Audience
In order to create a successful website, the purpose of the site must be established and the target audience identified. Creating a website geared towards children would be different than one geared towards adults, for example. Also take into account the type of language that will be used on your site, making sure it is clear, concise, and understandable to viewers.
Design
CSS
CSS stylesheets are the way of the future! By combining all your design elements into this type of file, you can modify the look and feel of your site without ever touching the individual HTML files. CSS Zen Garden is a valuable site that provides loads of insight into the art of CSS design.
Color
Color is a very important part of webdesign as well. Certain colors may promote certain moods or feelings. I usually select one color to begin with and then use The Color Wizard to develop complementary ones.
Content
Obviously content is the most important component of your website. However, be sure to arrange the content in such a way that it is easy to figure out. Don't use paragraph after paragraph of text - no one will read through all of that! Keep it as simple as possible while still getting your point across. For navigational purposes, combine or "cluster" content areas into similar categories.
Standards & Accessibility
The importance of web accessibility is rapidly increasing. Many factors need to be taken into account. For a guide to making your site completely accessible, check out my Module 8 Accessibility Checklist.
