Website Design [blog]

When a client comes to us, we will go through the design brief with them and ask them about their needs and requirements for the website. When it comes to building them, we typically build on WordPress.

Why build a custom theme?

Building a custom theme for our clients allows us the maximum freedom to create whatever the client requires, as well as match any branding the client currently has (or to match any branding we create for them).

We can start from a blank slate and build the website and theme with maximum flexibility in mind – we build them such that just about anything can be changed except for the main structure of the theme.

Custom themes are also completely bespoke to the client and they won’t see another theme exactly like it and it will feature all the functionality that they require, built right into the theme itself.

Custom themes also come with full support from our developers – they are the ones that put it together so they will be on hand to answer any questions or make any necessary changes.

Themes can also be transported to other web properties and adapted as necessary, allowing you to launch any number of microsites which will match your core brand, simply set up a new WordPress site and install your custom theme and then make any amendments and you’re done.

Other Benefits

Custom themes also means that you’re really invested in your business and your idea and willing to put your money where your mouth is when it comes to marketing and a good design suggests that you are creditable and trustworthy. Templates simply can’t offer that.

Custom designs are also built with you mind so they are as unique as you are and as unique as your business.

Custom templates are also customised to perform well in search engine pages out of the box, whereas templates are simply constructed to scratch the itch of the designer or to be sold as a commodity of its own.

Once you’ve had your website built for you (either by us, or someone else) and you’ve been given the login details for your website backend (if you have one), then the ball falls into your court and the success (or failure) depends largely on you.

A great many clients think that once they have a website, it will stay like that forever and will become immediately useful – which is a wrong assumption. Imagine you have just taken delivery of a massive new machine. Just having it sitting there won’t do your business any good and you have to spend some time and attention learning how to use the new machine, learning what it is capable of and what it can’t do (usually through experimentation and hard-won experience).

Websites are exactly the same in that regard, to get the most out of them, you have to be continually updating them as your business evolves and changes and it is up to you to decide how your website will evolve with you otherwise it will end up costing you more in the long run as you will have to either get the website redesigned from time to time or hire out someone else to update the website periodically.

Having said all this, getting started with your new shiny website can be a daunting process for many a new owner.

Getting Started

We highly recommend you start taking baby steps when trying to update your website and as you gain in confidence and technical ability, you’ll be able to do much more over time as you get used to how to work.

If you are just starting out, try just changing a few words at a time, even if you don’t keep the changes. Change one or two words and then change them back, to make sure that you are comfortable changing the text on the website. That way, you are more familiar with how to go about changing the text in larger chunks and not breaking the site in the process when it does come time to change something.

When it comes time to changing an image, most CMS publishing platforms provide some method of uploading new images to the site (usually through some sort of wizard or media uploader in the case or WordPress). Most of the time, it just involves uploading a new image and if your site was developed correctly, the new images should just plug straight into where you need them (otherwise you’re going to need to do some technical wizardry – see below).

Help Is Available

Even if your website development company stops answering your emails or phone calls, there will almost, always be help available for you somewhere on the internet. As an example, if your website is built in WordPress, there are sites dedicated to WordPress that will help (either for free or a small charge).

This goes for just about every other major publishing platforms out there – there are other such communities devoted to the other platforms from Magento through to tiny shopping cart solutions.

Getting the Most from the Website

Once you’re comfortable with editing your website and keeping the website fresh and up to date, you’re going to want to start making your website found so your website can start getting traffic.

There are several ways to do this and we recommend doing all of the following:

• Create a Google Sitemap and submit it to Google. There are services for this although most publishing platforms offer some way to create one automatically. For example, WordPress has several plugins that will do it for you (just search for XML sitemaps in the Plugin area).
• Submit your site to Business Directories. A little time spent here will increase the number of links pointing to your website and will hopefully increase your traffic as the visitors to the directories will see your service and visit your site.
• Submit your site to Internet Directories. Similar to above, but these are more generalised directories available online for listing your sites. We recommend Yahoo Directory and the Open Directory to get you started.
• Get Links Back to Your Site. If you can land a few good backlinks to your site (the more the better), and you’ll should see your website climb up the search engine rankings. Although there are certainly more to this particular topic than here, we will go into this in a more focussed manner in a future blog post.
• Promote Your Website in other Mediums. Get your website URL on business cards, flyers and other mediums will increase awareness of your website.

White space is important in contemporary web design because it aids the reader in understanding the content provided and provides a means to break up the structure of the website.

What is White Space Exactly?

White space is the distance between elements. Although it doesn’t have to be white, the background colour of the web page will show through around the elements of the design. For example, the area above and below the paragraphs as elements of white space.

Why is it important?

White space helps optimise the design and allows your content to stand out. It also also help create structure to your content, allowing the visitor to clearly see which elements are visually linked and which aren’t.

For example, the sidebar is separate from the main body content which white space between them to denote a natural boundary of the two elements.

It also provides the reader with something to “rest” their eyes when reading elements of the web page.

When used carefully, it can really make the all-important Call to Action stand out.

There is research to suggest that white space is important in building trust, and makes it more appealing to customers and buyers.

Expecting a website designer to create a great website design first time is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

This is because they have to consider several things:

• The brand identity of the client they are working for? Are they low end or high end customers?
• Do they have existing branding that the website has to fit into?
• Who will be the final customers of their client? What are their expectations?
• Is the client selling Business to Business or Business to Customer?
• Does the client have an existing website and do they have to carry over the content to the new site? How will this brought over and in what form?
• What are the functional elements of the design? Are they wanting a login page or ecommerce functionality?
• What is the competition doing to win sales? Is what they are doing working for them and if so, why?

All these things play a role in the eventual website design and can have many effects in the final design.

There are also design conventions to consider, such as having the main navigation at the top, below the header, placing contact details in the footer (and maybe also in the header).

Good web designers take the time to consider all these questions and come up with a design that takes into account all these factors and many more. They work hard to provide you with designs that work not only for your but your customers as well.

A few things to consider when you get a website concept:

• Does the website use a lot of images? Will it take lots of time to download and render the website?
• Is the message or goal of the website clear from the outset? Can you see the purpose of the website is and what the purpose of the company behind it?
• If the purpose of the website is to get sales, is there anything on there that detracts from that?
• Does the design look pleasing to the eye and clean?
• Is all the information you need on the website on the concept such as company information, company number and postal address required by UK law?
• Is there enough text on the site so that it is possible for search engine “spiders” can index your website?
• Does the website concept appear to have all the items it will need to appear credible to the customer, including client testimonials, partners and the like?
• Is the text easy to read and clear and big enough?
• Are the links clearly defined? Is it apparent what can be click on and what can’t?
• Is the information presented easily understood by the demographics?

Only when you know the answers to these questions will you be able to see the pitfalls of any potential design. And remember you are not designing the website for YOU, your designing it for your CUSTOMERS.

Business websites are built for one thing – to get you, the business owner, the sale or leads. Anything else is a waste of time and money for everyone involved.

By following our simple tips below, you can increase your conversion rates dramatically.

Include a Powerful Heading that is BIG!

Make sure your title has importance of its own and describes the benefit of your service to your visitors. Include your unique selling point to really drive home the message.

Make the Call to Action a Priority

A call to action is simply an inducement to take action then and there. All the information above and around the Call to Action should be geared to getting the client ready to hit that button which moves them along the conversion funnel toward a sale.

Make sure you include enough information prior to the call to action to give the user a reason to buy your product or service.0020

Work on the Call to Action

Don’t just write the first Call to Action that comes to mind – you have to spend a little time crafting the perfect Call to Action for your website.

Ideally, it should be:

• Short (3 or 4 words are optimium)
• User active power words such as Get, Receive, Subscribe or Buy
• Include Instant Gratification such as Now, Limited Time Offer, Time, One day only.

Give them a Clear Message

Avoid clutter along the visitors path to conversion. Give them less options rather than more and you’ll drive more sales through your website. If you absolutely must include multiple options, limit it to around 3 and make it clear what the benefits of each package and what makes them different.

Make sure the messages you do deliver are clear and concise – readers will scan before reading the page and if you can impart to them to key facts

Create Urgency

To emphasis why they need to act now, you need to create a sense of urgency in the mind of the customer. Good calls to action will include copy which reads to the effect that they have to act now to reap the full rewards of your service or that make the client think that the offer is time-limited.

Build Trust

Displaying testimonials and other social proof can allay the fears of even the most skeptical customers and help them along the way to making the buying decision to make the buying decision with
you.

Feel The Need for Speed

Speedy websites are powerful selling tools as the customer gets an exciting and effective experience. We can help you get the most our your website speed.

Make sure your website conveys a sense of trust and that you include things that will offer them a sense that you are completely trust worthy and they are safe in your hands.