UIScape Research notes on interaction design
  • Oct
    16

    4 Stages of Web Design

    Stage 1 – Style over substance

    The first stage is to design a site that the chief executive officer, venture capitalists, and ad agencies like to see. There are all types of “bells and whistles” in this design. An entire site might be a Flash animated site. Or there might be some beautiful JavaScript mouse over effects or drop-down menus in the design. It’s always a pretty design, but the message is clear – style over substance.

    Stage 2 – Designing for online visibility

    In Stage 2, the reality of an ineffective web design begins to hit, usually around 3-6 months after the initial launch. A site will typically get rejected by many of the major directories, not be indexed by the major search engines, or not get the traffic or sales that were projected based on the various types of marketing strategies used. Typically, that’s when companies decide that they will try to hire a professional online marketer to promote the site. Doorway page companies, in some way, shape or form, rear their ugly heads. Unfortunately, many web site owners fall for a doorway page company’s pitch because the beautifully designed site couldn’t possibly be the problem with low site traffic. Yahoo might have rejected a site, or the site might have been listed in Yahoo and the company cannot understand why they have no description next to their company name. But in no way would many ad agencies or doorway page companies want to tell potential clients the truth — they simply did not design and write an effective web site — because it would mean losing thousands of pounds in business

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    Stage 3 – Designing for your audience

    By Stage 3, after spending an exorbitant amount of money on pretty web site designs and various marketing strategies, web site owners generally figure out that they did not design or write an effective Web site for their target audience. Typically, web site owners will bring in a usability expert to analyze potential problems and present various solutions. Bringing in a search engine marketing expert to help with search-engine friendly web designs &templates early in the design phase can save a company thousands of pounds in online marketing costs.

    Stage 4 – Site redesign

    After careful usability and search engine visibility analyses, web site owners finally have an effective web site. A site that is written, coded and designed for user friendliness and search engine visibility generally gets the most traffic and resulting sales because it was written, programmed, and designed for end users.

    Conclusion

    Web sites should always be designed with your target audience in mind, not your own personal preferences. Colours have meaning. Professional designers understand the psychology of colour and the use of white space to best project the image your audience wishes to see. (For example, try not to use the colour red on a financial site.) Understanding the products/services/information your target audience is searching for is paramount to designing and maintaining an effective web site. When you launch a site, you might have to make an educated guess as to what your target audience wants. After that, tools such as site statistics software and reporting from site searches tell you exactly what your visitors are looking for. Then content and marketing strategies can be adjusted accordingly. Unless the advanced technology clearly benefits end users, do not use it on your site. If your venture capitalists or CEO’s or lawyers like the site, ask if they are going to spend the thousands or millions of pounds to keep you in business.

    They’re not. Your target audience who will ultimately determine the success or failure of your site.

     

    Damian Brauer is a writer and a web designer / seo enthusiast. He currently owns Preeminence design. Here he discusses web design nottingham tips.

    Source: ArticlesBase.com

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  • Oct
    13

    Dream Media Web Design

    Web Design Service in Manchester

    The Design of your Business website plays an important part of your online presence, Dream Media Design are a Small Group of online developers and web designers, together we produce great designs that are W3C compliant. We deliver services like: web design, web sites, web applications, flash websites, flash animations, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and website hosting solutions at very competitive prices.

    Whether you are looking to update a current look or create a new image for your business, the web designers at Dream Media Design will help your business shine. Our core target clients are small to medium dynamic companies who can see the benefit of online marketing, contact our web design team today for a free no obligation quote and see how dream media design can boost your company’s turnover!

    Search Engine Optimisation

    The Internet is a race and to win, get the most recent technical achievements in web design, hosting & S.E.O NOW!. People who sit back, relax and think they will always stay on top will eventually lose the game. Web design is just the Start, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) puts you in front of your target market, however in very competitive markets this alone can take months but when you get to the top its a great view!!.

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    Website Overhaul

    How can you make sure your website is up-to-date? Contact Dream S.E.O Team for a no obligation report about a website overhaul. Dream Media Design will make sure you have a targeted website audience. We understand what info is most important and this should be emphasised and located on the most visible search engine ranking. We can make sure your website is interesting to the audience and track how your clients are finding your website and also how they used it. Let Dream Media Design update your website ( and elements of website design as well) with the seasonal and special offers, make a newsletter, draw funny cartoons, make something that would differ your website from the rest and give your target market a lasting first impression.

    Web Hosting

    Dream Media have the right solution for you, whether you are looking for fantastic value for your personal website or require more advanced hosting features for your business. We are committed to provide exceptional Windows Web Hosting solutions throughout the UK with 24×7 technical support, we provide exceptional customer service to our customers through our highly experienced staff and advanced high speed infrastructure.

    Dream Media Design customers get fast responses to critical issues and unlimited technical support, We go beyond industry standards and are constantly staying up to date with cutting edge technology within our field, it might sound too good to be true but it’s not, this is what happens when you experience support from the Dream Media Team.

    For more information about our internet services please visit our website at http://www.dreammediadesign.co.uk

     

    Source: ArticlesBase.com

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