How to Edit Your Overall Website Design on WordPress
Creating a website is a daunting task, especially when you consider all the different platforms and software that you have to learn beforehand. Once you have built your site, the process of making it perfect can be quite challenging. There are so many aspects of design that you can refine, such as the color scheme, fonts, imagery, and more. When it comes to overall website design, you need to keep in mind the following:
The Purpose Of Your Website
The most crucial point to consider about your website is its purpose. What do you want your site to achieve? One great way to start is by asking yourself this question: Who is your audience?
The purpose of your website is to drive sales. Are you promoting a product or service? Trying to raise awareness about a cause? Or are you just establishing a presence for yourself on the web?
Whatever the case may be, you need to be sure that your website serves its purpose. Start by brainstorming the different ways that you can achieve your goal. Remember to think of the types of people you want to reach. Then, find the ways in which you can connect with your audience.
Usability
Another important factor to consider about your website is its usability. Make sure that your site is easy to navigate and that the information is easily accessible to your target audience. Your website’s usability affects how effectively you communicate with your audience and how easy it is for them to find what they are looking for. When you make the information on your site easy to find and accessible, you will start to see the benefits in terms of higher click-through rates and more conversions.
You can also use Google’s UMA (User-Maneuverability) Framework to test the usability of your site. The UMA Framework suggests ways that users can interact with your website based on their needs and the tasks that they want to perform. This framework helps you pinpoint the areas of your site that need to be improved so that your users have the best experience possible. Begin by testing the basic usability of your site with Google’s tool, Google UMA. You can learn more about Google UMA here.
Once you have tested the usability of your site with Google UMA, you can move on to the next step which is to set up a schedule for reviewing the site with a usability engineer. Having a usability engineer review your site will help you identify the areas that need to be improved and provide you with a clear action plan. Schedule a weeknight or a weekend for this review session and get all the necessary parties in one place – that is, yourself, the usability engineer, and the person/team that is going to be reviewing the site. During this session, you can work through each element of your site and address all the issues that have been flagged up by the engineer. The advantage of this approach is that, as soon as you have addressed these issues, you can rollback the changes and test the site again – in other words, you can make continuous improvements.
Color Harmony
Color is an important element of design and marketing. Make sure that the colors you choose are in accordance with the overall theme and style of your website. If you are using a CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress, it is fairly easy to change the colour scheme of your site as everything is done for you.
If you are, however, choosing to design your site from scratch, you will need to take a little more time to find a harmonious color scheme. Begin by asking yourself the questions listed below. Then, take your time to explore different options, try things out, and eventually find the one that works best for you. This process can take a while:
Does The Overall Design Feel Comfortable?
Comfort is essential when it comes to designing a site as it has a role to play in creating a pleasant overall experience for your users. When choosing a color scheme for your site, it is important to bear in mind that you are going to be printing or displaying graphics on it so if the colors are too bright or intense, it might be difficult for the eye to relax and absorb the content. Alternatively, if the colors are too soft, it will drain the attention away from the important details of the site.
There are many different approaches when it comes to designing a soothing color scheme for a website. One great way to approach this is to use green accessories and furniture, such as plants and grass. You can also add in a little bit of blue to give it a sense of harmony. You don’t want to go too crazy with the colors or use all-natural elements though, as that can seem overly-simplistic.
Are All The Textures And Materials In Harmony?
Another important aspect of design that makes a difference is the choice of textures and materials used for the different elements of your site. The rug in your front room is just one example of how different textures and materials can make a difference in terms of how a room feels. The same way that rugs can add a touch of luxury and style to a room, your website’s textiles and materials can do the same.
You can use different textures and materials to achieve a variety of effects. For example, you can use smooth surfaces for computers and hard surfaces for desks. You can use wood for bookshelves or cabinets and concrete for the floor. You can even use metal for some office furniture. Keep in mind that, although it may look great in theory, using multiple textures and materials in one space can cause problems if it isn’t harmonious – in other words, it can look chaotic.
Does The Overall Design Feel Creative?
Creativity is vital in all aspects of design, but particularly so when putting together an engaging and immersive experience for your users. One way to encourage creativity is to give your users the freedom to be as unique as they can be. If you are using a CMS like WordPress, you can install the WPMU (WordPress Multisite) plugin to create a network of blogs or websites without needing to set up each individual blog or website from scratch. Once installed, you can administer the different sites using the plugin’s interface. You can choose the sites’ niches and add or remove websites from the network at will. The freedom to be as unique as you can be within the constraints imposed by the CMS should inspire you to be creative – even if you choose a simple, monochromatic design, you can add a little bit of personality using different fonts, colors, and imagery for each site.
Layout
Layout is an important factor in designing a successful site as it determines how everything is arranged on the screen. One great way to start is by using a grid system for designing your pages. This approach lets you break down the page’s content into a series of rectangles, which are easy to manage and design. You can use a tool like Google’s Page Builder to quickly and easily create a fully-functional website or blog in minutes. With Google’s powerful tools, it is easy to design a powerful site that is perfectly suited for any purpose.
Typeface
The typeface is another important factor in designing a successful website. When choosing a typeface, it is essential to consider the following:
- Readability – in other words, are the letters easy to read?
- Attractiveness – is the typeface easy on the eyes or does it require a lot of attention to read?
- Ease Of Use – once you have decided on the typeface, you need to find an easy way to read and write with it. Try out different fonts and see which one is the most comfortable for you to use. Remember: the more effort you put in to learn to use a new typeface, the more fluent you will become in using it. Once you have found a typeface that you really like, stick with it. In the long run, this will save you a great deal of effort and ensure that you are always able to write and read with ease.
To learn more about typefaces, check out the following resources: