It happens to most good webmasters. They get the urge to
redesign their websites!
If you're not happy with your site, because it's not pulling
enough sales, it's not generating enough pageviews, it takes
forever to load, etc, now may be a good time to redesign
it. Although this can be a major project for most site
owners, doing it can be well worth it. Here are some things
to consider when redesigning your website.
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The first thing you should do is define a basic layout for
the main pages of your site (or if every page is going to
have the same feel, a single layout template).
Keep in mind your goals, your reasons for designing a new
layout in the first place. Make sure that your content is
easy to find, that your navigation is easy to follow, and
that no pages are too far from any other page on your site,
so visitors can quickly find what they're looking for.
Be sure not to overdue your site with graphics or bright
colors. Try to find a balanced color scheme, consisting of
several main colors to use throughout the site. A few good
places that can help you in choosing colors are
http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/ or
http://www.paletteman.com/
Keep in mind that consistency helps your visitors to
navigate your site. Keep your pages consistent in design and
navigation and they'll thank you for it by visiting more
pages on your site.
Improving the New Design
Once you've finished the new design, take a break. Leave it
for several hours, or even a few days, before returning to
work on it. Then, with a fresh perspective, take a good look
at your design again and try to improve it. Again, don't
forget why you chose to redesign your site in the first
place.
Helpful Resources for Redesigning your Site
To finish this article, here are a few helpful sites that
will make your redesigning task a little bit easier. Good
luck!
