Take a look around some websites. Some are much better than others and you know it from the start. Why is that? The first thing you are introduced to is a layout (or an enter sign). This layout tells a lot about a site. Do the tables match up? Is the banner image stretched? Is there any obvious talent? You are judging a site often by its appearance. That is why it is so critical to have an eye-appealing layout that represents your site.
Starting Out
You want your layout to represent your site and be attractive. You want it to show your visitors that your site is worth spending time at, coming back to, and telling friends about. I have broken down a layout into components. Hopefully by the end of this you will get a new layout that will do your site justice and gain repeat visitors and fans.
Theme
When selecting or creating a weblayout, you need to keep in mind what your site is about. If it is about shoes, you probably wouldn't select a layout featuring books. That just wouldn't make sense, right? You might select a layout related to shoes, such as a store, a brand, a shoe style, etc. This is the part where you grab a pen. Got it? Okay. So write down what your site is about. Make a full list. See a common theme? Hopefully you do. Keep that in mind as we move on.
Colors
What's the worse part about getting dressed in the dark? Well, forget about putting your clothes on backwards. It's the unmatching clothes, right? Exactly. Colors on a website work the same way. You want to make sure the colors you select are visible, appealing, and work well together. Neon yellow and brown don't work well. So I recommend you make your own color pallette or get one free here. Select something that would work well with your theme. Use hex codes within your style to blend the colors. Use colors found in your images or select images with your already selected colors. Make sure your text is easy to read.
Layout Style
Choosing a style of layout is difficult, especially if you are not a wiz at coding. It takes me forever to be able to code as well as my brother for example. If you are great at coding, just browse through sites and decide on a style. Maybe you want a drop down menu? Maybe two sidebars? Or maybe you want an image map? Whatever you choose, make sure it works in BOTH IE and FireFox. If you are not so great at coding, your best bet would be to find a premade layout or use a layout template. We have both here at NeopetsGuide. Choose a style and go with it. Make sure you will be able to handle the type of coding and will have no proble editing it.
Your layout style is very important because it will decide how easy your site is to navigate. Make sure that a first time visitor will have no problem at all finding the links. Don't make it too image-based or else it will take ages to load and a visitor might get fed-up with waiting and leave. Test and test. Make sure you choose a layout that is both IE and FireFox tested.
Graphics
Always try your best on the graphics for your layout. This is the first representation visitors will have of your content. You want your layout to be the best thing you have to offer. If you are not great at graphics, try using a graphic service or asking a site to kindly help. Or you can find premade banners, which always work well. Graphics are very important!
Notes
I hope your site finds the perfect layout. I hope this little guide has helped you perfect your layout and made your site better than ever.
Shalane