A white background is standard for many sites but nothing says you can't change it up a bit. Backgrounds can be created with html code or from a graphic file. A WORD OF CAUTION...be careful not to use backgrounds that are too bright, too busy, or in any other way distracting. This takes focus away from your page copy which is really what you want them to see.

Be sure to test your backgrounds on more than one monitor. Different monitors render colors differently. What looks good on your screen may not look good on some other screens.

Be sure your text can be seen against your background. Again, view it on different monitors to see the results.

When using a background graphic you should only use subtle patterns that allow your text to be seen clearly.

For more about important design decisions visit our section on Design.

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