Three ways to make the most of your design experience

Whether you’ve decided to start your very first online business or you’re a veteran of the World Wide Web, there are some things you should know before you head off to a web designer to get your idea off the ground. You may think you don’t know anything about web development, but by following these simple suggestions, you and the designer you work with will be able to create a product both you and your users will find effective:

Determine your site’s purpose. This might sound like a no-brainer, but unless you have a solid theme and purpose for your web site, it’s difficult for a web developer to create a mock-up around your concept. You also don’t want to make your users hunt for what your site is about. Come up with a statement that relays the intent of your website—what products or services you plan to sell, what demographic you plan to target—to show to the

Come up with content before the design process begins. You should spend a considerable amount of time on the content of your website before you bring your ideas to a web designer. It’s hard to frame a design around little or no substance, and a designer may be able to pull ideas from the content you provide.

“User friendly” should be at the top of your vocabulary. Your website can be expertly designed with bright colors and brilliant content, but if people don’t know how to navigate your site, all of your creativity may be for naught. Don’t compromise design and substance for a good user experience, but try to blend the two together to both attract and retain users.