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Web design is a large area, but there are some basics that every website designer should really know and these elementals alone can get you moving. While web design has changed significantly in the last decade, lots of the beliefs set forth in the early days of the commercial Web apply to this day.

Learn HTML, know HTML, and use HTML. There are lots of coding languages available and most of them are extremely strong, allowing website design experts to create interactive showcases and not just website pages, but HTML – HyperText Markup Language – is the basis of the Web and all website pages and internet sites. Some languages work better, or not at all, under certain browsers and operating systems, but HTML works on them all; it is still the only true universal language on the World Wide Web.

Pay attention to the details. This includes META CONTENT, ALT tags, TITLEs, and all of the other details so many forget. Title every page and include a brief description of less than 15 words. Do not put e-mail addresses on webpages without taking proper care – unless you want to receive a lot of spam mail. Use spellcheck to catch and correct any misspellings and grammatical mistakes. Also remember that search engines and exact web-surfers “see” your pages differently, and you’ve got to design for both.

Avoid clashing colors, vivid text, and animated graphics – visitors consider these indicators of clumsy, or even “spammy,” sites. Use headers as titles instead of graphics whenever possible, and minimize text decoration – like italics and boldface. Use correct words and not “text speak,” but try to not talk-down to your visitors. Banner adverts are a great way to get some return on your investment, but too many of them will drive viewers away. Also avoid stock photography and copied content.

As the Internet continues to move into a true multi media platform, website design continues to develop on a regular basis, but the basics of website design have remained largely the same for more than a decade. A good background in normal layout and design is helpful, but website design is a form unto itself. Knowing HTML is the most critical key to mastering web design. A few good books on these subjects, and some hours spent researching and deconstructing web sites you admire, will go a good way towards helping you find out how to design for the Web.