|
Web Design
"Anybody can design a website."
A client actually said this to me once during our initial meeting about her new
website and the comment has stuck with me ever since. There are templates,
online tools, widgets, editors, books, articles and aisles stuffed with software
at your local Staples for do-it-yourself-websites. Maybe your second cousin took
a class at the Vo-Tech once and learned to use an HTML editing tool like
FrontPage or Dreamweaver and has offered to build one for you. So yes, it's
true. Just about ANYBODY can design a website these days.
In essence a website is simply a collection of electronic files that reside on a
web server. They present content and interactive features or interfaces to end
users in the form of Web Pages when requested. That's your standard dictionary
definition and from that perspective building a website sounds pretty simple,
doesn't it? However... (you knew there was a 'but' coming here, right?)
There is a great deal of planning, conceptualization, modeling and
post-execution testing involved in the creation and implementation of a
successful website. Anyone can create a website.
But, (there it is) there are two basic questions you should ask to evaluate the
success or failure of a business website: 1) Will it be a site that performs,
draws clients to your business, develops trust, offers a useful service to them
and inspires them to take action or make a purchase? -or- 2) Will it be a site
that is less than intuitive to your end user's needs?
A poor site design can create frustration, leaving visitors angry or confused.
Sites that perform are more than a pretty picture cut up and pasted into HTML.
You don't need a lot of animation, flashy graphics or gimmicks to have a
successful website. A site that is well thought out, designed with the end user
in mind and provides useful content to visitors will be a site that performs and
is an asset to your business.
This is where we should tell you that UW Creative is the very best, super-duper,
most awesome website developer in the world and you'd be insane to go with
anyone else. Yet as entertaining as that would be to write, I'll offer a little
practical advice instead: Look at our portfolio. If you are pleased with the
results some of our other clients have experienced, chances are we would be a
good fit for you. What skills are you looking for? Many website design company's
concentrate on 'design only.' We believe that a site that is placed out on the
web and never changes gathers dust, so our primary development focus is to
create dynamic sites with fluid content. Keeping your site fresh adds value for
your end users and gives them a reason to return to your site. Search engines
like it too and tend to favor these sites in their rankings.
Let's mention the elephant in the room and get him out of the way shall we? The
price of web development. Start by setting a realistic goal. You would plan for
inventory, advertising and other business expenses, so it's reasonable that you
should consider your company's website to be a similar investment. I've talked
to people that will spend thousands on a top of the line cash register, but
refuse to invest less than the price of a single phone book ad on a fully
functional e-commerce site that they would like to get at least 50% or more of
their business from. Decide how much of your business will be coming from
internet sources and budget your site development accordingly. Also, remember
that a website doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition from the start.
A well thought out development will ensure that it can grow and change with your
business' needs. We will be happy to discuss pricing options with you and supply
a detailed cost estimate during the initial consultation.
Communicate with us and get involved. We're happy to make suggestions and help
you brainstorm ideas, but remember that a website is a marketing tool and is
most effective when you have a clear objective in mind and understand your
target market. The effort you put into developing useful content for your end
users should be equal to the results you want to see.
Last but definately not least- Search engine optimization is a critical
component of website success and we consider it at every stage during the
development process. It is MUCH easier to optimize a site from its inception
than to build the entire site and optimize it afterwards. This is also an
ongoing process that will need to be evaluated and updated over the life of your
website. If you have questions or concerns about the search engine optimization
process, we'll be happy to answer them during your consultation.
View Portfolio
|