Advice for Business Web Page Design-2

Posted on December 21, 2011 by admin

In addition to actual pages that a business website should include to make it a top quality site are some of the formatting options that will help to make the website all it can be. These elements include:

  •  Navigation system: Every website has a navigation system; however, the navigation system should be very easy to use and very easy to find. This will help make the website stand out in visitor’s minds.
  •  Colors: The colors of the website are important. The colors should not be overwhelming or too dark. Solid colors work better than wild patterns for business websites and make the site easier to read.
  •  Fonts: Fonts must be legible. Simple fonts are easier to read and should be used. Formal, fancy fonts are pretty but can be hard to read. In addition, if the person reading the website doesn’t have the font on their system, they will see it in a different font than intended.
  •  Layout: Dead space should be used carefully to help draw attention to whatever element on the page the business owner wants them to be drawn to in order to make it the focal point.
  •  Scripts and Animation: Keep in mind that a little bit is good and a lot is too much. A little bit of Java or PHP or other scripting can enhance a site; however, too much can make it slow to load in the browser and ultimately cause people to exit out of the site.

This advice is just the tip of the iceberg when designing a website. A quality web designer will be able to help get the website created with the look and feel that the business owner wants it to have.

Posted in Basics | Leave a comment

Advice for Business Web Page Design-1

Posted on December 21, 2011 by admin

Many business owners would like to know what they should understand about having a website created before they move forward with having their business put on the web.

In today’s business world not having a website is about as out-dated as the fax machine, yet many businesses haven’t taken the leap because they simply aren’t sure what they want to have in their business web page design. Some businesses are service oriented and simply need a means of marketing their services and their contact information while other businesses sell products and could take advantage of an online presence to sell more products. The information herein is the best advice for business owners considering a web site for the first time.

  What the Web Site Does

 Regardless of the type of business a web site is created for it is the online representation of that business. This is important to keep in mind so that the final website reflects positively on the business. A professional look and feel to the website is important and that ultimately up to the web designer that is selected to create the site. A professional website for a business should not come out looking like a cartoon put together by a child, unless the business happens to be in comic books or cartoons. The point is to make sure the web designer has experience creating business websites and not simply putting together blogs. The website should attract visitors and ultimately clients, and the design will play a large role.

  Elements to Include

 There are many different elements that a website should incorporate to ensure that visitors get a good impression about the business and also get enough information about the business to make an informed decision. Some of these include:

  • Well-designed, to-the-point landing page: The landing page has to catch the attention of the visitor and do so quickly. It should be straightforward and to the point with eye-catching images and possibly even Flash elements. Scrolling logos and photos that change as the visitor is browsing, make the page visually appealing and will hold attention more so than simple static pages.
  •  About Page: Introduce the business and staff to the world using an about page. Make the visitor feel connected by telling them about the business and about yourself.
  •  Services; Detail the services that are available, use scripting languages to bring the pages to life.
  •  Contact Page: A business web site without a contact page is simply a bunch of words in cyberspace that won’t generate one lead. There must be a way for clients to contact you. The contact page can be information with ways for the visitor to contact the business, a submission page where the visitor completes a form or a combination of these. The important thing is that there is a way for visitors to contact the business.
  •  Locations: A well-designed business page will also include a location page, particularly if the business would like for people to be able to find them or if they have a service business and people need to be able to find them. A good locations place will include map links that show exactly how to get to the location by linking them to Google Maps, MapQuest or other online mapping services.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Guide to DIY Web Design-1

Posted on December 21, 2011 by admin

DIY website design has become a popular way for many people to develop a web presence without spending a large sum of money and still having some creative input on the site design.

DIY projects abound in our world, from do-it-yourself construction projects to home repairs and of course the DIY web design solutions that flood cyberspace and software shelves. The good news is that technology has made many inroads into the DIY market and designing a website on your own can be a fun and rewarding project. The key to designing your own web site is to stay within your comfort zone with the skills needed and take your time making your site the way you want it to be so that you are happy with it and it gets you the exposure you want it to get.

Uses for DIY Sites

While some websites are better left to the professionals, there are many websites that can be done using template software and even online designing sites that help you get a website up and running quickly. Some of the sites that can benefit from being a DIY site are:

  • Blogs: These are typically smaller websites that are updated daily or however often the blogger wants to update them. There are many blog templates available on the Internet including WordPress and Blogger. These have both free and paid versions and have many design templates to help personalize the site. Some also offer the option of incorporating ads to generate revenue which makes the blog a cash flow source as well as an informative and fun site.
  • E-Commerce: Many e-commerce sites can be created using templates available on the web and using software that is purchased and contains a complete web site. These are usually simple e-commerce sites where a few items are being sold and the website is linked to a PayPal account that accepts payments. There are free hosts such as Weebly that make setting up the site simple and there are other sites that charge a small fee but have more robust options for designing the site.
  • Family Sharing: Many people like to set up websites to share family pictures, news and other information and happenings with each other. These types of sites can be easy to set up using templates that are available through the Internet, in fact, even a blog site can be utilized as a family sharing website.

These are just a few examples of ways that a DIY site can be utilized. Once the determination has been made as to what the site is going to be used for, it is just a matter of finding the right type of software or template to use and getting the project started.

Posted in Basics | Leave a comment