At Vision ICT, we take pride in creating websites that are not only visually appealing, but also easy for our clients to manage and update. However, as with any technology, errors can occur during use. In this blog post, we'll share some tips and best practices for maintaining a professional web design, with a focus on avoiding common mistakes that can compromise the integrity of your site. We understand that errors can happen, but by following these simple guidelines, you can minimize the risk of having your website look unfinished or unprofessional and ensure a positive experience for your users.

Using Heading Components Effectively

Using heading components is a great way to break up your web page and make it easier to read. However, it's important to be mindful of accidentally leaving placeholder text, such as "New Headings Text," which can make your website look unfinished. Be sure to delete any unnecessary text to ensure a polished final product.

Adding ALT Text to Images

Incorporating images into your website is a powerful way to engage with your audience. However, it's crucial to add alt text to all images to make them accessible for those who use screen readers or have visual impairments. Alt text also helps search engines understand the content of your page, which can improve your site's visibility in search results.

Best Practices for News Stories

When adding news stories to your website, be sure to avoid putting the entire story in the short description box. Instead, keep descriptions brief and similar in length to maintain consistency. Try look at your website like a newspaper: the Heading is the headline, the Short Description is the sentence in bold at the start of the story and Description is everything else.

Additionally, use either no pictures or pictures for each news story to keep your site looking clean and professional. Limiting the number of news stories on the home page to around 9 will ensure that the content is relevant and doesn't clutter the page.

Maintaining Balance in Multiple Columns

If you're using multiple columns on your web page, it's important to keep them even in length to create a balanced design. Avoiding imbalanced columns will help maintain a clean and professional look for your website.

Consistent Headings

Using the same heading for similar items, such as headings, blocks of links, and documents, helps ensure that your page's styling remains consistent. Properly using headings settings will create a cohesive and polished design.

Pasting from External Sources

When pasting text from external sources, such as Word documents, be sure to use the "paste plain text" option (the second of the two paste icons on the top row of the editing icons). This will remove any unwanted formatting that could disrupt your website's design. Not using this option can result in messy or unprofessional-looking text that's inconsistent with your website's styling.