You might have noticed that icons are all over the internet. (It's mostly because they are essential to web design and very helpful for the user)... Remember I told you that a picture worth a thousand words? Well, it's pretty much the same with icons! Icons have more than an aesthetic function, they are all about communication. They are essential to your web design and their use is highly recommended to better the user experience!
Icons create visual interest, they make your content more attractive and more readable.
Over and above the aesthetic dimension, icons are an understandable visual language that encourages the user to read what comes next. Icons are an almost universal language that breaks the boundaries set by languages. These icons inspire your site visitors with comforting images. They first catch the readers eye and thus help them process your content quicker. (It's widely sucessful marketing tactic: as it is known that labels preceded by an icon are quickly processed by the user leading to purchase).
If you are like most peope, when you visit a website, the first thing you do is to quickly scan the page. Icons help the user process information. When icons are used correctly they work like paragraphs adding clear fomatting to your contect. Icons make your content easier to digest. Icons can be used to highlight key concepts as well. Icons also help the user navigate through your website, like attractive, and meaningful markers.
Where to get Icons?
If you don't design them yourself you can find free icons easily on the internet. You can visit this site, the Ali Baba cavern to get what you need. You'll also find beautiful free pictures and many other things useful when building a website. It's not in english but icons are there to walk you through it! We also propose you Flat Icon Maker, a website entireley dedicated to free icons.
Some final advice: chose carefully. Pick icons that match each other and match your website that have a positive visual impact it, making your website prettier and clearer. But mostly, content is what matters the most! Icons are only here to enhance it. Your turn to become Iconic now!
image design navigation site perception visibility
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