It has always been the goal of web developers and designers to design and develop beautiful and effective websites. Whether you are a single person or an organization that wants to start a personal blog or a business that wants to extend its business online, Joomla is one of the best content management systems (CMS) that cater to your needs.
Joomla is well established for its versatile and sound aspects which help the user in creating an appealing site without much knowledge and experience in programming. Whether you are involved with a web design agency or opting for a do-it-yourself strategy, this article will enable you to wade your way through the various aspects of designing a good Joomla site.
Why Joomla Should Be Used in Website Design?
However, it is helpful to first know why Joomla is popular among those who build sites, before starting with the designs. Joomla is a type of CMS software that is made available to the general public and can be modified to fit the user’s needs. Thanks to the features listed above, it is suitable for any type of website, be it a blog, a corporate site, an online shop, or a community-based portal.
Key benefits of using Joomla include: Key benefits of using Joomla include:
- User-Friendly Interface: To use Joomla, knowledge of HTML is not required, as its backend is friendly even to users who do not have a technical background.
- Customisation Options: Joomla offers several options for increasing its capabilities: through modules, plugins, and templates, which is why its design can be rather unique.
- SEO-Ready: There is the ability to optimize your website using search engine optimization tools which are provided by Joomla.
- Multilingual Support: For website owners, who plan to address the global audience, there is a language package included by default, which allows you to effortlessly create websites of multiple languages.
With these benefits in the spotlight, let me guide you through how you can attain a great Joomla website design.
Step 1: The question to answer about your website can help you identify the website’s purpose and target audience.
The first thing you need to do in any web design process is to know what objectives you want to achieve and who your target is. The goal of the website is the first thing you have to understand fully will dictate every choice that you make in the design of the website. Ask yourself:
- Is the website created for personal use or business use?
- Will it be an online shop, a blog, a portfolio site, or a corporate website?
- The following are the details of the target client;
It is only when you are certain about the goal of your site that you proceed with a clear direction in mind. It is useful for a web design agency when working on a site for a client as well as for a business owner, it helps to ensure that the design of the site meets the expected requirements and the goals of the business.
Step 2: Select the Proper Joomla Theme
The templates are the first basis of the site’s design. Joomla has many standard templates that can be easily modified to meet your branding preference in the organization. Some templates are available in JED databases for free while others require a certain amount of payment; another option is to download templates from third-party sites.
Key things to consider when choosing a template: Key things to consider when choosing a template:
1. Responsiveness: A responsive design is a design for websites that is visible well on any sort of device be it a Smartphone or a desktop.
2. Customisability: Search for templates that are quite flexible so that you can easily modify the content provided. This also embraces features such as color themes, font styles, and layout templates without coding.
3. Speed: Website loading speed is very important in terms of the actual usage of the site as well as for the search engine rankings. Select a simple design that does not take long to load on the users’ devices.
4. Support and Updates: Always go for the templates that are updated often and those that are backed with some sort of customer service.
First of all, working with a proper template means that you have laid the foundation for creating a beautiful, as well as usable website.
Step 3: Install basic Joomla extension
So ensuring that Joomla is probably one of the most extended Content Management Systems is Joomla’s strength. Adobe has divided the extensions into plugins, modules, and components while each of them performs unique functions. Depending on your website’s needs, here are some essential extensions you should consider: Depending on your website’s needs, here are some essential extensions you should consider:
- SEO Extensions: Even though, Joomla has rather rich built-in SEO components such as sh404SEF, extensions are what can improve your website’s SEO even further.
- Form Builder: Such forms as contact forms, surveys, or newsletter sign-up extensions like RSForm! That is why resources such as BreezingForms can be useful.
- Image Sliders: Some of the graphical items such as image scrolls can improve the general looks of your site. Third-party plugins like The7 have built-in integration with popular sliders like Smart Slider 3.
- Security Plugins: Joomla comes with these security features pre-installed and it is always good to have other measures installed as well. Backup and Administrative tools which include Akeeba Backup are instrumental in the site’s security.
Therefore by wisely choosing and applying the aforementioned Joomla extensions, it will be possible to improve the functionality and usability of your Joomla-based website.
Step 4: This step focuses on tweaking the initial design that has been created thus advancing to the final design that will be implemented.
The next step after you have your template and your absolute necessities out of the way is to work on the aesthetics of the design of your site. This is the stage where if you are using a website design agency, then they will polish the style of the website in line with your brand.
Here are some design tips to consider :
1. Consistent Branding: Ensure that there is consistency in color, typeface, and positioning of the logo to ensure the brand is well represented.
2. Navigation: Make sure that the visitors of your website can navigate through the pages easily. Visitors will be also able to easily find information that they are interested in if the menu is constructed comprehensively.
3. Content Layout: Use a clean and organized layout with the nodes taking the central stage both for designing and labeling the system. Do not overcrowd your website and ensure the content you display on your website is easy to read.
4. Calls to Action (CTAs): This shows us why certain places on the page need to be dedicated to CTAs so that engagement as well as conversion can be enhanced. Just ensure that you make them conspicuous to the naked eye at first glance.
5. Multimedia Integration: Good quality graphic images and videos are some of the ways through which you can improve the looks of your website. The following is to ensure that media files are also optimized so that loading problems are not experienced.
Step 5: Allow the page to be indexed and verified for SEO as well as make sure that the page loads as fast as possible.
SEO and speed are very important to any website you have. With regards to this, Joomla provides various options to enhance both of these aspects. First of all, try using the SEO component inherent in Joomla to set the meta titles, descriptions, and keywords. Do not neglect the role of on-site optimization and install the SEO extension that is called sh404SEF in this case.
For speed, compress images, enable caching, and if possible, use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). A faster site is not only more friendly to the users but also one that will rank well on the search engine.
Step 6- Test and Launch
Make sure you test your Joomla website on multiple devices and browsers before launching the site. Check the website for any broken links, test the loading time, and also check if forms and call-to-action buttons are properly functioning. It goes without saying that if you are working with a website design agency, most of the testing will be conducted on your behalf to check if everything works as expected.
And that’s pretty much all there is to it, once you’re happy with your changes, it’s time to publish! Check your site often and always make changes to it to conform with the current trends and ensure that your site is protected by the newest security updates.
Conclusion
With this in mind, it is not difficult to create a beautiful Joomla website design. Therefore, by setting the right goal for your site, selecting an appropriate template, installing obligatory extensions, and accentuating such factors as SEO and speed, you will be able to develop an appealing site that will attract users’ attention and correspond with the aims you have set. Regardless if you are going at it alone or you work with a website design agency, the tools available in Joomla make it possible for you to stand out from the millions of websites that exist in cyberspace.