Web Design
August 18th, 2010
At Digital Peabody, we’ve developed e-commerce websites for all sorts of different businesses, and we’re often asked what goes into a successful one. Though the answer has lots of different facets, at its most basic level, it boils down to two requirements: an idea and a platform with which you can realize that idea to its fullest potential.
Planning
The site planning phase will be different for every business. It depends on your business, your existing model and how e-commerce will fit in. When we built a site for Scribbles, a stationery and invitation shop in Denver, we recognized that the company already operated a successful physical store. Scribbles’ online storefront, then, needed to offer the full functionality of the store for their online storefront — specifically, product customization. So we built them a site that offers just that: nearly all of the stationery and invitations can be tailored to a customer’s needs. Custom font faces, ink colors, monograms and names are all at users’ fingertips on Scribbles’ site.
The extreme ski movie producers at Matchstick Productions, on the other hand, have a completely different model. Matchstick sells extreme skiing DVDs and ski merchandise worldwide, both through various vendors and directly through its website. For this site, we needed a whole different set of capabilities, so we integrated a state-of-the-art ExpressionEngine content management system to stream high-definition video and display photo galleries, among other things, in order to showcase their products and athletes.
Execution
Coming up with a great idea for a website is one thing, but it is meaningless if your web design company can’t fully execute it. At Digital Peabody, we specialize in the Magento e-commerce platform, which has the unprecedented flexibility you need in order to realize your web goals.
To begin with, Magento has every feature you would want and more — the average e-commerce site doesn’t need half of the functionality it offers. We’ll run through a more complete list of features in an upcoming article, but here are a few of the most popular ones:
- offer coupons and gift cards
- allow users to compare products and create wish lists
- ability to ship to multiple addresses for one transaction
- create product bundles
- display related products
- product personalization
- much, much more
In addition to its out-of-the-box features, developers worldwide have created, and continue to create, every sort of extension imaginable to expand Magento’s functionality. Chances are, if you want a certain feature for your site, it either comes standard with Magento or there is a tested, proven extension that does exactly what you want. Magento is also easily integrated with other inventory and accounting systems through its highly flexible application programing interface (API). This means that our developers can seamlessly integrate Magento into whatever software you are already using to keep track of everything.
Another key benefit of Magento is its excellent SEO (search engine optimization) performance right out of the box due to its support for customizable URLs, an auto-generated site map, meta information for products and more. In an increasingly competitive e-commerce world, Magento’s SEO advantage makes it that much easier for potential customers to find your site — and potentially buy from you.
Digital Peabody can give you the expert help you need with both the planning and execution phases of building a successful e-commerce site. Our specialty, and our passion, is helping clients dream up their websites — and then making those dreams a reality.
Want to learn more about building an e-commerce site with Magento? Contact Digital Peabody at 303-468-5707, and take a look at our featured sites for more examples.
Posted in Content Management System, Search Engine Optimization, Tips, Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
August 4th, 2010
In our last article, we went through some of the benefits of ExpressionEngine, one content management system (or CMS) that Digital Peabody works with on a regular basis. But for many of our clients, a website built with WordPress as its CMS is a perfect fit for their needs. (Learn more about content management systems, and why your site needs one, here.) Below, we’ll highlight a few areas in which WordPress shines.
Perhaps WordPress’ biggest advantage is its cost-effectiveness. WordPress is a free platform, eliminating at the outset of any website project the cost of paying for a CMS. Better yet, WordPress isn’t a substandard product by any stretch of the imagination — its content-management capabilities are right in line with many other top CMS competitors, with features like workflow management, multimedia posts, blogs and more.
WordPress also has an enormous array of so-called “plugins” that allow users to extend their site’s functionality in nearly any way imaginable: e-commerce, social networking, Web analytics and more. Another popular WordPress feature is its support for widgets, which allow users to control the content that appears in the site’s sidebar without needing to make any edits to its code. The widgets that appear on any given page can be customized by page or section — or they can remain constant throughout the site. Among hundreds of others, popular widgets include one that displays upcoming events, another that shows a Twitter feed and another that displays a summary of the most recent post on the site’s blog.
Redesigning a WordPress site is also relatively fast because of the platform’s use of themes to control design and content presentation. Themes are essentially templates into which content fits. If you think your site needs a new look, our designers can code and upload themes to control its appearance and interface without losing any of the content already on the site. And as a CMS, WordPress is well-known for its ease of use: you don’t need any technical experience to maintain a dynamic, interesting website using WordPress.
Want to learn more about WordPress and how we can tailor it to your business? Contact Digital Peabody at 303-468-5707, and take a look at our featured sites for more examples.
Posted in Content Management System, Tips, Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
July 30th, 2010
We’ve designed and developed all sorts of sites at Digital Peabody — business and e-commerce, real estate, healthcare and more — most of which feature content management systems. (What’s a content management system, and why does my site need one?) Deciding which content management system (or CMS) is right for your company’s website requires knowing what can be done with each option. For many of the companies and organizations we work with, ExpressionEngine, an industry-leading CMS, is the right fit. In this post we’ll highlight the benefits of ExpressionEngine, and follow it up with a post about WordPress.
To begin with, there is almost no limit to what Digital Peabody can do with ExpressionEngine. One client, Matchstick Productions, needed a site that streams high-definition videos of extreme skiers and that was integrated with a Magento e-commerce system. We built them an ExpressionEngine site that does just that. Another client, THF Realty, needed a way to speed communication with retailers by posting documents for thousands of clients to download. We did that with ExpressionEngine, too. And we helped our friends at HuntFishGuide.com build a site to sort through thousands of hunting and fishing guides across the world, pick one out and book a trip, among other features. ExpressionEngine can provide all of that functionality and more — your imagination truly is the limit.
ExpressionEngine also has a huge community of creatives and developers all over the world, so that even if something isn’t immediately doable, there are thousands of people working on all sorts of extensions to suit any need a client may have. On its Digital Peabody-designed and -developed website, the St. Louis Jewish Community Center needed a massive calendar that serves over 15 internal departments, with both repeating events and one-off events, so we built in this extension to serve their needs. The Colorado Bankers Association wanted a site with member polls, so we found these two extensions and built them into the site. No matter how specific your web needs are, the vast assortment of ExpressionEngine extensions that are available ensure that your new site will work exactly how you want it to.
Another notable feature of ExpressionEngine is the ability to create customizable channels for your CMS. In other words, the information you are asked for when you are creating content for your site depends on what type of content you are posting. This allows us to exactly tailor your CMS to your needs.
ExpressionEngine has also never had a major security breach in over 10 years operating, and is very intuitive and easy to use. We’ll show you how to use your new CMS, and you’ll be keeping up a dynamic, interesting site in no time.
Want to learn more about ExpressionEngine and what it can do for your business? Contact Digital Peabody at 312-933-3430, and take a look at our featured sites for more examples.
Posted in Content Management System, Tips, Web Design, Website DevelopmentDiscuss (0 Replies)
February 26th, 2008
Benefits of Building a Website for Your Business
There are a number of benefits to building a website for your business. A simple website can tell people about your company, provide them with directions to your location and give them your contact information. Most of all, it’s the best way to create a good impression for your customers and clients. A website can do so much more, and Digital Peabody can help in all of the following ways:
Branding Your Business
Your business will also benefit when you use your website to help brand your company. Branding, marketing and PR efforts become easier tasks when you do them online. You can make your press releases available to reporters outside of your region, you can also make sure your customers, prospective customers and clients understand your company’s mission, vision and goals. Your online marketing efforts definitely do not need to “match” your other collateral materials, but there should be some cohesive messages in all of your marketing materials about your brand.
Online Reputation Management
If you’ve had “issues” with complaints about your small business online, you can use your website, a powerful reputation management tool, to fight back. In addition to posting information that helps clear your good name, online reputation management has other benefits, too. Used as part of a smart organic SEO campaign, the information you provide will quickly begin showing up in first page Google results. And online reputation management will take the negative online posts about you, your team or your company and push them back, to the pages in Google that aren’t as well-traveled.
Unlocking Organic SEO
Organic search engine optimization (SEO) is the number one benefit of using a website to promote your small business. When utilized properly, a small business website can help improve your company’s search engine results. With the right mix of organic SEO techniques, like embedding keywords and tags within your content, there’s no reason why your website can’t get into first page Google results within a month or two of optimization. With organic SEO that focuses on conversions, you can also target specific groups of customers and increase sales through your small business website.
Money-Saving Opportunities
There are some important ways to save money with your small business website. You can cut back on inbound customer service calls by providing a list of frequently asked questions about your business online. You can reduce mail processing and inbound calls when you accept payments online. Providing information on your website that you used to have to print and mail to clients and customers can also save you money. And, providing employees with information about benefits online can help ease the phone calls into your already overtaxed Human Resources area.
There are a number of other ways you can use a website to benefit your small business. You can conduct market research online, utilize e-commerce options to help move inventory more quickly and generally provide your customers and clients with the kind of 24/7 service they demand.
For more information about online reputation management and organic SEO, please contact Digital Peabody or call 303.468.5707.
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
February 22nd, 2008
Think about it…does Starbucks really need to be worried about their website? Is General Electric worried that they don’t get enough internet traffic? Of course not. Because large corporations rely on their sites as mostly a bonus for a large existing customer base. But for the small business owner, a great website can mean the difference between scraping by, and really being successful.
Owning a business can be rewarding on many levels. The idea of responding to the wants and needs of a group of people can bring great satisfaction to a small business owner. The twenty-first century entrepreneur has embraced the fact that not only is the physical location for their business important, but also a virtual address for their customers as well. The small business’ website can introduce products to new customers, increase income from ad programs, and communicate more effectively with new and current customers.
In addition to efficiently presenting your services to the world, website can save a great deal of money in advertising costs. Spending $400.00 to place a 2″ x 2″ ad in a local newspaper, to be posted for one day, can quickly deplete an advertising budget for the month, with little impact since describing a business thoroughly in such a small space is nearly impossible. The development of a great website can be affordable, and initially may be as simple as a one page description of what and where the business is, and what the product is. A website is not just viewed by people locally, but it can be viewed by anyone, at any time, from all over the world, thereby, introducing a product to a greater number of people faster. Digital Peabody can customize a website that does everything you need a site to do to help grow your business.
Increasing product awareness to customers via a website will increase direct revenue, but a website can also earn additional income for a business from online ad programs. Ad programs, such as Google AdSense, accrue money by cost generating links, search engines, or referral programs. Each program may generate money a bit differently, but generally the idea is a visitor clicks a link on the website, and money can be earned. Also, affiliate link programs, which are large online companies like eBay or Amazon, links visitors to their website, where they are prompted to make a purchase. Once a purchase is successfully completed, the referring website gets a percentage from the sale. Additionally, once a website has a large number of monthly visitors, other online businesses may be interested in paying for advertising space, and this form of income can be very prosperous.
Establishing a good rapport with customers is essential, in keeping a business alive and healthy. A website gives a business an easier way to connect with its customers, where a feeling of community may be felt. Innovative features, such as a forum, are open streams of communication where visitors can learn about products and services through other customer’s experiences. Newsletters can be sent out to include new product, or discounted product information. And posting a fun interactive contest on a website where coupons can be won to use on a next purchase of products can inspire people to revisit your site and become a regular customer. And as your business grows and you have need of gathering information about your customers, surveys can really gain insight on their likes and dislikes, and a guest book is where visitors can sign up for newsletters and emails. Simple, open, and honest communication with customers is Digital Peabody’s specialty, and helping you create a site that will lead your business to understand your customer’s wants and needs in the present, and in the future.
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
December 28th, 2007
Getting noticed by potential clients and customers is essential in today’s business market. And we all know that there are different ways that people are likely to notice you. Sure, you could hang out in a plaid leisure suit and try to get passing folks to stop rolling their eyes long enough to hear your pitch. Or you could don a custom tailored Armani suit and have people stop and inquire about how you might assist them.
New businesses and even established companies have to vie for customer’s attention. One of the most effective ways to get recognized it is to have a memorable, timeless, consistent, and recognizable company identity. Your reputation for quality business is a part of that, as are referrals from existing clients. However, when it comes to attracting new business, in this day and age, you want to have a public image that is clear and effective.
Starting up a new business is an expensive endeavor, and often areas like logo design fall into the “we’ll do something temporary now and fix it later when we have some cash flow” category. But this is one of those areas where you can’t afford to skimp. First impressions are everything, and your logo is going to be the first thing most people see. And, you want to make sure that first impression is a good one!
Even if you have only a moderate budget, you don’t have to settle for an unprofessional, unimaginative logo. With few exceptions, you are going to need a website as well, even if it is just a single page with information about what you do and how to find you. Building in logo design as a part of your website design can be a great way to have your cake and eat it too.
Most professional web design companies, like Digital Peabody, have quality graphic artists on staff. When you are interviewing web design companies (read this informative article on how to hire a web design firm) talk to them about the idea of branding. Let them know that you are looking to create a cohesive marketing and communication plan, and ask if they have the resources to do that for you. Ask that when they create the bid for your site that they include the cost of designing a logo.
The average price of a professionally designed basic website is around $4,000. If you were to hire a graphic artist to create a logo along with a corporate identity package you are likely to pay around $2,000. Chances are your web design company will underbid that when it is included in the cost of a larger project. It is likely that you can have a custom logo designed for only $1,000, half of what you would pay elsewhere. That’s a great deal considering how important your company’s branding is to your success.
Contact Digital Peabody today to discuss how we can help you create the perfect public image.
Posted in Web Design, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
December 9th, 2007
In the United States, it is exceedingly rare to find someone who isn’t online. Just about everyone uses the internet. Some people shop on it; some people us it to gather and analyze information; some people use it to make new friends; and some people use it for business needs. Everyone is online line for one reason or another so there is absolutely no excuse not to have a web presence. If you are still wondering what an intelligent website can do for you, take a look at the results of a recent study conducted by the world-famous Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center from Georgia Tech University:
Nearly 85% of all U.S. households have Internet access, and more than 90% of users say they find businesses and services through internet search engines.
Now, let’s get into the numbers.
According to the U.S. Census bureau there are over 300,000,000 in living in the United States. Roughly speaking, that means that well over TWO HUNDRED MILLION people use the internet to find businesses. No matter what you think, that’s a heck of a lot of people.
Let’s be really conservative and say that only 1% of the U.S. population is interested in your business or services. That’s 3,000,000 people. We know that 85% of that group are on the internet. That’s 2,550,000 people. Of that group we know that 90% are potential customers searching for your business or service. That means that potentially 2,295,000 customers can find your website!
Clearly, no matter what you do – big or small – a professional website is an absolute must for your business.
Are you ready to get started?
If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
November 30th, 2007
Ask for a Signed Contract and a Project Schedule
Like any other business relationship, you should make sure you have a signed contract before the relationship begins. The contract should include the start and completion dates for the project, as well as a firm budget for the project; the complexity of your site will be the primary determinant of the overall cost. Obviously, if you require streaming video and flash presentations, the development time will cost more than a simple, informational site. It is also important to get a flat project rate rather than an hourly rate because then you know what the total cost will be provided that you adhere to the terms of your contract.
The contract should stipulate how many revisions are allowed; at what point phases are finalized; and specifically what is being delivered.
Additionally, it should be clear that you own the completed project and domain name (you should require that the contract states that all content and graphics, and the domain name, become your property). Accompanying the contract should be a timeline of the project, as having a schedule will help keep things on track.
Use a Website Design Firm that is a One-Stop Shop
Unless you have the knowledge to host your own web server, you ought to hire a web design firm that can provide more than site design and development. One of the best ways to know who the professionals are and who are not is whether they offer additional services like hosting, domain name registration, search engine optimization, and ongoing maintenance. That’s not to say you should wash your hand completely of these processes. Find out what the average price is for hosting a website of your size and bandwidth requirements so that you know you are getting a fair price. For example, our web design and development firm offers hosting packages starting from $10 a month – so there is a package made for all budgets. In addition, they should be able to guarantee reliable uptime for hosting, at least 95%. Receive, in writing, the cost for monthly maintenance and what this maintenance entails. Finally, as your company grows so will your website, and your designer should be able to keep up with those changes. If you are dealing with an individual or just two people, chances are they will not be able to meet your growing demands. If you plan on success and growth you will be wise to seek out a web design company that has a full team of designers, developers, programmers, seo specialists, and strategists.
Other Questions to Ask…
- Can you develop a Content Management System so that I can edit my site?
- How long will it take for my site to load?
- Do you validate your code?
- Can you develop back-end functions (such as a database)?
- Will my site be compatible for multiple browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
- Can you develop secure e-commerce solutions?
- Do you have the capabilities of using creating hybrid flash, streaming audio/video, etc.?
Having a presence online is becoming a requirement in nearly every industry. By having a strong partnership between you and your web designer, you will have an effective, attractive and user-friendly website that attracts customers, builds customer relationships and helps your company grow.
Are you ready to get started?
If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
November 28th, 2007
Fees for website design and development can range from a few thousand dollars to half a million dollars. In trying to understand what costs are right for you, it might be useful to think of your website in terms of a car. Everyone knows that cars vary widely in price. A Hyundai is a car and so is a Mercedes Benz. But there is an ocean of difference between these two vehicles. In the same way that things like engineering, features, functions, design, safety, and service factor into the cost (and appeal) of a car so, too, does design and programming for a website.
Even when you select the make and model of a car, the cost of accessories can cause the price to vary drastically. There are choices to be made: 6 Disc CD changer vs. single CD, ipod dock vs. no mp3, dual-sided climate control vs. air condition, 1-touch automatic windows vs. automatic windows, heated leather seats vs. leather seats, and the list goes on and on. Each of these decisions will be reflected in the final price of the car.
A website comes with “accessories” too. We refer to these as “features and options.” Within each feature there can be any number of variables that dictate the simplicity or complexity required to develop a feature. Just like there is an extra fee for a car with a multi-disk CD player vs. one with a single-disk CD player so too is there a premium for a website that has Flash in the header vs. one that uses basic HTML in the header.
In nearly every aspect of website development, there are design features and programming options to take into consideration. To help you better understand the individual costs, below is a list of features and options that one takes into a consideration when developing a website. Typically a web design firm will bundle costs together so treat these are estimates. Cost will vary depending upon complexity of each item.
Website Programming Services
|
Customization type
|
Details |
EstimatedCost |
| Contact Form |
1 - 10 text fields without any controls such as radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes. |
$200 |
| |
|
|
| Advanced Contact Form |
1 - 15 text fields + controls (radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes) |
$450 |
| |
|
|
| Sign up for a Newsletter |
Script with the admin panel that includes the list of subscribers and the interface for writing emails. Options to choose subscribers and groups from the list of PHP admin panel, subscribe - unsubscribe |
$850 |
| |
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|
| News |
Script that allows to update the following type of the news content: Text blocks on the existing news page, articles with the full text linking to read more on the main news page blocks |
$810 |
| |
|
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| FAQ |
Script that allows to update ( delete/edit) questions/answers in the FAQ section, add new questions/answers, supports categories, search on the page |
$820 |
| |
|
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| Content Management System |
Script that allows editing all the existing blocks on the page: text, images, titles |
$1500 |
| |
|
|
| Simple Calendar |
The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing |
$130 |
| |
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| Advanced Calendar |
The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing. An event can be set for the date ( text format). When clicking on the date the pop-up will come up with the event description |
$930 |
| |
|
|
| Date and Time |
The recent Date and time shows up on the website |
$150 |
| |
|
|
| Tell a Friend |
The script that will send the email from the visitor of your website to his/her friends with comment and link to the website |
$250 |
| |
|
|
| Google Search |
The scripts that allows to use Google search engine without leaving your site and show search results on your website |
$480 |
| |
|
|
| User Authentication and Management |
Script that allows restriction to specific areas of your website, only registered/allowed users can access this section; includes login page, registration, user management, restriction of the pages ( same for all registered users) |
$900 |
| |
|
|
| Basic Site search |
Script that allows web site visitors to search for information on your website; includes search field (one parameter) and search results page |
$750 |
| |
|
|
| Poll(Voting) |
Online poll ( up to 10 questions), with possibility to view voting archives |
$910 |
| |
|
|
| Image Gallery |
Script that allows management ( add, replace, delete) of the gallery/portfolio or any other section of the website containing 5 or more images and the images description (text format) |
$1,400 |
| |
|
|
| Mp3 player |
Adding the mp3 player to your website allowing to play online multiple compositions |
$650 |
| |
|
|
| FLV player (video) |
Adding the FLV player to your website allowing to play video file |
$250 per movie |
| E-Commerce Shopping Cart |
Full functionality of standard osCommerce package ( the structure based on the selected features), installation included |
$2,000 |
| |
|
|
| Blog |
Full functionality of the standard Blog package ( wordpress software), installation included |
$1,600 |
Website Design Services
|
Customization type
|
Details |
EstimatedCost |
|
|
|
| Image animation |
HTML picture in the header or body |
$160 |
| |
|
|
| HTML header animation |
Graphical customization |
$450 |
| |
|
|
| Header flash loop development (text/images, up to 4 slides) |
With customer’s images |
$1250 |
| |
|
|
| Adding buttons |
Flash menu |
$210 |
| |
|
|
| Adding rollover effect |
Flash effect |
$280 |
| |
|
|
| Creating a drop-down menu |
One level |
$420 |
| Creating Corporate Identity |
Logo – print and web version |
$1,500 |
| |
|
|
| Design a unique flash template |
Homepage design |
$1200 |
| |
|
|
| Unique banner design |
Depends on banner size and details |
$300 |
| |
|
|
| Unique icon design |
Per icon |
$450 |
Are you ready to get started?
If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
November 28th, 2007
Unless you have been living under a rock or in Pakistan where the government can curtail or even cutoff your internet access, you know that the internet has changed the way we acquire goods, services, and information. If your corporation doesn’t have a website today, it is like you don’t exist.
However, even with this never ending explosion, many small and mid-size businesses are still hesitant about adding a website to their marketing plan. I am not telling you this just because I produce websites. I am telling you this because common sense dictates that I do. It is the common sense in me that says having a good website will not only give your customers access to your services 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, but it will also expose your company up to a wider customer-base.
Unless you feel confident about designing, developing, and programming your own website, you need to hire a professional website development company. But, before you interview web development companies, you should first determine what your goals are for you website, including:
- Are you strictly interested in e-commerce?
- Do you want to attract more customers?
- Do you want to give your existing customers better service?
- Do you want repeat customers?
- Are you interested in showing video, commercials, interviews, etc.?
- Are you looking for an informational site that would introduce your company to individuals or companies?
Once you determine your goals, you are ready to begin the process of hiring a web development company. But, simply doing a Google search won’t do; you must find a web team who will help promote your professional image to your customers while making the online process as easy as possible for you. Below are some basic steps to take in order to find the website development company who will build the perfect site for you:
Do Your Homework: Examine the Competition’s Websites
Before you hire a web designer, you should have an idea of what you want for your web site. Sometimes the best place to start is with your competition. Research your competitors’ sites and take note of who designed them (it is usually listed at the bottom of the home page). Take notes about what you do and don’t like about their sites. What do you think of the design of their website? Does the functionality in their website make sense? Do they offer shopping or are they purely informational? Is there enough of what you are looking for or too little?
Then take your research a step further. Start combing the internet for any type of site that you like. A good starting point is reviewing a web design company’s portfolio. Two of the best web design portfolios are: Digital Peabody Portfolio and Unleaded Software.
Do Identify Your Individual Business Needs
Once you have done your homework and have selected a web design firm that meets your needs, you ought to present your business’s key objectives to the web design firm. In addition, make note of your customer-base, as they may look for certain functional or design aspects in your website. Think about the types of information that you need in your website. For example, if you have a new or growing business you may want a section about “Employment Opportunities” Or another example is a “Terms and Conditions” section that explains your company’s policies. Each business is unique and will have a different set of requirements for a website.
Once you have a solid definition of your requirements, and your likes and dislikes in terms of website design, you will be able to present them to a web design firm. Hashing out all of this before you chose a web design firm will help you get exactly what you need in your company’s website.
Do Research the Web Designer
It is very important to work with someone you trust, so before you begin interviewing designers you should review designers’ on-line portfolios to see if you like their particular style. Ask the designers to explain design decisions in the portfolio and request a brief description of the overall process. In addition, make sure you check references. Ask the references if the web design firm meet their expectations, satisfied their timeline, and were they easy to communicate with. One of the reasons why you should work with a professional web design firm vs. a freelancer is that the professionals tend to be significantly more responsive than somebody who works by and for themselves. Talent is one thing – but reliability is equally as important. So while professional web design firms may cost a little bit more than freelancers do, the peace of mind that you will have is priceless.
Are you ready to get started?
If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!
Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website TipsDiscuss (0 Replies)
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