Top web designers share two things: they are very creative, and they make effective web designs. Effective web designs by top web designers understand that they are making web templates, that they make write-ups for online—and not print—consumption, they must minimize fluff or unnecessary website content.

Several criteria are met by these top web designers. The most common of them are:

Is the look of the website easy on the eye? Of course a website has to be interesting without it being too loud for visual consumption. While the appearance of the website suggests the creativity of the design team, it must also be aesthetically pleasing as some netizens get easily turned off by blinking flamboyant flash or other dispensable website elements like complicated graphic backgrounds that is does vicious things to the readability of the website content. Balance must be struck between creativity and flamboyance.

What is the website for? Does the website intend to promote an up and coming indie band? Does the website intend to showcase a professional photographer's portfolio? A different purpose exacts a different design from the web designers. It would be terrible if the website homepage does not in any way tell the readers what the content of the website is. This might not only mean low traffic to the website but also to confusion of the readers.

Is the website user-friendly? Is it easy to navigate around the site to find what you really need? Do the users get confused on how to use the functions of the different pages and applications in the websites? It is frustrating to be in a site where the functions can not be used easily or navigation is hard. While content is very important in web design, user-friendliness is improtant too as this makes them keep coming back to your site. Freelance web designers are a cheaper alternative to professional web design companies.

As freelance web designers, almost usually work by themselves: no team to attend to, there is not a lot of clients, the demand is not as high as those from professional web design companies, etc..

A professional is someone engaged in that particular field as a means of livelihood. Which means they get paid to do something, and that's how they earn their living. Professional Web Designers create and develop websites for their patrons. They make the design and layouts of the websites, they create the content, and make the other necessary adjustments before releasing the site live. Professional web designers understand that web design is their most basic tool. Along with html, css, understanding web graphics, layout, and at times even marketing your website for internet consumption.

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