Web Design Done Right
Now that we’ve touched on a number of areas of business, marketing, and other strategies, it’s time to begin to dive into some more details when it comes to an online presence.
These sections will constitute a number of posts within each area including web design, search engine optimization, keyword research, content generation, sales copy, and more.
These will be the catalyst for our main website that is currently being built.
This string of posts is going to talk about web design. There are a lot of great web design firms out there which is why that is not our main service although we offer it. Two things I’m finding are designs that work well, but still lack a good online presence. Another are sites that are perhaps not getting much from their web presence at all.
Let’s change that - the first step and the one that most businesses recognize is that they need a website and therefore need a design.
However, the buck doesn’t stop there, but we’ll get into those steps at a later time.
So let’s provide the overall view of what we’ll be discussing which will help you outline your web design strategy, determine if you want to do it yourself or outsource, or review your current website.
In a typical web strategy our first steps would be to find and research a niche. You currently have a business that is selling a product or service so that is handled. The key is to find quality keywords that you can build your pages and content around which will help with search engine optimization. Then you’ll build content around your product/service to gain trust and credibility with both visitors and search engines.
First whether you build it yourself or have a design firm build it, you’ll want to come up with an outline of sorts. It’s important for you to be able to envision and communicate your design strategy so that your website has a good look, feel, and flow.
On top of your design, you’ll need to come up with a domain name and utilize a web host (unless you have a server) to host your website on their server - many businesses have a server that handles their computer network, so you may just want to consider housing your site on that if it’s applicable. This is an important step as well as your domain is what visitors will find and remember. Also a good web host can truly make or break results of your site - a web host if you don’t know if basically a landlord for the Internet.
One big flaw that you want to stay away from unless it is applicable (in most cases it is not), is if you hire a designer, be sure to have control. Many designers want to create a bunch of cool look applications, lots of flash, and things that really can hinder your site. This can be detrimental to your website’s ability to gain customers and sell your wares.
Depending on what you sell or want to portray, you’ll want your site to be similar to your sales process whether you want your site visitors to submit their information, buy a product from your site, sign up for your services, and so forth. This will all be very important on how your site flows. Don’t just make it a brochure of your company that doesn’t produce results. It amazes me how business owners think this is how their site must look - NO NO NO - it’s a waste of time and money if it is not getting more business.
You’ll also want to consider tools that will promote your website, collect information, and automate much of the process. We’ll dive into that as we uncover these tips to proper web design.
With all that said, here is an outline that provides some other areas you’ll need to consider as you begin the design process…
Will you build the website in house/by yourself or hire a web design team? There are pros and cons to both. Overtime it does save time and money if you at least know how to manage your website, but it isn’t necessary - as we always say, focus on what you’re best at and outsource the rest.
If you hire out, you have to find a good designer, ensure they are able to take what you want and turn it into a great product that gets results, isn’t going to cost you thousands of dollars (unless your site is very customized), and what they’re willing to do after it’s complete - remember the design is just the beginning.
In the following posts (as this one could get very long) we’ll be taking you through the process of web design so your site compels your visitors to subscribe, click, and buy!
- The reasons why you must plan before you build your website and what visitors like and dislike about a site.
- Where you can find good design resources if you go at it alone.
- What a site should look like. We’ll uncover a few examples and provide tips based on what we find.
- What your website must have in terms of design and content.
- How to create good site navigation that will lead your visitors to take action.
- What your navigation should look like and where it should appear.
- The critical elements of your homepage for maximum results.
- How to balance content, copy, and graphics.
- How to avoid the biggest design mistakes most websites make.
- How to create an easy, seamless experience for your visitors.
- How to incorporate additional streams of income, newsletters, payment options, video, audio, and more.
There is a lot to do here as you can see. This is one of the big reasons we recommend hiring out to get the ball rolling. The design process can certainly be one of the more time consuming aspects yet very critical to your online success.
If you’d like to discuss the design of your website whether it’s a brand new site, re-design, or just want a critique, you can contact us regarding a FREE consultation.
We look forward to helping your website get the results you’re looking for.
To your success,
Joe Collinsworth
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment