Technical Articles
What are the 7 principles of Web Design? In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, creating a website that stands out is more important than ever. Whether you’re building a personal blog, an e-commerce site, or a corporate platform, adhering to web design best practices can significantly enhance user experience and engagement. Among these best practices are the seven fundamental principles of web design that every designer should keep in mind. Let’s delve into each of these principles to understand how they contribute to effective web design.
1. Balance
Balance in web design refers to the distribution of visual elements on a page. It can be symmetrical or asymmetrical but should always create a sense of harmony. Symmetrical balance involves evenly distributing elements on either side of a central axis, while asymmetrical balance uses different elements that still achieve equilibrium.
Achieving balance helps guide users’ eyes across your website and makes it easier for them to digest information. For instance, if you have a large image on one side of the page, consider placing text or smaller images on the opposite side to create visual stability.
2. Contrast
Contrast is crucial for making certain elements stand out and ensuring readability. It involves using opposing colors, sizes, shapes, and textures to highlight important features on your site. For example, using dark text on a light background enhances readability and draws attention to key messages.
Incorporating contrast not only improves aesthetics but also enhances usability by guiding users toward calls-to-action (CTAs) and essential information. When designing your website, think about how you can use contrast effectively without overwhelming visitors with too many competing elements.
3. Emphasis
Emphasis is all about making specific parts of your design stand out more than others. This principle helps direct users’ attention where it matters most—whether that’s a headline, an image, or a call-to-action button.
You can achieve emphasis through size (larger elements attract more attention), color (bright colors draw focus), and placement (elements positioned higher up tend to be noticed first). By strategically emphasizing certain aspects of your site, you can guide users towards desired actions like signing up for newsletters or making purchases.
4. Movement
Movement in web design refers to how users navigate through your site and how their eyes move across its various components. Good movement ensures that visitors can easily follow along with the content without feeling lost or overwhelmed.
To enhance movement on your website:
- Use directional cues like arrows or lines.
- Create visual hierarchies with headings and subheadings.
- Incorporate animations judiciously; subtle transitions can help maintain user interest without being distracting.
By considering movement in your design process, you create an intuitive experience that keeps users engaged longer.
5. White Space
Often overlooked but incredibly powerful, white space (or negative space) refers to areas without content—essentially the empty spaces surrounding elements on your page. White space plays an essential role in improving readability and comprehension by preventing cluttered designs that overwhelm visitors.
Using white space effectively allows for better organization of content and provides breathing room for users as they navigate through information. It also helps emphasize key components by isolating them from surrounding content—making them pop even more!
6. Typography
Typography encompasses not just font choice but also font size, spacing, line height, and overall legibility of text on your website. Good typography enhances user experience by ensuring that written content is easy to read across various devices.
When selecting fonts:
- Choose fonts that align with your brand identity.
- Limit yourself to two or three complementary typefaces.
- Ensure adequate contrast between text color and background color for maximum readability.
By prioritizing typography as part of web design best practices, you make sure that visitors can easily consume information without straining their eyes.
7. Consistency
Consistency across all pages of your website fosters familiarity among users while reinforcing brand identity. This principle applies not only to visual elements like colors and fonts but also extends to tone-of-voice in written content as well as functionality across different sections of the site.
To maintain consistency:
- Use similar layouts for related pages.
- Stick with established color schemes throughout.
- Ensure navigation menus are uniform across all pages so users know what to expect when they click around.
A consistent approach builds trust with visitors—making them feel comfortable exploring further into what you have to offer!
What are the 7 Principles of Web Design? – Conclusion
Understanding these seven principles of web design is essential for anyone looking to create effective websites that adhere to web design best practices. By focusing on balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, white space, typography, and consistency in your designs—not only will you enhance aesthetic appeal—but you’ll also improve usability leading ultimately towards higher engagement rates!
Whether you’re just starting out in web development or looking for ways to refine existing projects—keeping these principles at heart will undoubtedly elevate both user experience and satisfaction!
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Business Articles
What is a Web Design Professional?
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses and individuals alike. A well-designed website can make the difference between attracting customers and losing them to competitors. This is where a professional web designer comes into play. But what exactly does it mean to be a web design professional? Let’s delve into the world of web design and explore the roles, skills, and importance of these experts.
The Role of a Professional Web Designer
A professional web designer is responsible for creating visually appealing and functional websites. Their primary goal is to ensure that users have an excellent experience when navigating through the site. This involves several key tasks:
1. Visual Design
The visual aspect of a website includes everything from layout and color schemes to typography and imagery. A professional web designer must have a keen eye for aesthetics and understand how different elements work together to create an engaging user experience.
2. User Experience (UX) Design
User experience design focuses on making websites easy to use and navigate. A professional web designer conducts user research, creates wireframes, and tests prototypes to ensure that the final product meets the needs of its target audience.
3. Responsive Design
With the increasing use of mobile devices, it’s essential for websites to be accessible on various screen sizes. Professional web designers employ responsive design techniques to ensure that websites look great on desktops, tablets, and smartphones alike.
4. Coding Skills
While not all web designers are required to code, having a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can be beneficial. It allows them to communicate more effectively with developers and make minor adjustments without relying on others.
Essential Skills for a Professional Web Designer
To excel in their role, professional web designers need a diverse set of skills:
1. Creativity
Creativity is at the heart of web design. A professional web designer must be able to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions that capture users’ attention.
2. Technical Proficiency
Understanding various design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), Sketch, or Figma is crucial for creating high-quality designs.
3. Communication Skills
Effective communication is vital in translating client requirements into actionable design plans. Professional web designers must be able to articulate their ideas clearly and collaborate with other team members.
4. Attention to Detail
A keen eye for detail ensures that every element on the website aligns perfectly with the overall design concept.
5. Problem-Solving Abilities
Web design often involves overcoming challenges related to usability or technical constraints. A professional web designer should be adept at finding solutions that enhance user experience without compromising on aesthetics.
The Importance of Hiring a Professional Web Designer
Hiring a professional web designer offers numerous benefits:
1. First Impressions Matter
Your website is often the first point of contact between you and potential customers or clients—making it essential for your site’s appearance reflects your brand’s values accurately from day one.
2 .Improved User Experience
A well-designed website ensures visitors can easily find what they’re looking for—leading directly towards higher engagement rates & conversion rates over time!
3 .Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Professional designers understand how important SEO practices are; they incorporate these strategies during development stages so search engines rank sites higher organically!
4 .Consistency Across Platforms & Devices
Ensuring consistency across different platforms/devices helps build trust among users while providing seamless experiences regardless if accessed via desktop/laptop/mobile/tablet etc., thus increasing overall satisfaction levels significantly too!
Conclusion
In conclusion: being considered “a true” professional within this field requires more than just artistic talent alone—it demands comprehensive knowledge spanning multiple disciplines including UX/UI principles alongside technical proficiencies coupled together seamlessly underpinned by strong communication/problem-solving abilities throughout entire project lifecycles consistently delivering exceptional results time after time again ultimately driving business success forward exponentially faster than ever before possible previously imagined! So next time when thinking about revamping/updating existing site—or even starting fresh altogether anew—consider investing wisely upfront hiring experienced professionals who know exactly what takes achieve desired outcomes efficiently effectively every single step along way ensuring maximum return investment long-term basis guaranteed!
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News From The Studio
Open To All
Thank you all for being such wonderful clients, customers, supporters and friends of Shadowbend Studios. During these recent tough times, we value your support more than ever, and we want to let you know that we support and welcome you—no matter who you are, what you look like, who you love, what you believe in or where you are from.
Joining Open to All® means we are making an explicit commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for people—including employees, visitors, customers, vendors, and clients—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion, or disability. Not only that, we’ve signed the Open To All pledge not to discriminate against any individuals or deny them goods or services based on any of these characteristics, and to provide all goods and services to everyone on the same terms.
We joined the Open to All® coalition of hundreds of thousands of businesses nationwide because we believe we all have something to contribute. We believe we can all learn from one another. We believe that when we work together, when we value our employees, when we care for our customers and one another, we all thrive.
The Open to All® campaign is also supported by more than 200 national and state civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBTQ organizations and community centers; health and healthcare advocates, disability advocates, and inclusive faith organizations; and more.
Of course, we know that this is just a step on the long road towards achieving full equality for all. Shadowbend Studios is in this for the long haul, that’s why we’re committing to listening, learning, and continuing to find ways to better serve you.
If you’d like to learn more about this campaign, visit www.OpenToAll.com.
#shadowbendstudios, #opentoall, #enddiscrimination, #equality
Monday Morning Marketing
Optimize Your Site – Shadowbend Studios Monday Morning Marketing
Optimize your site – Most of us have heard about Website Optimization, Search Engine Optimization, Mobile Optimization etc. Website Optimization is the process of testing a new site using multiple platforms and devices to make sure that the site does not have any coding issues that are browser specific. There are instances where a site will look perfectly fine on one particular browser but may have some quirks when being presented on a different browser. Website Optimization is the opportunity to address and correct those quirks.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is used to help websites get found and ranked by search engines (such as Google). There are many elements which comprise an effective SEO optimization campaign such as relevant keyword research, backlinks, onsite optimization (alt tags for images, meta descriptions, header tags, etc.) and the appropriate amount of text on your pages with a good keyword density. Luckily there are many excellent tools out there to help you achieve this: From Yoast SEO and Schema – All In One Schema Rich Snippets to Majestic and Moz, there are ample resources to get your site in tip top shape.
Mobile Optimization is the process of making sure that your site loads quickly, looks good and is easily navigable on mobile devices like smart phones and tablets. Here are some interesting statistics according to an April 22nd, 2020 article on Oberlo:
- There are 3.5 billion cell phone users worldwide.
- Adults in the United States spend an average of 2 hours and 55 minutes on their phones daily.
- 2/3rds of people shopping on the internet use apps on their mobile devices.
- Mobile web traffic accounts for 52.6 of global web traffic.
- 69% of users shopping on the internet prefer to look up reviews on their mobile devices rather than asking in-store staff.
Optimizing your website is a critical step in the foundation for an effective business marketing strategy!
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You can also subscribe to the “Shadowbend Digest”, our “low-impact”, friendly and informative newsletter
Client Showcase
Shadowbend Studios Client Showcase – Advanced Eyecare Optometry
Our client showcase posts serve as an opportunity for you to meet and get to know some of the wonderful people and businesses I have had the chance to work with over the years. This week’s post features:
Advanced Eyecare Optometry
I have been working with Dr. Robert and Janet Turcios over at Advanced Eyecare Optometry for the better part of 10 years. We have provided photography, videography, graphic design, web development, website hosting, search engine optimization, web security and social media marking services for the entire office in their previous location as well as their new location right here in Pleasant Hill! On a side note, my family goes to Advanced Eyecare Optometry for our annual eye exams! It’s always very satisfying when business services can go both ways!
A little bit about Advanced Eyecare Optometry
(from the “Our Office” page on the Advanced Eyecare Optometry website)
At Advanced Eyecare Optometry, the doctors are thoroughly trained in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of vision disorders and eye disease. They utilize state-of-the art equipment such as the Zeiss OCT Optos Retinal Scanning Laser, and Humphrey Auto-Refractor and Visual Field Analyzer, which provides a higher level of care. This facilitates the early detection and management of eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataract which helps preserve your vision!Examinations also include the detection and treatment of eye muscle imbalance, poor eye coordination and reduced focusing ability, which are common problems among children and 40+ year olds.When indicated, the doctors fit any contact lenses required, including specialty lenses for astigmatism, monovision, (simultaneous far and near vision), or bifocal needs, as well as colored contact lenses for those who desire a “different look”.
If you are interested in laser eye surgery, (LASIK), the doctors will determine if you are a good candidate, and will provide the pre- and post-op management to insure a good outcome for this procedure.
Should you choose to wear eyeglasses, Advanced Eyecare Optometry offers a modern eyewear boutique with hundreds of styles to from which to choose. The licensed opticians are trained to help you select fashionable eyewear that compliments your lifestyle and fashion sense, all in a relaxed, friendly, caring atmosphere.
If you are looking for someone to help you with all your eyecare needs, then call Advanced Eyecare Optometry today. We’ll put your needs in focus!
You can visit the Advanced Eyecare Optometry website here.
Visit our Blog Page for more Client Showcases!
You can also subscribe to the “Shadowbend Digest”, our “low-impact”, friendly and informative newsletter
Wednesday Wisdom
Shadowbend Studios Wednesday Wisdom – Compress Your Images
Good morning and happy Wednesday everyone. This week’s bit of Wednesday Wisdom is about compressing the image files that you plan to use for your website to help keep your site load speeds fast and effective!
Nearly every website contains media files: pdfs, videos, photos etc. and an often overlooked aspect of web design and development is image compression. Websites like MachMetrics monitor site loading speeds and mention that the optimal time for a site to load is 3 seconds or less. I checked the Shadowbend Studios website on Pingdom and found that it loads in 2.97 seconds!
Why is this important?
Your website load speed is important for a few reasons. First of all your visitors attention spans are getting shorter every day. You want you site to load quickly so that your visitors can begin enjoying your site right away. Slow loading speeds can also trigger server time outs which will cause your site to lag or stop loading completely.
Compressing your images is one of the easiest and most effective way of speeding up your website load times. Websites rarely need an image file with a resolution larger than 72 or 96dpi and I try to keep most of my images under 1900 pixels wide. This helps to keep your file sizes under 100-200kb. There are many ways you can achieve image compression. There are WordPress plugins like Optimole, Imagify and Smush and you can always utilize software like Photoshop to get your images the right size before you even upload them to your site. On a side note, if you do compress your images before uploading them, always make sure to save a copy of the original (pre-compressed) image.
Visit our Blog Page for more Wednesday Wisdom!
You can also subscribe to the “Shadowbend Digest”, our “low-impact”, friendly and informative newsletter
Client Showcase
Shadowbend Studios Welcomes
Scot Harvest, Pirate Santa
At Shadowbend Studios back in late March, Sandy and I wanted to take some time to check in with our clients to see how they, their families and their businesses were coping with the Covid-19 pandemic and all it entails. So, we sent out a simple questionnaire to all of our clients. Typically our Client Showcases’ talk about a specific client, their business and what Shadowbend Studios did for them. Our Covid-19 Version asked each of our clients the same 5 questions to see how they’re responding and adapting to life during a pandemic.
We have known Scot Harvest for years and can honestly say “Yes Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus!” Scot Harvest embraces his roles as Pirate Santa or just Santa, often times with his beautiful wife, aka Mrs. Claus, for many different functions, special events and occasions. His specialty is unique Santa crossovers. If you are interested in having Scot attend a special event you’ll need to book him early because his schedule starts to fill up months before December. He is also open to charity events and good causes. Here is what Scot had to say:
1. How are you, your families and your business doing?
Our family is doing FANTASTIC! We rally as a family and keep each other in good spirits, healthy and supported.
2. How has this pandemic affected your business?
My trade (plumber) has suffered somewhat in that its impossible to do social distancing while working on someone’s bathroom / kitchen issues.
My seasonal work as a Santa Claus portrayal actor is MUCH worse and is in risk of loosing the personal visit side of the work. Santa with a MASK is not an option!
3. What strategies are you using to cope (professionally and/or personally)?
Personally I have a VERY upbeat and optimistic attitude… this too shall pass.
Professionally I hope to take Santa into peoples home with the virtual opportunities available to me and my brothers in red.
4. What could you use help with (professionally and/or personally)?
I need help getting the Holiday Season Santa options out to current/potential clients with as much grace and poise as possible with an online presence.
5. What are you looking forward to when the shelter in place mandates are lifted?
Physical contact with loved ones HUGS!
If you or someone you know, would like to connect with Scot Harvest, aka. Santa Claus, aka Pirate Santa, book an event or special occasion or learn more about him, here is his contact information:
Scot Harvest, Pirate Santa
(707)980-8980
Scotthered@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/Pirate-Santa
Be sure to let him know Shadowbend Studios sent you!
For more from Client Showcase, check out Shadowbend Studios Blog Page
Client Showcase
Shadowbend Studios Welcomes
Janaki Costello, Loving Arms Childbirth Services
At Shadowbend Studios back in late March, Sandy and I wanted to take some time to check in with our clients to see how they, their families and their businesses were coping with the Covid-19 pandemic and all it entails. So, we sent out a simple questionnaire to all of our clients. Typically our Client Showcases’ talk about a specific client, their business and what Shadowbend Studios did for them. Our Covid-19 Version asked each of our clients the same 5 questions to see how they’re responding and adapting to life during a pandemic.
Our first respondent is Janaki Costello. Janaki is the Founder of Loving Arms Childbirth Services and teaches childbirth preparation. She has been working with pregnant women, their partners and families since 1975. Her passion for helping moms with pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding began with her own three children, now grown. Janaki is also a proud grandmother of five amazing grandchildren! Here is what she had to say:
1. How are you, your families and your business doing?
We have converted our classes to online childbirth education entirely. We are doing well personally
2. How has this pandemic affected your business?
Registrations are down for all classes after May and we are hoping to attract more pregnant students. We are spending quite a lot of time working to stay on top of all the new medical & clinical guidelines about birthing in the time of Covid-19.
3. What strategies are you using to cope (professionally and/or personally)?
Professionally we attend webinars and classes on new online teaching strategies. Personally getting outside in nature, meditation and connecting with family as much as possible either virtually or physical distancing outdoors helps.
4. What could you use help with (professionally and/or personally)?
Attracting more registrations! Providing more support in postpartum for the new families without the usual means of family/professional support.
5. What are you looking forward to when the shelter in place mandates are lifted?
HUGS!!! Although we have discovered some new and exciting teaching materials we will continue to use, we are looking forward to teaching in person, hands-on as this is far more appropriate for childbirth education.
We are right there with you Janaki! Virtual hugs all around! And using this time to reorganize, retrain and reconnect with the basics is a great idea during all this down time! If we were pregnant right now, we’d definitely be using a Doula!
If you or someone you know, would like to connect with Janaki Costello, Loving Arms Childbirth Services or learn more about her classes, here is her contact information:
Janaki Costello
Loving Arms Childbirth.
info@lovingarmschildbirthservices.com/
(510) 525-1155
Be sure to let her know Shadowbend Studios sent you!
For more from Client Showcase, check out Shadowbend Studios Blog Page
Monday Morning Marketing
A successful content marketing strategy is telling your business’s story in a way that attracts, engages and delights your audience through each stage of the buyer’s journey. All of which you’ll learn how to do in this course.
So what exactly is a content marketing strategy? According to the Oxford dictionary it is “a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.”
social media is an integral part of a content marketing strategy
So what are you doing for your business’ content marketing strategy? How is your story unique to you and your brand? In these uncertain economic times its imperative to have an online presence. Being sure your message is a unique one is just as important.
With Social and Physical Distancing taking center stage in the world right now its important to remember a few things:
- Many people are turning to online platforms for shopping, news, entertainment, etc.
- Its much easier to sell yourself or your business with a proven strategy.
- We all have more time now to concentrate on building our brand and the way we need to do business NOW.
Hubspot is a great resource for learning. And there’s never been a better time for some FREE online classes you can take from the privacy of your own home! Here’s a great course to learn about content marketing strategies! Check it out here!
And remember Shadowbend Studios is always here to help you with all your businesses online marketing needs!
For more from Monday Morning Marketing, check out Shadowbend Studios Blog Page
Sources:https://www.oed.com/ https://academy.hubspot.com
Client Showcase
Client Showcase
One of the pleasures of our work is the fact that we get to meet and interact with people from a huge cross-section of businesses and industries. In working with these people, we are allowed to enter their world and for a brief time we become experts (at least in our own minds 😉 ) at what they do and how they do it. Shadowbend Studios’ Client Showcase is our way of paying homage to the hard work accomplished through our collaboration with these amazing businesses and business owners.
“Rocco’s Ristorante Pizzeria”
I have been working with Rocco of Rocco’s Ristorante Pizzeria in Walnut Creek for over twelve years. Walnut Creek’s Rocco Biale grew up in the restaurant industry. He’s held just about every job in food service, from busboy to owner. Biale recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of his restaurant, where he spends each day, alongside his three adult children, who also work at the Ygnacio Valley Road eatery. In between serving pizza to hungry patrons, he is also committed to helping the community during the recent Covid-19 outbreak by serving up hot food for healthcare workers on the front lines in Contra Costa County.
You can volunteer to help Rocco’s efforts by signing up here to deliver food to local hospitals.
We are Proud to Serve Rocco Biale of Rocco’s Ristorante Pizzeria!
Over the many years and many iterations of Rocco’s website, Shadowbend Studios has been proud to serve him! From website design and development to website hosting, security and social media marketing, there hasn’t been much we haven’t done for Rocco. We’ve even done graphic design and photography for him too! And throughout it all, we’ve been happy to serve such an upbeat and successful restaurateur committed to creating his own individual web presence with Shadowbend Studios.
Contact us today to find out Shadowbend Studios Can help you with your web presence!
For more from the Shadowbend Studios Blog Page
