beginner with graphic design, though Photoshop and Adobe XD remain the industry standard. Both YouTube and Skillshare host tons of design tutorials for all ability levels. Remember that a very elements-heavy site will likely run slower for your users than a more streamlined, minimalist approach. Uplifting news for you beginners! For website design ideas, we love perusing Pinterest and Elementor. Also, hiring a pro graphic designer may be a wise investment, time-and in terms of finances. A site that doesn't really look polished and professional is considerably less likely to be trusted as a legitimate page. 

Make it accessible for everyone. 

ADA compliance across the digital space has seen a massive push lately, and we at API are hanging around for it. In fact, complying makes you qualified for a tax allowance of up to $5,000! Not certain if yours is up to compliance standards? Look at these tips, or have API do a full site audit for you! 

Optimize for device compatibility 

Approximately half of all website traffic comes from cell phones as of 2017, so it's essential to consider how your site will look and capacity beyond just a standard computer. 

Set up back-end analytics 

If your website designer doesn't have site analytics built-in, or you need a more profound view, consider signing up for Google Analytics for insight into your site's performance. 

Now for the scariest part of all - Hit 'Publish'! 

That's right, it's definitely a ton, however take it slowly and deliberately. You got this! You never again have to know the ins and outs of coding to build a beautiful, user-friendly website. Obviously, that's not to say using a site builder is easy enough for absolutely everyone or that everyone has an opportunity to build a site themselves. Thus, if you don't get this, remember Agency Partner is one Contact Us page away!