• The designer should be aware of copyright restrictions when using free clip art found on the Internet. Just because a site offers clip art doesn’t mean it’s necessarily available for any use. If a free clip art source isn’t explicit about its usage terms, it’s best to look elsewhere until images can be found that can be used without violating copyrights. Not only is it the right thing to do, but the image owner could cause the site owner problems if they disagree with the way their image is used.

• If the client plans to make money writing on a blog, it’s up to the designer to support that goal by incorporating researched keywords into the blog structure. If a set of researched keywords isn’t provided, the client should be referred to someone who can provide them. Once those are in hand, the keywords should be incorporated into the domain name (if possible), image names, copy, alts and meta tags. This will help the client when it’s time to promote the blog, because the structure will then back up the SEO and promotion efforts. These principles apply to regular Web site design as well.

• When designing a site, it’s important to remember how Web visitors will react. Wild colors, dark backgrounds with light colored text, flashing graphics, music and animations may be cool, but if they affect visitors’ ability to do what the site owner wants them to do, they’re really not cool at all. The minute any intrusive element keeps someone from buying, registering, voting in a poll, leaving a comment, clicking an ad or any other action the owner wants them to do, the site design has failed. Less is often more when it comes to Web site design, and it pays to remember that.

• Site architecture should be simple, and if at all possible, every page should be accessible through a maximum of two clicks. Having a site map linked from every page will help facilitate this, but it’s also important to have elegant and simple navigation available throughout the site.

These are just some of the important aspects that Web designers should be aware of when working with clients. They’ll find that other important considerations will arise the more they attune themselves to their clients’ needs and the requirements of the people who will ultimately visit the Web properties they design.