There are really only three simple principles for producing web page layouts with impact; simplicity, consistency and contrast. Apply these principles to your web page designs and watch how they produce a layout that gets noticed.

Keep your layout simple and you will create a ‘look and feel’ that is instantly recognisable, uncomplicated and effective at getting your message across. Try to keep the number of different elements on your page to no more than 5. For example, you may have a logo, headline & copy, opt-in box, navigation and photo, on your home page. You want each element to have a purpose for being there, and if it’s not there for a good reason, remove it.

Surround your elements with plenty of ‘white space’, which makes everything appear clear and uncluttered. When you want an element to stand out, surround it with a little more ‘white space’. Align your elements both vertically or horizontally across the page. If you divide your page into a grid you can see where to align each component. Notice where your eye is drawn to.

Make your design consistent. By doing this you create unity and give integrity to your website. Consistency also imparts, in a very subtle way, a sense of credibility to your site and message. Inconsistency is distracting and jarring to the eye, and is a lot more noticable too. Use a consistent colour scheme with 2 or 3 matching colours.

Keep all your spacing regular. Use a template for every page with the same spacing between all the elements. Your choice of fonts should also be consistent. Most browsers will only support a handful of fonts anyway, so it’s best to stick to the favourites, such as Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana. Stick to 2 or 3 fonts at most, but use them for the same purpose throughout your website. Repeat important elements across all your pages in the same place, such as your logo or navigation.

And create some contrast. Contrast can be used make an element stand out and draw the visitors eye to it. To your consistent colour scheme, you could add a contrasting colour to highlight a specific element. You can also make it stand out with different fonts, font sizes, or strong colours. Try a bold statement, headline, striking photograph or highlight an element with a different backgound colour.

Now add these all together as you layout your web pages and notice the difference.