More and more businesses are learning the importance of an online presence. If your site isn't effective, your business will not do as well as it could. With the following tricks and tips, you will be able to design an excellent website.

HTML5 video is set to become the next standard for displaying videos on the web and naturally, you should offer both a way in which users can stream your content through an HTML5 format as well as another format such as flash for those who have an older browser version.

Make sure that you prune content that is no longer relevant. If you're talking about events that happened a year ago, you are behind the times. If your website looks neglected and disused, your potential customers will surely take their business elsewhere. Create a timeline for your updates, and clean up any old promotions or information that is not current.

To help your website visitors easily navigate through your site, design it so that it becomes easy to find "stuff." When you have a simple site that makes it easy to locate information, you keep your visitors there much longer. If you make it difficult for them, then they will get frustrated and leave.

Make sure your first page is simple. Your front page can be the determining factor whether a visitor decides to stay or simply exits without seeing more. Describe your business in detail and what it does, but keep other distractions and details to a minimum.

If you believe your site may be accessed via mobile devices, you will want to keep your designs simple. The use of flash, excessive images, and complicated menus will not translate well to a mobile platform. Keep your page clean and simple, or create a specific mobile site for your users.

You should always put in the effort to make a customized error page for your site; this page should include a basic sitemap that links users to the major sections of your website. This ensures that if visitors follow a bad link or spell your URL wrong, they will be able to find what they are looking for.

Apart from the aesthetics of your website, remember that all files included must be small. The reason behind this is because the file sizes will affect how fast your website loads. You want your website to load as quickly as possible. You should also keep in mind that not every visitor will be using a high speed Internet connection. Perform a test of your website to be sure that it will load quickly on every speed of internet connection.

Learning some basic HTML will help you add some interesting extras to your site. For example, you can have words that follow your cursor, or a banner that flashes important information. Make sure to change the colors and fonts occasionally, so you seem more involved with the web site and its design.

It is very important that customers can navigate any website easily. Where all navigation links are placed will have an impact on how long any of your visitors stay on your site. The structure for navigation should be consistent, neat, and easy to use if you want your visitors to enjoy their experience.

Try having a clear and consistent layout in the design of your sites. Clean layouts that make use of a lot of white space tend to enhance the site's readability and overall look. The layout must be focused on the content. Try using fonts that are on every computer in order to avoid having your site appear incorrectly.

Web design is not difficult. Once you know more about the basic principles involved, you should be able to construct a website that will appeal to your visitors and help them find what they need. Try using the tips here.