In web design, the term “masthead” refers to the top part of your web page. Historically a sailing term [used to describe the tall vertical pole supporting the sails of a ship, its use in web design holds a similar meaning.|The term is also used to describe the tall, vertical pole on ships, and there is a relationship between the two usages.] In publishing, a [commanding masthead can introduce a web page brilliantly, and [capture users' attention in order to persuade them to continue reading].|A web page’s masthead supports the rest of that page’s content.] Mastheads can consist of images, brand logos and text. Mastheads are used to attract the attention of site visitors and inform them as to your page’s content. Mastheads are usually designed using software such as FreeHand, Photoshop and Illustrator, but make one using a free website builder that saves you the time and effort of coding|using a free website builder can be a nice time and money-saver]. The potential of your masthead is huge, so don’t underestimate it. Spend time designing this component to maximize its impact. Remember what the goal is here: to quickly tell visitors what your site is about, and why they should continue reading.

The Site’s Content

The meat of most websites, content can be presented in a number of ways. The goal here is to make your content as readable as possible. The best content is arranged in a way that visitors don’t have to think – it presents itself to them seamlessly in a way that naturally flows. There are several ways to achieve this. It’s recommended to use two or three columns of text in your page layout. You might want to have one wider column for your key text, and narrower columns for additional content or advertising. Typography is also a huge factor in creating readable content. Creative, flowery fonts are sometimes ideal for branding but can be extremely uncomfortable when presented in large sections of text. A good rule of thumb is to stay with what you know: Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Georgia and Tahoma. Alignment is also important. Always align your text to the left; justified text is awkward and unpleasant to read. Justified alignment might look best in print, but web typography is a whole other ballgame. Also, try to keep your lines limited to 10-12 words per line. This makes large sections of text easier to approach, and more likely to be read. To achieve this balance, play with the width of your columns and font size.

Navigating Your Site

Navigation, or how easily users find relevant content on your website, is a crucial component to any site’s success]. efficient tools of good site navigation|Navigation can include a menu bar on your homepage, hypertext in your content, and any other linkable content that quickly points visitors to relevant sections of your website]. Many novice web designers fail on this task, and create convoluted sites with difficult-to-interpret navigation. It is extremely off-putting for a visitor to feel lost or confused inside [your website, and the aim of good navigation is to allow users to quickly and easily locate the precise information they are looking for.|] Start out by keeping your content organized and separated onto relevant pages. Identify key pages with short and descriptive labels, such as Home, About and Contact. It is good practice to always include a link to your home page on every sub-page of your site, to orient your users.

Banners & Ads

better ways than others. They are typically found either in the masthead space on the top of the page, or along the sides of the sides|There are certain spots on web pages where ads are usually placed. These include the space next to or above the masthead, below the main title, and inside a side column]. Keep in mind most people don’t like ads]. Particularly ads that have nothing to do with the main site’s content, or are full of loud colors, animation or sounds. Google AdWords’ text-based ads work best, for their minimal approach and keyword-based generation. Arrange your ad space strategically, have it clearly labeled as a place for relevant commercial for your readers. Stay away from loud, colorful or animated ads that will annoy your visitors.

That Space at the Bottom

The area at the very bottom of your web page is [one last opportunity to [place text or design elements onto a web page|where you can put your footer text]]. A recent trend in web design has been marked by the emergence of creative footers, containing more than just the standard legal information and copyright.Footers can be used as navigational devices, directing users to specific places within the website. Corporate websites often provide directions and contact information in a footer. Some footers contain fun images or designs to insert a dash of personality onto a website. Placing a touch of free website design onto a page’s footer can contribute to a site’s branding and identity. Check out Designshak.com for a great example of one such footer| Designshak.com placed site navigation, layout and color selection and more in its footer]. A floating octopus and a colorful umbrella are found in Volll.com’s animated footer content. Use this element to your advantage and fill it with something unique or useful for your site’s overall purpose.

 

And that’s about it! With these basic building blocks under your belt, learning how to make a website should be much easier]. Use your new knowledge to re-visit your favorite websites, paying attention to [the decisions that their web designers made when arranging their basic components. Think about what makes these your favorite sites, in terms of theirlayout and presentation. Pretty soon you'll be spotting components of web pages all over the web, and using this new perspective to evaluate sites differently and on a more involved level.|Have fun spotting these components on pages you visit from now on, and watch out for their organization and design. One of the best ways to improve your own site's web design is to pay attention to what works for others (and what doesn't!). Good luck!]