Every website is as different as the business, company or person it promotes, but there are common elements even among the most diverse webpages. When you begin to design your website, you’re going to want to consider the placement of the design elements on your webpages. What the design element is, how it relates to the goals of the website and where the element fits graphically with other elements on the page are the three most important things to think about when creating your website design.

Common elements such as images, content, navigation, headlines and administrative information have similar placement on most webpages. While you may want your website to stand out in the crowd, take caution with the placement of the design elements on your website. Users of the Internet are accustomed to viewing websites with similar formatting and you don’t want to alienate your visitors by throwing them off, confusing them and, ultimately, leading them away from your website. For example, most webpages put headlines at the upper section of the page, navigational tools at the very top or on the left side and administrative elements are most commonly found at the very bottom of the page.

Use common sense. Humans are creatures of habit and react well when faced with something they are familiar with. Placing your design elements in familiar places will make your visitor feel at home on your website. Ever notice how ads have similar placement in all the websites you see?

Focus your design. The eye is drawn to the center of the page, images, larger fonts and of course, elements that are specifically directed to attract the viewer such as flashing text or moving flash animation. Keep your design simple and don’t overload your viewer with too many distracting elements.

* Centered elements will receive the most attention.
* Connect elements on your pages that make sense and make use of visual hierarchy.
* Separate your text, images and ads with enough space that your website doesn’t appear crowded
* Create variety on your pages but not so much that it becomes confusing

By following these simple rules of element placement in your web design, your website will appear professional and respectable. The key is to make the website viewing experience pleasant for the visitor and where and how you place the elements on your website will engage your visitor or drive them to click away in frustration and confusion.

Popularity: 2% [?]