The basic rules
Designing web pages in the last decade of the previous century was something a lot of people did. Most had a WYSIWYG editor on their home PC. Back then the only thing that mattered was: "does it look cool?" Well, things have changed.
Standards compliance
A web page consists of two types of elements; content and presentation. The content consists mainly of text and pictures. Presentation is mainly colour, size and placement. In the past, presentation was an integral part of content. Web standards however state that content and presentation should be separated.
Accessibility
One of the advantages of standards compliance is that people with disabilities—who use non-conventional browsers—can access the content on your page just as easily as those that use a “normal” browser. Not only does this mean your potential public grows in numbers, but some counties are even passing a laws that state that web sites that cannot be accessed by people with disabilities are discriminatory. Not only people can use non-conventional browsers. A hand-held device or mobile phone can also act as a browser. Standard compliance insures that the content is correctly displayed on those devices as well. Also old browsers (and future new browsers) will always be able to display the content correctly.
Search Engine Optimisation
Many companies have Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as their main source of income. Some web designers will charge you extra for SEO. But consider this: a search engine is just another non-conventional browser! Yes, you guessed it, by making your web pages 100% standards compliant, search engines can access the content on your site and index it correctly; with ease!
So, is this the only thing you need to make sure your search engine ranking is as high as possible? No. There are 2 other major factors: age and links. The older your web site is and the more links there are towards your web page (from other web sites) the higher you will rank. Both these factors are not something you can control easily. Age is something only time can do, and links are at the discretion of the owners of those other sites (although you can either ask them or buy it from them). So please don't believe anyone who states they can get you into the top 10 of Google or anyone who says you need to pay extra for SEO.
Usability
It doesn't matter how you access a web page, whether it is by looking at it, listening to it or by braille. Nobody likes being confused and nobody likes being distracted while reading. The main purpose of a web site is usually to convey a message or information. People who are using screen readers will not be able to see your pictures, so you need to provide textual explanations of these. On the other hand, people who are dyslectic or have other problems with text, may benefit from graphics. There is a delicate balance to be considered here.
Animations on a page that are visible while reading can really annoy people. And waiting for a movie to load can get tiring. Don't scare off your potential visitors. Obviously graphical elements can and should be used to make a page look and feel friendly, but don't overdo it. Functionality is much more important than superfluous beauty.
Also remember that navigation is part of content. Keep it simple, clear, logical and above all usable. Don't get excited with flashy menu's that fade in and out, scroll all over place and have screaming colours. Consider this: would you like your doorbell to be a device with protruding «thingies» and transforming shapes so your visitors stand there in awe but have no clue as to where to push? (Granted, sometimes you do; but is this also the case on your web site?)
