Why Do I Need Website Design?

If you are a business that requires an online presence, you will have to have some sort of website and it will need designing so that it looks professional. The design involves layout, colour selection, navigation and more.

You could try to design your own website but this isn't advisable because your site needs to compete with all the others on the web and so it has to look good. Obviously if you are competent in this area then you could undertake your own web design.

Websites are very similar to physical shops in some ways because they are an important way to convince people to come to you. People see a shop window and if it looks appealing they go in. A website is the same. If it doesn't look good it can put people off. By looking good, this doesn't just mean aesthetics but also the layout. No one likes trying to work out where things are. If it isn't obvious they will go somewhere else. You only have a few seconds to make a good impression so don't waste the opportunity.

A web designer should know what makes a good impression and be skilled in creating a site that reflects your brand identity. They should also be proficient in making the site convert site visitors to actual customers by using methods such as a 'call to action' and making sure your contact details are prominent. They should also consider your future needs and design a site that doesn't limit you.



Don't cut corners with design because you will regret it. A saving now will equate to a loss in the long run. Obviously shop around but make sure that any company you deal with is professional and can create the standard of site that you need. Also ensure that they will be designing your site to be in compliance with all relevant laws.

Some businesses will need their site to allow people to purchase products. If this is the case it will need an ecommerce section which needs a way of listing products, a shopping basket to allow people to request certain items and a secure payment system to allow the transaction. An ecommerce system that you can update yourself is probably preferable so that you can update products and prices as soon as they are required and you save money by not having to pay an outside company to do this. This flexibility is called CMS (content managed system) and it applies to all website content, not just shops.

Once you have a site you can't expect people to just find it. It will need some sort of promotion and a mixture of on and offline promotion is a good idea. Considering most people find websites by using a search engine, search engine optimisation is a good way of marketing your site. Social media is also important so look at setting up Twitter and Facebook accounts and learning how to use them for business.