Here are a few tips on how to do web design like a true professional.
Tip 1: Never play audio in any way unless the user clicks on a control with intent to listen to your audio clip. No professional designer would ever purposely spam their sales pitch as it is considered to be rude and intrusive.
Tip 2: Creating a professional website does not always mean bigger and brighter. True web design professionals know that sometimes less really is more. It is much more important to properly design your pages to contain as much content as possible while keeping clutter to a minimum.
Tip 3: Use Flash sparingly. It is typically meant to present interactive media rather than to contain an entire web site. Most users will have a broadband connection, but some users still connect through dial-up. Those users will most likely not visit your site if it is an 8 megabyte Flash movie. If you do choose to do your site in all Flash, the professional thing to do would be to create a non Flash site as well.
Tip 4: Creating websites is very similar to traditional print advertising. Keep this in mind as professional web designers will approach their page layout as if it were a billboard on the interstate. Keep the most important information in the center of the page and find a way to make it stand out. The rest of the page should encourage the viewers eyes to move around and at least glance at each individual section of its content.
Tip 5: This process includes testing each page in each of the popular browsers and operating systems. Some features do not work the same in all browsers and is a step that cannot be ignored. It is possible to direct users to different web pages depending on the type of browser and operating system they are using if needed. Even little things such as the amount of space that borders a heading tag can be different so make sure to check each page individually and thoroughly.
Tip 6: Remember that content is always king. Take the time to create content that is unique and professional.
There is a lot more to be said about professional web design but hopefully these tips have helped you to see web design from the prospective of a professional.