Month: January 2018

Web design Santee requires that you listen to what other designers are saying. This is the only way you will be able to avoid common mistakes that can cause your website to underperform. In addition to that, you need to understand the common mistakes that can cause your website to nosedive. The purpose of this post is to enlighten you on those mistakes.

Beating about the bush
A common mistake made by web designers is that of beating about the bush with the aim of building curiosity. To be honest, this strategy only works in suspense novels. When it comes to web development, the user must know what a website is about within seconds. If the visitor is unable to figure out what your website is about within seconds, he will go somewhere else. As a web designer Santee, you must ensure that you create a website that communicates the why of your website fast.

Creating content that is not scannable
One thing you must always assume when creating your web content is that your users are busy. Only a handful of people will read through your entire post. You must therefore avoid using large blocks of text and focus on making the content scannable. You make content scannable by using bullet points, headers, and sub-headers and so on. Make use of white spaces. The goal is to create content that makes it easy for the reader to filter what he is really looking for.

Using unreadable text
It is okay to use uncommon fonts when creating your content. The worst mistake you can make, however, is that of using fancy fonts that are unreadable. You don’t need to use just any sophisticated font. If your visitors are straining to read your content, they will abandon your site. The case is the same if you use font that is too small or one with colors that make it hard to read.

Forcing users to open new browser windows
In the past, most web designers created a web design Santee whose links opened in new browser windows. This was done with the belief that opening links in new windows kept visitors from leaving their site. That was wrong. Your users need to have control on how to open links. There is a very good reason why browsers have a ‘back’ button. Don’t worry too much about sending your user to another website. He will come back if he wants to.

Other mistakes you should avoid include the following:

• Resizing the browser windows of a visitor
• Making registration mandatory before viewing your content
• Using popups
• Subscribing visitors to things without their consent
• Automatically playing music or videos
• Cluttering the website with badges
• Not having a contact page

Needless to say, this list is incomplete. However, it has covered the major mistakes you should avoid. As a web designer Santee, you must keep an eye out to see what other designers are doing. The more you know the better.

Web design Santee

Web design Santee keeps on changing. It is up to you to evaluate the prevailing changes and implement the most practical ones. Often, this requires spending a lot of time online reviewing other websites and reading what experts are saying about the future of web design. The worst mistake you can make in today’s competitive online space is to be defiant to change. Here are a couple of things you should consider doing in 2018.

Mobile first
This is not something you should start doing this year. For the last decade, keeping mobile first has always been a top priority. This is bearing to the fact that Internet users today rely heavily on mobile devices to access the web. Studies have shown that more than 60% of the web traffic you get will come from mobile devices. With that in mind, it will pay significantly to ensure that your website is mobile friendly. Your work as a web designer Santee must be ensuring that the websites you create load fast and smoothly on all screen sizes. Putting mobile first will give you an advantage in search engine optimization because search engines are now giving priority to mobile-friendly sites.

Custom illustrations
Illustrations make it easy for visitors to understand your concepts better. You should invest more in these. You need to work as an experienced artist who makes illustrations that are full of personality as well as tailored to the tone of your brand. While this is a major trend in 2018, it will help create a brand that is perceived as a serious and right-minded one. Using illustrations you copied directly from another related website will only cost your credibility. Be unique.

Integrated animations
The browser technology has advanced. There is no longer need for you to create a boring website with static images. This year is a great time to try finding ways of using animations on your site. Doing so will help you engage your users more intimately and communicate your ideas clearly. The animations don’t necessarily need to be large background images. They can be small animations that improve the experience of a visitor on a page. For example, you can use interesting graphics to engage users as a page is loading.

Personalized content
Your remarkable web design Santee will not do much if the content is poor. Since time immemorial, great content has always been the key to a successful website. More time has to be spent in research and content creation. Visitors are visiting your website because of your content.

These are the most important things you need to be doing throughout this year while working on a website. The list is incomplete. Keep learning more and implementing the most relevant and promising trends.

Web design Santee

As a web designer Santee, there are certain things that you just need to know. Yes the market is filled with dozens of great tools that save developers’ time more so when it comes to coding, but having the following skills will give you an advantage when doing your work. In this post, we will be taking a look at a few things that every web designer should be able to do even in their sleep.

Code with CSS and HTML
These are the primary languages used in web design. Whether you focus only on web design Santee or you also take on international projects, you must familiarize yourself with HTML and CSS. WordPress and other content management system are designed to eliminate the need for coding. Knowing how to code, however, will make you a better web designer. You should learn HTML and CSS. The knowledge of these two will help better refine your designs.

Edit photos
Yes you don’t need to be a photographer to be a great designer but you certainly must have a few photo editing skills. It is not all the time that you will be able to add images as they are into your design. If an image is too big, it will make your website heavy and that will cause it to load slowly. As a web designer, you must learn how to resize photos without sacrificing resolution and also learn how to make simple photos glamorous. You have to spend a little more time in the digital camera world. There are so many tutorials you can use out there to learn photo editing. Keep refining your skills.

Write great headlines
Having the best web design Santee does not guarantee you will get lots of traffic and that the visitors you get will take action. The traffic you get and the overall success of your website depends on your content. One way of funneling traffic in is by writing great headlines. In addition to being able to do a thorough keyword research, you must be able to create headlines that capture attention. A good headline shows the audience that you understand their needs and have the solution they are looking for.

Create a website that loads smoothly on any device
People rely more on their smartphones to access the internet than they used to a decade ago. This is because smartphone technology has improved significantly and wireless Internet connections have gotten better. As a web designer in Santee, you have to build a website that opens properly on any screen size. The website needs to be mobile friendly and have remarkable cross-browser compatibility.

Know the current trends
Last but not least, as a web designer, you must understand the current trends in web design. You should know at least three trends. Failing to keep up with the trends will see you creating mediocre websites.

The above are the basic skills you must have as a web designer Santee. It is also important for you to keep advancing your skills. Keep learning. That is the only way you will be able to stay ahead of the curve.

Web designer Santee

Your web design Santee has the power to drive your business forward or cause it to remain in the same place. For most businesses, the latter happens. The reason for this is most people don’t take web design seriously. Some companies don’t even bother to hire a professional to help with their web development needs. They rely on the free web development tools. This is not the best way to go. If you are serious about creating a unique website that boosts your traffic, you must start by hiring an experienced web designer. Second, you must ensure your new web design does these three things.

Focuses on the target audience and doesn’t overlook the current clients
The whole purpose of a website is to help you get more clients. It does this by helping you reach out to potential customers. The golden rule that every web designer Santee follows is that of keeping the target audience first. However, there is a mistake that people make and that is focusing too much on potential clients and forgetting about the existing ones. When it comes to web design, you have to keep both your current and target clients in mind. This means you need to maintain brand recognition through your colors, styles, logos and the overall tone of your copy. This is a great way to bridge the gap between the new and existing designs.

Be proactive
Failing to plan for the future is definitely one of the worst mistakes you can make. This is more so when picking a hosting service. The last thing you want is to go through the hassle of transferring your website from one CMS or hosting service to another. The process is not only tedious but also risky. Even if your bandwidth needs are small now, you have to bear in mind that these needs might increase spontaneously in the near future. Pick a hosting service that has the ability to accommodate your growing needs.

Still on web design Santee, you must do some research online to understand the styles that are being used by other websites. One thing you will notice is that the functionality and styles are constantly changing. Your web designer will recommend styles and features that make sense for your target market and one that has longevity.

Have a clear path for users
Last but not least, your web design must not be confusing. For your website to be a lead, it must be easy to navigate and understand. Your website should make it easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for. Your web design should have a unique value position, intuitive navigation and call-to-action.

When creating a website, you must create one that looks great and that is highly functional. Don’t bother yourself too much with what every web designer Santee is doing. Only add the elements that are relevant and block the rest out.

Web design Santee

A web designer Santee is charged with the responsibility of creating a website that is not only user-friendly but one that brings more business to the company. If you create a remarkable website with zero conversions, then you have failed as a web designer. Considering creating a successful website is a tall order, it pays to dig deeper into web development before you get started. You must keep up with the trends and keep an eye on what other web designers are doing to create amazing websites. Here are some of the important things you ought to think about when creating your website.

Mobile users
Studies have shown that more than 60% of the traffic getting to websites is from mobile users. Google is even giving ranking priority to websites with mobile-friendly designs. With that being said, as you work on a web design Santee, you have to think about mobile users. The good news is that you don’t need to create two versions of your website; desktop and mobile versions. All you need is a responsive web design that adjusts itself to fit any screen it is viewed on.

Local search
Yes targeting the national and international clients is a good thing but you must never forget about your immediate clients. The best thing about focusing on local searches is that you get to beat the competition drastically. For local searches, you need to use the name of the region you serve.

Testing
There is no website that is ever completely done. Changes keep on being made. Search engines keep on revising their algorithm and it is up to you to keep up with these changes. That is why you need to keep testing your website. Search for errors and fix them. Your content must also be updated regularly not only with the best keywords but with informative content.

Reputation management
You will always have enemies. That is why you need to ask an experienced web designer Santee to help you with reputation management. There are many tools you can use to track your online reputation. These tools can be added to the social media marketing section so that you have an idea on how your brand is fairing. If there are many negative reviews, you will have to act on the credible reviews and replace the negative searches with positive ones in search engine results.

Building a website is a continuous process. You have to keep improving it so that you have a better competitive edge against your competitors. What is more is that you need to keep up with the trends. New and better ways of doing things keep on coming up. Don’t be left in the dark.

Web designer Santee

Web design Santee is not all about using the best content management system and installing the most attractive theme. There is more to web development than that. You have to think about the domain name, hosting, content and many other things. The purpose of this post is to discuss the three requirements that are largely ignored in web development.

Search engine marketing
It is obvious that you will not get any visitors to your website if they don’t know about it. You can’t simply rely on word of mouth either when promoting your website. You want people interested in what you have to offer to find you. This is made possible by search engine marketing. One crucial point you need to remember as a web designer Santee is that search engine marketing is not all about the keywords. The web layout will also have a part to play. For example, in ranking, Google favors websites that have mobile-friendly designs. You have to invest in an intuitive web design and also ensure it is mobile ready.

When working on your website, you have to write everything down. Start by understanding the search engine marketing requirements then compile a list of the things you will do to optimize your website. Some important things you should do include paid marketing, organic SEO, link building and other things like video transcripts and picture captions.

Usability
It is good to think of this point as user experience. Yes you are designing a website that reflects the ideals of your website but you also have to build a website that is enticing to the users. Web design has to be done with the users in mind. What this means is that you have to create a layout that is not only search engine optimized but one that is intuitive. Users should not have to guess where they can find certain information. Everything needs to be axiomatic. Keep up with the trends in web development.

Social media marketing
Virtually everyone you know is on social media. You need to assume that even your target audiences are on social media. The first step you should do as a web designer Santee is to incorporate social media in your website. Add social sharing icons. You also need to setup social media profiles on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Social media marketing will boost credibility.

The above are the main things you need to do when planning your website. Never take corners. Put your customers first. You also need to brush up on the web design requirements and trends in web development.

Web design Santee

The goal of a web designer Santee when it comes to web development is to create a masterpiece that is not only beautiful but one that benefits the bottom line. Considering the level of competition that exists, it is close to impossible to come up with something unique today. The good thing is that you don’t really need to reinvent the wheel but rather improve on what already exists. In web development, keeping up with the trends is the best place to start. In this post, we shall be examining the key trends you need to keep an eye on in 2018.

Bright and bold engaging photographic content
With advancements in monitors, color saturation and brightness, the images you use in your web design Santee must not be boring. Whether the images will be viewed on a computer screen, a smartphone or a smart TV, how good looking they are will impact the reaction of your audience. This year is hence a good time to start investing more in engaging high quality photographic content.

Polished web applications
About a decade ago, not many people knew a lot about web applications. They assumed the bugs were things that were inevitable. Today, times have changed. Internet users have been exposed to more advanced web applications that work as they should. Therefore, if you plan on incorporating a web application in your web design, you should do best to ensure that the application is polished. The app should not just be visually polished but it should work smoothly without any glitch. Needless to say, if your web application has bug, it will push some of your target audiences away. Invest more in high quality web apps.

Interactive content
Over the last decade, mobile devices have advanced significantly to extent of matching up with high-end desktop computers. As a result of this, search engines like Google have made emphasis on having mobile friendly web designs. As you work on a web design Santee, having a mobile friendly design will not be the only thing you will need this year. Customers are craving more personalized and entertaining experiences. This is why you need to make use of cookies to learn more about the preferences of your target audiences. The content you provide need to be more personal. Your content should be something your audience can associate with.

The three are the main trends you need to keep up with this year. There are more things you need to keep an eye on. Make sure you keep up with the latest trends and include them in your work. That is the only way you will be able to become a great web designer Santee.

Web designer Santee

Web design Santee is an exciting industry to be in more so if you love innovating and have an eye for remarkable designs. While there are innumerable beautiful and functional websites out there, there are also a ton of ugly and overdone ones. One thing you don’t want is for your new website to fall in the ugly category. As the year gathers momentum, it is only wise to keep up with the best web design practices. Here are the top practices you need to embrace.

Focus on the target audience
The first point you need to remember at all times when working as a web designer Santee is that the target audience always comes first. Forgetting about the end user is the worst mistake you can ever make. A successful website is not just a remarkable visual piece but a portal for funneling more customers in. You must start your web design project by compiling a list of the likes and dislikes of your target audience. What do they want and expect from you? Keep your audience in mind throughout the project. Don’t ignore them when making changes to your website later.

Keep branding
The worst thing about web development is that you have to keep investing time and resources to make it better and relevant to your audiences. In addition to adding fresh content every now and then, you have to ensure that your branding is consistent. Don’t confuse your visitors because none of your web pages look anything like your home page. Use must use predetermined branding colors, messaging and logos on all your pages. The page layouts must also be the same.

Simple layout
As a web designer Santee, you know that you are always competing with other competitive designers. To stay afloat, most designers choose to go overboard with their designs. This is something you must never do. When your website layout is too complicated, you will lose your target audiences. Keep it simple. Only use relevant elements and reduce the clutter.

Have strong CTA
Call-to-action is a must have in your web design Santee. Your visitors want to be told what to do next. You do this through the CTA. The CTA need to be placed in an appropriate place on your website layout and they should make sense to the target audience. For example, the ‘Contact Us’ type of CTA should be placed towards the bottom of the page. That way, the visitor can contact you after they are fully educated about your products and services.

There is a lot more you need to do when refining your web design this year. A few things worth mentioning is the use of high quality videos and images and following the best SEO practices. The rule of thumb is to keep up with the trends. Don’t lag too far behind.

Web design Santee

Web design Santee has come a long way; from the age of text-only websites to intuitive parallax layouts. Whether you want to create a website for your business or for personal use, there are several things that you will need to do. In this post, we shall be taking a look at the 2 key things that every website must be able to do.

Get visitors to stay on past the blink test
The blink test basically refers to whether the first-time visitors to your site will stay on or decide to leave. Will they stay on your site longer than 15 seconds? An experienced web designer Santee will tell you that a  successful website has to pass the blink test and keep visitors coming back. To achieve this, there are a few things that need to be done.

• Create a simple layout that is aesthetically attractive

When a web design is too complex, it often pushes visitors away. This is more so if the web elements are too confusing. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. The layout of your site needs to be clean and simple. It should be easy on the eyes too. The goal is to create a site that makes access to information easy. It should have an intuitive navigation menu, elements kept on a grid rather than all over the pages, less cluttered and uses complementary colors.

• Killer content

A great web design will not keep your visitors on your website. Visitors landed on your website because they were looking for answers. Provide high quality content that is not only search engine optimized but one that is useful to your target audience. The content must also be easy to consume. Make use of white spaces, catchy headlines and subheadings and also use bullets. Internet users are skimmers. They hate reading. Don’t forget to add relevant images to your content.

Draw traffic to its pages
Now that your website is up, your work is far from over. The next step is to drive traffic to your website. Doing so is a continuous process. If you plan on using a web designer Santee make sure he has the experience and resources needed to help drive traffic. Here are some of the things you will have to do:

• Link building
• Citations
• Post new content regularly
•  Use relevant keywords; both single word and long tail keywords
• Create permanent 301 redirects
• Social media integration

These are the core things that a website must be able to do. Never be in a hurry to get your website online. Get everything right before presenting it to your target audience.

Web design Santee

A web designer Santee is charged with the responsibility of creating an impactful website that delivers results. For any website to deliver results, its visitors have to stay on it longer and take the action that is required. However, more often than not, people quickly click away from a new site seconds after landing on it. If you are recording a high bounce rate, you should consider doing the following things.

Use a simple and visually attractive layout
First things first, your web design has a great part to play in regards to the bounce rate. If you want a web design Santee for your business, you must consider creating a layout that is not only aesthetically appealing but also simple. When a web layout is too complex, it ends up confusing the visitors and this often causes them to click away. Make use of an obvious layout. Your visitors should be able to find the navigation menu without straining. Your contact information should also be on every page. Don’t forget to add a contact page.

Use an intuitive navigation menu
Speaking of an intuitive navigation menu, you need to note that this serves as your GPS. What that means is that if you don’t have a good navigation, visitors will get lost and they have no choice but to leave your site. Therefore, if you are a web designer, Santee, the first thing you need to do is to create a sitemap. You should then use the sitemap to compile an intuitive navigation menu that will guide visitors around your site. Make sure all the important pages are on the navigation menu.

Have mobile-version of your site
More than 60% of your site traffic will come from mobile users. More and more people are using mobile devices to access the web. The worst mistake you can make is that of creating a website that only has a desktop version. By so doing, you will be locking mobile users out. Needless to say, if mobile users cannot view your website comfortably they will click away. Did you know that having a mobile friendly website will boost your search engine rankings?

Regularly add high quality content
Last but not least, the only reason you have visitors on your website is because they are interested in what you have to offer. You don’t want to fail them with a web design Santee that offers no value. Start by investing more in high quality content. You need content that answers questions that your target audiences have. You also need to post new content regularly. This is the key to reducing the bounce rate and getting more repeat traffic.

Web designer Santee