You must have surely come across a website which glued you to it for hours end. You must have also come across a website which made you exit from it within a couple of seconds. Why does it so happen? The main reason lies in the way a website is designed. Some websites are designed keeping in mind the utility and visual effect while some websites are not as pleasing and functional. It is a natural human tendency to move away from something which is not attractive and useful. Web designing has come a long way from the times when they were relatively simple. Today, web designing has become a much more complex phenomenon and requires conforming to a certain set of web designing fundamentals to create that perfect website.
Web Designing Fundamentals:

Let us take a look at 5 web designing fundamentals which you should be aware of:

Visual Hierarchy

The visual hierarchy demonstrates how the different parts of a website should be prioritized and structured so that the most important parts instantly catch the human eye. Not all parts of your website carry equal importance. Certain parts are more important than others.It should be remembered that more often than not, users do not read but only scan the page. They are basically impatient. It is necessary for a web designer to direct a reader’s eye to the parts which are more important like your business objective, information about your brand or call to action or to the parts which user consider as the most reasonable option. Make sure that the ranking of the components is done as per your business objective.

Less is More: A cluttered website will only confuse and drive away visitors. Too many options in a menu of a restaurant will not only confuse you, but will also not allow you to take a quick decision.Similarly, a website with too many options will leave a visitor wandering aimlessly and not choose anything at all. Information should be filtered for quick and easy decision making. Too many options of tabs and clicks will act as an obstruction and will not help a user to smoothly interact with the website. Do not test a reader’s patience. The less thinking and action required from the user’s end, the better it is.

Typography:Things like font size, font style, color, line length, spacing and paragraphing may be small things, but they contribute in a big way to make a website a success.Using the right font style will reflect a lot about you and your business. Font size should be large enough for the readers to easily read and should be consistent throughout your website. Sentences of your text should not be so long so as to make your readers lose track of what you were trying to convey. Color should not be used to decorate your website, but rather to bring a warm and balanced feel.Spacing and paragraphing are also important things to consider to create a feel good factor.

White spacing and Proportions:In order to give a clean look to your website and communicate your message clearly, it is necessary to keep enough white space. A page devoid of white space, and congested with various texts and images, create a feeling of discomfort in the reader’s mind.In addition, your website should be well sized to fit the screen. It should not be too big or too small and should have the right proportion. Components like texts, visuals, tabs etc., should blend harmoniously in the space.

Navigational Tools:In a website, perhaps nothing is as important as creating a navigational route that can be easily trailed. What can be more frustrating for a user than being unable to discover where are they are or where they need to go or rather where they can go? It is essential for the user to easily identify the road signs so that they can quickly respond and navigate within your site. The use of large imagery, large icons and large buttons on your web page will not only catch the reader’s eyes but also allow him to act swiftly. It is necessary to give a thought to the placement of buttons on your website.

Apart from the five main web designing fundamentals mentioned above,Consistency, Sharpness and Alignment are also as essential. Good websites are those which can speak volumes. The more you garner information about designing and its various principles, the better you will be in a position to create a well-equipped website.