Website Tips - In General

Layout

  1. Don't clash colors. Find a color scheme with colors easy on the eyes. Make sure text is readable. White text on colored backgrounds doesn't always work.
  2. Don't change your layout or colors on every page. Consistency gives a put-together feel to a site.
  3. Never ever ever ever use red on black. Period.
  4. Make links and navagation findable. Most of time, incorporating links into your layout image is very hard to access.
  5. Don't use filters or htc effects. They're not compatiable with other browsers (besides IE) and highly annoying. They also cause the page to load slower.

Content/Coding

  1. Is there anyway to stress quality over quantity? Adding a layout or avatar a day won't make your site "the best".
  2. Always try to stay with the latest standards of HTML, CSS, XHTML, etc.
  3. Validate your code.
  4. Try pruning out old layout and graphics every few months. If your skill dramatically improves, get rid of some of the older graphics or redo them.
  5. Don't have Affiliates, Siblings, Top Affiliates, Brothers, Sisters, Dogs, Cats, or whatever other little group you people come up with. Affiliates are made to link websites. Yes, you get traffic but, that doesn't mean you can go crazy. There are things called link exchanges and listings that you can go crazy with.

Language

  1. For my poor brain, don't use an exclamation point after every. freakin. sentence. I don't exclaim everything when I speak! Honest! I totally went to the mall the other day! I bought a shirt! Do you realize how annoying that is to say in your head!
  2. This includes smiley faces as well. I don't need to know your emotions after every sentence. I can tell. I'm not that dense.
  3. Proper grammar and spelling are always good if you can manage. I'm not saying perfection but no StIcKy CaPs or 1337 53/-\|< either. People like to know what you write sometimes. I know. Shocking.
  4. For all of you who don't know the definition of my version of grammar: spelling, capitalization, grammar (like there, their, and they're), punctuation, and so on.

Other

  1. Be nice.
  2. Be creative. You aren't limited to the brushes people offer. Make your own brushes, use shapes and just going crazy. Look for inspiration around you!
  3. Technically, there are no rules to web designing. There are just basic guidlines that we, as a viewer, prefer to see. Don't be afraid to try something new.