Learning is an endless procedure and in every field, there is a new development each and every day. Website design is versatile and is influenced by technology which makes it dynamic. The concepts used yesterday in website designing, may be the same used today, but totally different due to advancements and changes that have occurred with time. Whatever was considered classic yesterday, it will be outdated today. Therefore as a website designer you need to keep up with the pace of how different concepts are changing and learn them to perfect your skills. Here are 8 hacks that will help you make it in website design:

1. Have a plan (rough sketch)

Before designing a website ensure you have a plan or a rough sketch which you can use as a reference material. As a web designer, you know what you want to achieve and it is better to put that down on paper to make sure you achieve exactly that. However, do not tie yourself to one or a few options, instead be flexible to accommodate any necessary changes that need to be adopted in the website.  Your plan should be in alignment with the purpose of the website. 

2. Phase out sidebars and sliders

Sidebars and sliders are more of a distraction than they seem and they can be annoying as you navigate from one to the next. Practically thinking, imagine you have 36 images on a slide, do you think the website visitors will be patient enough to slide through till the last image? The aim is to use them wisely or phase them out since, nowadays people use them for additional promotional material that has no significant to the viewers and leads. They can become more of a bore than an advantage to a website, especially when they don’t support the content on a website. 

3. Use whitespace

Don’t clutter your website design with information from one corner of the page to the other. Implement white space on your website to avoid stealing the spotlight from what’s important to people. However, as much as whitespace enhance simplicity of a website, there is a specific pattern that should be followed on what part of whitespace you should use and what part you should leave. In short, don’t clutter a website and don’t leave too much white space lying around. There is an adequate ratio which you should apply for a stylish finished look.

4. Bury social media icons

Social media icons are meant to promote a website and not steal the show. Imagine working up all night to create a good website only to chase away people who visit your website by incorporating social media icons at the top part of the website. The most ideal location for social media icons is closer to the website footer where they act as complementary icons to your content. 

5. Use larger fonts and pair contrasting fonts

To make your website design appealing and modern, use large fonts for the introductory part and pair contrasting fonts that blend in together. You can use the different fonts for different purposes on your content. One can be for the main content’s body while the rest can be for headings/sub-headings and other relevant content carried on the website. As for large fonts, use them to attract the attention of visitors and apply where emphasis is needed. 

6. Compatibility with devices

In this era and age, there is no way you can create a website that cannot be supported by mobile phones and tablets. This technology advancements have made life easier by widening the devices on which you can access the internet. Since most of the population has a smartphone or tablet, it is wise to learn how to design a website compatible with mobile phones and tablets. 

7. Improve on graphic design

If you want to become a pro in website design, you need to perfect your skills on how you employ different graphic designs. For imagery, ensure that you arrange them in a particular manner, say grid style and ensure they are of high quality. Alternatively you can deploy imagery after a content paragraph where it tells more of what is contained in the paragraph. For videos, make sure you arrange them in order in case they are playing complementary roles or space them out if they are not related in any way.

8. Be color inspired. 

Don’t shy away from decorating your website with bold yet daring colors. Sometimes dull colors make a website look plain and unattractive. In the modern world of website design, it is primal to know how to use different colors and themes in combination for an artistic look. You can take some time off and explore your creativity on paper with colors to find out which will best suite the website depending on what it is about.