{"id":5160,"date":"2022-06-09T07:03:15","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T06:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/?p=5160"},"modified":"2025-11-28T08:20:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T08:20:36","slug":"how-to-make-your-new-website-look-professional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/how-to-make-your-new-website-look-professional\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Your New Website Look Professional"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><div><div><a href=\"#1-keep-the-audience-in-mind\">1. Keep the Audience in Mind<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#2-make-navigation-obvious\">2. Make Navigation Obvious<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#3-select-images-wisely\">3. Select Images Wisely<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#4-design-a-website-logo\">4. Design a Website Logo<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#5-limit-your-color-palette\">5. Limit Your Color Palette<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#6-use-white-space\">6. Use White Space<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#7-stick-to-simple-legible-fonts\">7. Stick To Simple, Legible Fonts<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#8-prioritize-mobile\">8. Prioritize Mobile<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are 8 tips to consider if you want to DIY and still put your best online foot forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"1-keep-the-audience-in-mind\"><strong>1. Keep the Audience in Mind<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s easy to be seduced by all the amazing things you can do in website design. There are bells and whistles that are fun and clever, and they make you want to just lean back and admire them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you incorporate the latest widget, ask yourself: does my audience really care about this? If a feature is distracting, complicates the website or has the potential to confuse your visitor, leave it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.capterra.com\/website-content-examples-build-authority\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Eye-catching content<\/u><\/a> can be good, and you need at least some. However, a visitor to your site wants to understand what your product or service does and how they go about getting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You become intimately familiar, even too familiar, with your site. To counter this, take some time away from the screen, then come back and imagine you\u2019re looking at it for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"2-make-navigation-obvious\"><strong>2. Make Navigation Obvious<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If visitors can\u2019t easily find their way around your website, they\u2019ll leave and they won\u2019t come back. If should be obvious from the home page what places users can visit and how they can get there. On every page, it should be clear how you back up the hierarchy and how you jump to another part of the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s critical to lay out your hierarchy of pages early in the process. Sketch it out. Use pencil and paper or a drawing tool. This representation is sometimes called a wireframe, and there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/web-design-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website design tools<\/a> that support this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should begin your outline early in the process and build it up as you go. At first it will consist of a hierarchy of pages with just a few words about what\u2019s on each. It should also indicate where a user can jump from one branch of the hierarchy to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next you will expand each page with an approximation of its text and pictures and their layout on the screen. This will tell you whether the page contains too little or too much and whether you need to add or combine pages. At this point you can start building individual pages with confidence that they will work well together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"3-select-images-wisely\"><strong>3. Select Images Wisely<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you provide your own photographs or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.business.com\/articles\/the-truth-behind-stock-photos-what-works-and-what-doesnt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>use stock images<\/u><\/a>, a judicious selection of pictures makes your site look not only professional but also friendly and trustworthy. A few suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you use stock images, select from just one source. If you hire photography, use only one photographer. It promotes consistency of style.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use images that relate to your business or tell your story. Skip those that look sharp but don\u2019t say anything about you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose images with people who look like your target audience. Use some variety to cover all types of people who will be interested in your website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prioritize quality over quantity. Displaying a lot of mediocre images drags them all down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid \u201cstagy\u201d and cliched images such as groups grinning at the camera or people high-fiving. Stick to scenes you might see in real life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crop images for effect. For example, focus on people and leave out the background.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"4-design-a-website-logo\"><strong>4. Design a Website Logo<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A logo solidifies your identity. A good logo sticks in the customer\u2019s mind as an image of who you are and what you offer. Once you have a suitable logo, you can reinforce your image by also using it on business cards, social media, email and any kind of advertising you might do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re a DIY website developer, you probably don\u2019t want to hire a logo designer. Fortunately, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tailorbrands.com\/blog\/best-logo-maker-apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>apps for logo design<\/u><\/a> that are affordable, easy to use and capable of cranking out a logo in just minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are logo creators designed for a desktop monitor, but it\u2019s better to choose one of the apps that are geared to smaller devices. When you use a mobile app to design a logo, you get to see, during the process, how it looks on a small screen. After all, today\u2019s surfers are likely to be looking at a phone when they see your logo for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"5-limit-your-color-palette\"><strong>5. Limit Your Color Palette<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This goes hand in hand with keeping your audience in mind. When you\u2019re selecting your colors, it\u2019s easy for the bright and aggressive ones to stand out. It\u2019s also easy to choose too many colors. For most of your potential customers, an array of colors is off-putting. It looks like you can\u2019t make up your mind with the design, during your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/isynergy.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">web development<\/a>&nbsp;process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Home interior design has what\u2019s called the 60-30-10 rule, and it\u2019s not a bad idea for website design as well. It says that 60 percent of your space should be in a primary color, 30 percent in a secondary color and 10 percent in an accent color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary color should be a neutral or any color that\u2019s not aggressive. It must be one that you\u2019re comfortable looking at and that\u2019s not distracting when you read. The secondary color can be more assertive, and the accent color can \u201cpop.\u201d If your business has a brand color, the accent is a good place to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"6-use-white-space\"><strong>6. Use White Space<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interior home design also abhors clutter and encourages openness. In web design, that translates to white space. It doesn\u2019t have to be literally white; an off-white or a light neutral will do. Another name for the concept is \u201cnegative space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">White space breaks up the page. It makes the images and text draw more attention. It\u2019s more inviting. It\u2019s easier to find what you\u2019re looking for and to understand what the page is about when there a limited number of elements on a page and they\u2019re set apart by negative space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"7-stick-to-simple-legible-fonts\"><strong>7. Stick To Simple, Legible Fonts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fancy lettering is fun to look at for a minute or two, but it\u2019s a headache to read for any length of time. It distracts from what you have to say. If visitors get bogged down in the middle of a paragraph, they\u2019ll quit reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your goal is to deliver information, not to awe your audience with how slick the lettering looks. Also, don\u2019t throw an assortment of fonts at your viewers. The right number of fonts for a website is about two, where each serves a slightly different purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a similar note, be wary of italics and bolding. They\u2019re fine for making individual words and phrases stand out. However, large sections of italics are annoying to read, and excessive bolding within a text segment feels like you\u2019re getting in the user\u2019s face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"8-prioritize-mobile\"><strong>8. Prioritize Mobile<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People today do more and more of their shopping on their phones, and the trend is only going to grow. It\u2019s not enough for your website to be merely accessible on any device. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/6-tips-to-make-your-business-website-mobile-friendly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>It has to be friendly<\/u><\/a>, readable and intuitive on a smartphone. You may still spend hours on your laptop, but a lot of folks never use anything larger than a tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You must make sure that text is readable, that images look right and that buttons are visible and accessible. If customers can\u2019t see your \u201cBuy Now\u201d button, they may not bother to look for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately, many of today\u2019s website design tools also prioritize mobile. Don\u2019t consider a page complete until it looks right on a mobile device. With the contemporary audience, a professional appearance is even more important on a phone than on a monitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are 8 tips to consider if you want to DIY and still put your best online foot forward. 1. Keep the Audience in Mind It\u2019s easy to be seduced by all the amazing things you can do in website design. There are bells and whistles that are fun and clever, and they make you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,120],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-software-business","category-education"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":7}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5160"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10254,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5160\/revisions\/10254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.negup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}