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With modern software tools, website design and publishing has become easier than ever before. No longer do you have to figure out the language of computer codes, instead these tools provide a simple, intuitive, graphical template with which to design. But this simplicity does not guarantee you a great web site. It is still up to you to put thought into your design, otherwise you could easily churn out and unreadable or even unusable site. This article will help you avoid this by offering general guidelines important for good website design using any web design software package.

The first rule of thumb for graphic design is to design web pages that are easy to read. Many people have visited sites with fancy, complex backgrounds only to find that the text and the content was unreadable against the background. The text color should be highlighted by the background through the use of opposing colors, such as black and white. Where a fancy background is desired, text blocks should be offset with by a background consisting of a single, opposing color.

The text should be large enough to easily read, but not so big that a small passage consumes the entire page. Headline text should be centered, while paragraph text should be justified on both sides. Fully justified text is supported by modern browsers. Older browsers will simply ignore the command, and align the text on the left side only. Just like in a newspaper, fully justified text, neatly aligned on both sides, makes columns more apparent and the page more appealing. Finally, the color of link text should make links easily distinguishable from normal text.

Easy navigation of the web site is the next subject of these graphic design guidelines. In order for the site to be considered accessible, each page should be accessible in no more than three clicks from the site's starting page. A menu system or table of contents is important for maintaining a site's organization and accessibility. To this end, frames are useful for keeping the visitor anchored to the main page's table of contents, while the content itself is presented inside a second frame of the main page.

A web site should be easy to find. The use of carefully chosen keywords sprinkled throughout the site will make it easier for search engines to list the site appropriately according to the subject matter. A properly listed site will be easier to find by people using search engines. Many search engines provide forms for search engine submission. Using these forms will also help the search engines find and properly categorize the web site.

These graphical design guidelines, with help from up-to-date software, will allow even a new web designer to create a site that will interest any audience with its clear presentation of its content. After getting a little experience, a web designer can work toward applying for web design jobs that are available.

The most important thing to remember about using graphic design to create a web page, is to keep it easy to read. The proper use of keywords is critical to making a web site a popular web site. Search engines also provide forms for search engine submission which will further help the search engine serve your site to people who are seeking sites on a particular subject. These design guidelines, with help from up-to-date software, will help a web designer create a site that will interest the audience. After getting a little experience, a web designer can work toward applying for web design jobs that are available.