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Web design is ever changing with the technology available and one can be tempted to use all the bells and whistles. What really shines is a consistent layout. Here are some tips for the best results:

Web design is ever changing with the technology available and one can be tempted to use all the bells and whistles. What really shines is a consistent layout. Here are some tips for the best results:

1. Why You Need a Storyboard. Essentially a flow chart on paper, this is where you build your site and work out any potential problems. Similar to the process in the film industry, storyboarding takes you step-by-step through the creation of your layout. Once the process is finished, you've built your site.

2. The Browser. The Look of your site is largely dependent on how the user has configured their browser. If there are a large number of toolbars and extensions, your page will be compressed, which could affect its appearance. Another issue is the size of the browser on the desktop. For the best overall results (which will affect 95% of users), keep the web design to a viewing size of no more than 776x424 pixels.

3. Simplicity. Whatever you do, don't go for complexity. It will muddy your message and make it harder for users to understand your intention. Keep it simple and you'll get better results.

4. Reliability. An ongoing problem with many web sites is that they aren't focused. Templates are one way of solving the problem. It also will save a great deal of time and effort.

5. Image Slicing. One problem when loading images is that sometimes the graphic is large and/or has a lot of detail. In this case, it's best to use slicing, which breaks the image into sections that load one at a time. This lets the user know that the image is in the process of loading. The user is more likely to wait until the process is finished.

6. Targeting Your Audience. Before you even begin to build a Web site, consider your audience. Before you spend a lot of time and effort, do some research to see if the users will want your product or service. Here, market research is essential and an important step is seeing what keywords are used in searches. One service I recommend for this purpose is WordTracker.