By Kabir Bedi

Website development is a complex procedure. It is an amalgam of several small processes in coordination with one another that makes up the larger picture. There are millions of websites on the World Wide Web. However, some are more successful than the others and some lag behind likewise. Though the basic steps of website development are the same, what makes the difference is the importance placed on key features.

Here are 3 building blocks or a successful website.

1. Clean and Strong Coding
HTML is the foundation of the web. And following closely is the CSS markup. Both the elements form the basic coding of the website and decide the functionality of the same. HTML and CSS markup form the basic structure of a website and their quality eventually determines the quality of the website.

It is very important to build a website with quality code structure and then repeat the debugging process frequently in order to ensure a strong website. By doing things right from the very beginning and base level, you can negate the possibility of problems later on.

Always validate your HTML and CSS. This ensures that the website performs well across all major browsers and operating systems. HTML validity ensures browser compatibility which further ensures maximum accessibility.

User-Friendly Interface
It is very easy to get carried away and incorporate complex functionalities in your website in order to show off your technological expertise. However, often it happens that the interface becomes so complex that users find it difficult to browse through and navigate easily.

Website interfaces should be kept as simple as can be. Complex features often tend to confuse the visitors and distract their attention. They only add up to the visual appearance and do absolutely nothing to enhance the functionality of the website. Fancy interfaces distract the purpose of the website. Therefore, it is best to build a simple and user-friendly website interface that serves to facilitate smooth performance of the website.

Elements and Features on the Website
The elements and features that you incorporate or include in your web pages can either promote website usability or act as a hindrance to website users. Features like Auto-Play Music should be completely avoided. If at all you need to incorporate music on your website, make sure you provide an option to your visitors to turn it off. Likewise, it is not a good idea to use extremely small font sizes no matter how good it looks. Small fonts decrease the readability of website contents and until users are able to read through the website, they cannot understand what you are trying to communicate.

Focus on creating a website that is clean, has a strong interface and can be easily understood. Instead of including cool features and jazzy site elements, build a website that would please your audiences and make them visit again and again.

Kabir Bedi is working as a senior web consultant at LeXolution IT Services, a professional web design firm India. The company provides a range of website design and development services in addition to a host of web site maintenance services such as Web site updates.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com
3 Basic Elements of a Successful Website

When an idea enters your head for a website, the common mistake that people make is they want to rush, as fast as they can, to get the site up on the web. They go out and buy the domain name, they get hosting, they write some articles (if that’s the kind of site) and they put the site on the web. Can anyone here see the problem? They did not spend any time on trying to get a good theme for their website. They were in such a rush to get the site online because they think it will make so much money, they spent no time ensuring that the site had a design that was worth anything.

The common mistake that so many people make when they start a new site is they don’t spend the time (or the money) to get a well constructed design for their site. They find the first thing that they think looks decent and they put it up, not really caring if there are some broken links and images that just don’t fit because in their eyes, it’s really only the content on the site that matters. I agree that the content is what matters; however, what is the very first thing that the visitor is going to see when they come to the site? The design.

The first thing that the visitor is going to see when they come to your site is whether the design looks good or if it looks bad. They are not going to read the articles in the first five seconds. They are going to, chances are, look around and either say, “Wow, this looks really cool” or say, “Wow, this looks really bad.” You don’t want to be the second one.

To prevent against that happening, when you do decide on an awesome idea for a site, spend a bit of money and get a nice design. Get one that fits your niche. If you’re talking about the environment and going green, I don’t recommend that you use black and red for the site. I personally don’t think environment when I see that. Also spend some time really getting a good logo designed. Get one that people are going to stop and say, “Wow!” You want to get the ‘wow’ effect. That will cement the site in their head and by doing that, they will come back again and again.

If your site is one that you want to make big then you should be willing to take the time and potentially spend the money on finding a good design. First impressions are key for anything, whether it is a website or anything else for that matter. If you are going out to dinner with a boss, you want to take the time to really look good. The first impression, if good, could mean that you would be given a promotion. It can also mean negative things.

So, take the time and the money to get a good design. I’m not saying spend hundreds of dollars on one. Just spend some time to try and find one that will suit your site. And, if you have the money, spend it on really getting a good design. The first impression will bring people back to your site time and time again. That is, of course, if the content is also good. But, that’s another topic for another time. Get a good design. First impressions are everything.

Jacob is an avid guitar player as well as a biology major in college with hopes of becoming a professor.  When not blogging on The Webmaster Blog, he is over at his political opinion blog.