Changing the look and feel of your ordinary website isn’t just possible, it’s easier then you think. Every great site has 7 critical design elements; the header, the sidebar, the logo, the footer, the images, the overall UI, and the color scheme.  If you follow this web-design guide, you’ll be able to improve the design on any website in the world.
Pro tip: Remember to only make changes that will compliment your business goals. Don’t waste time making changes that wont make you money! If you’d like to talk to us about a web design project… get in touch!


#1 How To Make Your Header More Useful:


The first place you should start your blog customization is in the header. It is found at the top of a web page, and will be wrapped in a <head> . Your header introduces people to the purpose of your website. The title should clearly explain what your website is all about, and explain the primary goal of your posts. The two most important parts of your header are the site’s title, and the navigation.
Tip: You should make sure your navigation is simple, and easy to understand. A good header has a clear call to action, and it leads visitors towards the places you want them to go. Remember not to overwhelm your visitors with a cluttered header. Here are a few examples of effective website headers.
what websites have the best headerThis header is from optimizly.com. Optimizly is one of the best call-to-actions I’ve ever seen. You can sample their software right from their homepage.

examples of really good website headersBrewSEO was a perfect example of a simple, yet dynamic header. Parts of this header follows you as you scroll down the page. The icons around the logo are unique, as they have a “zoom in, zoom out” effect.

Codecademy is a free “learn how to code” website. You can start your first lesson right from their website’s header.


#2 How To Add Zing To Your Sidebar:


The sidebar is a very crucial element of your site. Sidebars give you additional space to promote important elements in your site.
A eye catching sidebar should include remarkable graphics, navigational elements, links to older posts, and also links to social media sites. A sidebar should be consistent in design.Here are a few well made sidebars.

seomoz sidebar is one of the best sidebar designs

SEOmoz Sidebar


Google Sidebar


Quicksprot Sidebar


SEOmoz Sidebar: This sidebar is from SEOmoz, a the world’s most popular SEO software. The reason this sidebar made our list, is it’s better-then-average “featured blog posts” section. These thumbnails lead you to some of their most sought after SEO guides.
Google Sidebar: This sidebar is from the most popular website in the world, Google.com Google’s sidebar is famously simple, yet it offers insanely useful tools.
Quick Sprout SidebarQuick sprout’s website has a “conversion rate optimization” sidebar. Neil Patel offers testimonials from successful (and somewhat famous) people who’ve benefitted from his advice.


#3 Make Your Logo “POP:”


You should always keep your logo neat and crisp. This is a big part of your brands identity, so keep it high-quality.
A well made logo will capture people’s attention, and makes them read your blog posts. The logo should be placed at the top, and can be made more engaging with illustrations or unique treatment of fonts.
Instead of listing our favorite logos (which is almost impossible, because there are way too many good logos to choose from,) we’re going to list good logo websites.
Dribbble is a community of highly skilled designers. You can always find good logos on this site.

Logopond is a site that is dedicated to collecting all the logos in the world. Although, you’ll find thousands of amazing logos on Logopond, it isn’t as “monitored” as Dribbble. Logopond has a mix of good, and not-so-good logos on this site (IMO.)

Brands Of The World is the 3rd best collection of good logos. Most of these logos are established brands, but you can always find examples of cutting edge design. They also have a sister website called Ads Of The World, both sites are worth visiting.


#4 Avoid Using Flashy Elements:


You have to attract the attention of your prospects, but that doesn’t mean that you will be using flashy texts, blinks, or gaudy colors. All these will make your site look amateurish and unprofessional. Grab viewer’s attention by posting quality articles, and not loud graphics! There is also no need to add animated elements. It will simply end up annoying your readers!
Here is a good list of things to avoid doing on your website.


#5 Do Not Ignore The Footer:


Just because it is found at the base, it doesn’t imply that you will pay no heed at all. Make it more usable by incorporating links that will take users to other significant parts of your site. Do not overdo it with excessive color or graphics. Keep it neat and simple.
how to improve a website
This website footer is from The Everywhereist (A blog of the funniest travel tips in the world.) This footer has it all. The footer allows you to sign up for a newsletter, it shows thumbnails from the authors flicker profile, it displays a twitter stream, it directs you to social networks, and it’s topped off with a “zingy” skyline design.


#6 The Power Of A “better then average” Image:


Rule #1, images should always compliment your content. Whatever topic you write about should be supported with great looking images. This way it will help in enhancing the visual appeal and engage visitors. An idea or concept can be easily explained to your visitors with the application of meaningful photos. Make sure that the pictures are well formatted for creating a greater visual impact.
Pro Tip: Stop using stock photography. It’s cheap for a reason. Instead use illustrations, or edited photos, like this one.


#7 Readability Counts:


A quick and effective way to improve the look is using software that helps you to alter background colors. In doing this, the readability factor should be kept in mind. The text should be easier to read, i.e. it should be easy on reader’s eyes. The text color should be distinct from the other aspects, and not clash with the background color used. Proper spacing of text is also vital for making the content user-friendly.
the definitive blog design guide Portent Interactive has an brilliant website. This sites design is made exponentially better by using shades of grey (instead of the standard white.)
What are your views on this topic? Share your comments below.

By: Hema Gupta. Hemma is a social media analyst and marketer at Webguru India. She is lives in constant interaction with the online world. When Hema isn’t working, she uses social media to keep up with the (quickly) changing trends of internet marketing. You can follow Webguru on Facebook.