How Not to Look Stupid When Designing a Website As an Absolute Beginner

As an absolute beginner in web design, novice would tend to use a lot of colors and as many features as possible across the web page. If you are just doodling around and trying to amuse yourself, it is ok. However if you are not, you will have some serious trouble in creating a trustworthy website and getting the message across to your audience and potential customers.

While it may seem difficult but it can be as easy as a breath. Every website has one or two particular goals to achieve, be them aesthetically or commercially. Start by thinking of the goals of your website. Chances are you are using it to display certain text information, about you yourself or your business. So the primary concern is to present that information as boldly as possible to the visitors. Therefore, instead of distracting them away from the primary content, you should be as simple in the web design of your site as possible.

Some tips of simple web design for a beginner could be:

1. Maintain a snow white theme across all your web pages. White is the most natural color for content background, it won't make it too noisy nor will it ever be weird. Using white wherever possible will guarantee you not looking stupid.
2. Employ as less colors as possible. Don't make your design a childish doodling masterpiece wherein contrasting as well as complementary colors are everywhere, no matter the context.
3. Books are always in very simple print styles, especially those that lasts for decades and even centuries. Design your website as a book.
4. Leave enough blank areas, don't crowd your website layout too much with unnecessary stuff to distract the visitors.
5. A website design is perfect when there's nothing left to be removed rather than when there's nothing left to be added.

Embrace these tips of simple design and you will be on the way of becoming a seasoned web designer very soon. Simpleness is a virtue that can only be gained by experience and practice. Only after years of refining your skills that you realize that the simplest solutions is usually the best solution.