Web development is a robust space. Developers cannot afford to slack off. Therefore, as a developer, you need to improve your skills by constantly learning to stay on top of the game. But what should be the key areas to succeed? Here, we are highlighting ten secrets that will help you improve your web development skills.

Start with a plan

Always begin with a plan. Ensure that the website you are developing can effectively meet the needs of your client and their site visitors. You need to map out the visitor’s journey from the time they got into your website to the moment they go from one page to another.

Page layout

In web development, a clean page layout is vital. A simple structure yet with attractive features will go a long way in keeping your visitors. A well-structured web page layout makes it easy for the users to navigate through the website.

Navigation

Fostering a good user experience should be your goal. In sync with page layout, navigation is as important. Identify how long a visitor is engaged in your site. If they easily go away, that means they are having trouble looking for the information they need. It is quite important to ensure that your visitors can easily find what they’re looking for.

Use the right images

Use images that will fit with the brand you are trying to showcase. A new rule in web development: Do not use the overly popular free stock photos. Use actual images of your client’s products, employees, and office.

Add some whitespace

The concept of less is more still holds true. Don’t fill every inch of the website with images or texts. Use whitespace as a design element. When whitespace is used suitably, it can actually give any website a polished look.

Implement a responsive design

As a developer, you must know how to optimise sites for mobile. It is 2017, and people are accessing websites using their mobile phones and other handheld devices. Make sure to implement a responsive website to address the needs of your visitors whatever device they are using.

Create search-friendly sites

Business owners want to get found. They want people to know about their brand. That’s why they paid for web development. Your website has to be search friendly. Develop an SEO approach that will take your website on the top results of different search engines. Take into consideration the terms people would use to search for products or services.

Implement calls-to-action

Once users land on your website, will they know how to proceed or what to do next? Most of them will not know what actions to take. Thus, you have to point them towards an action that will convert them into prospects or customers. Don’t shy away from asking your visitors to do something. Tell them to watch the video, subscribe, click for more information, request an assessment, download a sample, or see pricing.

Don’t make changes to a production system

Making changes or updates to a production system is never a good idea. I am sure you have done it once or twice as a developer. Many of security issues, service outages and other problems are triggered by coding on production systems. Make use of development and staging servers in order to test code before implementing the change directly into production.

Take ownership

Every website will experience bugs from time to time. Being a developer, taking ownership of the solutions is critical. You should stand behind your solutions and be quick to handle failure in a calm and calculated manner. Treat your web development projects with high-level of priority. Remember that your goal is to increase the success of your clients through the success of their website. Own your mistakes just as you own your success.