Web Design Tips: 01/26/09
By: John Vinson
Never use image backgrounds: The only time that anyone should ever see an image background on anything related to you, is if it’s on MySpace. Even then if your using your MySpace account as a business portal, then don’t use background images.
There’s a couple of reasons why background images are a no-no, with no positives to gain from them. First, background images generally scream ‘tacky’, and give off a lower-quality feel to a site.
What’s even more of a grievous offense, is that background images for a site slow down the loading of your site. Which should always be a top priority when coming up with a design.
Some, will tell you that there are times that image backgrounds are ok. I think that with the right use of color, and using images for separate sections of your site is much more effective.
Put a menu, and home button on every page: This might seem like an obvious tip, but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve visited a site with little to no options for navigation. These places, you click on a link and you’re at the page and only have your back button to rely on to get anywhere.
This is counter-intuitive, and can be a real detraction for users. So, make sure that every page you have has a mneu for navigation where users want to go. Then, make sure you have a visible option to return to your home page.
