A few short tips on how web and graphic design services can be best utilised to make your site both graphically attractive while remaining usable -
DO make the site look great
First visual impressions do count
BUT
DO NOT overcomplicate
Technology can easily be abused—excessive, extemporaneous animations confuse usability and bog down users' Web browsers.
DO concentrate on providing great content
Content is the key to a succesful site. Design can only go so far in making a site successful - a great looking site should be a vehicle for great content.
BUT
DO NOT obscure content with excessive advertising/ pop-up windows
Advertisements may be necessary for a site's continued existence, but usability researchers say pop-ups and full-page ads that obscure content hurt functionality—and test a reader's willingness to revisit.
DO enrich the user experience by making it immersive
Merely looking good is not sufficient. Succesfull sites draw in users with compelling content and functionality. Creating Web sites that can capture and hold users' attention is what matters most.
BUT
DO NOT make the site too visually "busy"
Sites that lack a coherent structure make it impossible to wade through information. Successful sites put information hierarchy at the top of their list of design priorities.