Business Web Design Done Right.
It is 2008, and a web presence is not longer optional. If you are interested in building a highly effective web site or online campaign, the people and technology you choose will make all the difference, just like any other business. Whether you contract me or not, here’s some of the things to consider before making the choice in web design and search engine optimization:
Web Design
- Clean Layout and Design
Business websites should appear professional, after all, it’s the first and possibly only impression for a potential client or customer. The theme should be unique to your business and reflect your industry or product. - Message and Organization
It’s not all about code and graphics. A good consultant should be effective in editing your copy for grammatical errors, and especially should be able to lend suggestions on sales language, calls to action, and visitor focus. Lastly, a good consultant should be familiar with information architecture, how visitors scan content pages, and the importance of headings, emphasis, and text blocks. - Search Engine Readable
While graphics based and Adobe Flash text can be awe inspiring, there’s one major problem. All major search engines cannot read them. By reading them, I mean indexing. And if search engines can’t read them, they don’t know if your site is about widgets or cat food. Older table based designs are OK, but standards based XHTML/CSS designs are by far favorable and usually rank better. - Usability
Visitors don’t tell you that you if you have a broken link, or that the “buy it now” button is missing. They just leave. A good, easy navigation structure is the minimum, but placing important content above the fold, employing multiple linking strategies, and checking for 404 “not found” pages are critical for web business success. - Visitor Focused
Everybody has an about us page, listing their industry and how long they’ve been open - and there is nothing wrong with that. However, to really differentiate your business from the crowd, you need to think like your audience. What are they searching for, and by that I don’t mean keywords. Does your site list features, or does it describe benefits? Engage them at every chance, in a nutshell. - Cross Browser Compatibility
Not all websites display the same in all browsers, most notably Internet Explorer 6. Not even perfectly valid XHTML/CSS sites! Testing for cross browser compatibility is essential to make sure potential customers are not fleeing from pages that look like a jumbled mess. To take a look at your site in a multitude of browsers $amp; platforms, simply enter your web address in http://browsershots.org/ for a free look. - Communication Skillset
On the web, nearly all of the communication deals with the written word. Fortunately, this isn’t the case concerning the design process. When searching for a designer, check with him or her and see if there is a connection. Are they familiar with your industry? Can you two communicate effectively to ensure that your vision is replicated and exceeded? Personally, I believe in phone consultations, or even better, face to face meeting(s). It will save time and limit frustration for all parties involved.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Organic or Pay-Per-Click?
First of all, let’s start off with what search engine optimization really is, and what it isn’t. SEO involves getting a web page or site to rank highly in what are called Search Engine Results Pages, or SERPs for short. Organic SEO is what get’s your site ranked highly in the main body of the results pages. These results appear not to be advertising, because they aren’t, and are therefore trusted to a much higher degree. If you pay attention to those results pages, you may see advertisements on top and to the right of the results - these are Pay-Per-Click advertisements. While in many cases, PPC campaigns can be highly effective, don’t be confused and end paying a firm for PPC when organic SEO is what you desire. Always ask if it’s organic! - Beware of Gimmicks
Over the last five years, I’ve run into almost every conceivable gimmick or trick claiming to “Rank you #1″ in Google for $X. They don’t work, at least not for long, and may end up hurting you in the search engines or even getting your site banned. Beware of so called link farms and bad neighborhoods, if your prospective consultant doesn’t know what these are - run. - Don’t pay for Search Engine Submission
This was necessary until about 1998. Google and other search engines are good at what they do, if you have a properly designed site, they will find it.
Confused?
Don’t be. Consultations are free, so pick up the phone… I’ll be happy to explain in detail.
Wade Sonenberg
Rainmaker Web Design
770.377.6345
