Design Your Website for Your Target Audience

Targeted web design

Keeping your target audience in mind when you are planning a website redesign is a critical component of whether or not that website is going to be effective and viewed as a trust worthy source of information in your industry. It is important to review past analytic data from your website to see the different screen resolutions that are used as well as traffic patterns to different topics and the most popular content. It is also a good idea to ask users who fit into your target audience what they like to see in a website and maybe some examples of the way content is presented to them. Keeping your target audience in mind can have a huge effect on whether visitors find your website easy to maneuver through or move on to another website.

Analyze past website visitor data and behavior

Analyzing past data and seeing patterns in user behavior is a great way to dive into how visitors to your website think and act. No matter the website, there are different patterns on how visitors click through the website and different areas they spend more time at. Using this data and analyzing patters can show you how to cater that specific audience for more relevant information. If you see that there is a high rate of traffic that goes to view your contact page and your contact information is solely there, it may be a good idea to place that contact information on every page, so it is directly in front of customers at all times. Another example is if you see patters of users moving from article to article. This can be a sign that you may want to place links to related articles maybe on the side of your website or at the bottom of the article so they can move on to the next article without backing out to an articles page.

Screen resolutions

Another very interesting piece of information you can get from analytics data is the screen resolution that visitors are using to view your website. This can come in handy when redesigning your website so you can keep it in a particular screen resolution. This helps with the amount the user has to horizontally scroll to see all of the content on your website. You may decide that the screen resolution may be large or small and you would like to have a more “fluid” design that stretches to fit the screen of your visitor no matter the screen resolution. Either way, being able to analyze data and see what your visitor is using for hardware can help them have a great user experience on your website.

Ask people in your target audience what they like

What better way to gather information about your new website design than to ask people who are in your target audience? I am always surprised how much detailed information people will give you about what they like about a website and what they find easy and difficult. All of it is good information to gather and sift through for your new website. When we asked people for their input, they are usually very likely to help you out and they like to see some of their ideas incorporated into a design. I have heard different target audiences that like larger text, larger pictures, YouTube videos, blogs, articles, forms, wider designs, contact information are just a few of the features that we have heard people say they like to see on a website. Another great way to have users find your site more useful is to have programs that help them out. For example, if you have a mortgage website, maybe you should place some calculators on your website and some instructions on what they are calculating and how it can affect their mortgage payments. These little programs are a great way for people to bookmark your website and see you as an authority in your field.

Make it easy for your target audience

It is always a pleasure to go though a website that has exactly what you want, relevant information everywhere and fits within your viewing screen. These are the types of websites that we will often bookmark. We have also seen when a website has the features that the target audience is looking for, those website almost always have higher sales because of it. Make it easy for your visitors and hopefully they will make it easier for you to keep your business making money.

Tags: business website, how do we get this process started, increase website conversions, new website look and feel, refine your website, targeted web design, update my website, user friendly web design, website challenges, website target audience
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Reasons for a Website Redesign

Website Redesign

Every now and then, you run across a website of a company that looks like the last time it was updated was 1997. How much trust does that build with you? I usually think, “Hmmm…if their website is outdated, maybe their business practices are as well.” And then I usually proceed on to their competitor. Having an updated and user friendly design can pay dividends to people searching for your products and services or to your sales team and having them guide prospective clients to the correct area on your website.

Redesign and update your website

It is important to keep your look and feel as fresh and clean as possible. We believe it is also important to maintain a constant look and feel throughout the website. Do yourself and your visitors a favor and don’t have the logo aligned left on one page and then aligned right on another page, with different navigation elements. Keep it consistent. Also make sure your website is in accordance with your other promotional materials. We have helped clients who send out flyers and it is important to have the same logos and colors in order to appear consistent. With customers, it’s critical to build up enough trust so they feel comfortable contacting you.

Make your website redesign more user friendly

Make sure your website does not have any broken links. This is a sign to the search engines that some of the content on your website may be outdated.
Validate your website. The World Wide Web Consortium has a website validator that you can use to make sure your website is up to code standards.
Redo your title and description tags on your website. Make sure it relates to the information you have on the web page. This can help in the search engine results.
Make sure your navigation is clear and consistent. This is a huge deal on the web. There is nothing more frustrating than a website that has inconsistent navigation throughout the website. Visitors WILL go to competitors’ websites.
Update offers and contact information. Be sure to change and add any phone numbers that need to be replaced. Make sure email addresses go to the proper location. Make sure your address is up to date. Is all of the contact information on each and every page? Is everything spelled right? Is that sale from 1998 over yet on your website?
Add new, worthwhile information to your website. Do you have an article about your company that would help other visitors to make a decision to use your products or services? Do you have any testimonials that you could share? Is there any new affiliation that you would like to show off to visitors? Collect as much information that you think would be helpful to a visitor and get it ready to place online.

Taking on a website design project can be a hefty task. If you could use our assistance, please feel free to get in touch with us. We have completed many website redesigns over the years. The owners are usually very excited when they see the effect it can have on the search engine positions and the conversion rates from visitor to customer.

Tags: new website look and feel, refine your website, relevant information, update my website, user friendly web design, website redesign
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Professional Website Design Services for Professional Businesses

Professional Website Design Services

Why have a professional website design?

In today’s world, a website is an extremely useful tool. I can’t think of another advertising tool as versatile and effective than a professional website design. We have all seen the “Build It Tonight” website templates, but when it comes to being found on the search engines, you’re better off having the professionals get the job done right.

Professional Website Design + SEO = Traffic = Conversions = $$$

PLUS it is important to take in the value of Client Retention, how long they will be customers and other services you can provide for them

Establish Trust and Credibility

Establishing trust and credibility is very important on the internet. Recently I was searching for a lawn care provider to take care of my lawn. I found a few in my area on the search engines and had a look at their websites.

One of the websites had an incomplete “About Us” page with random text. Why would I go with a company that can not even come up with text on a page that is so vital when someone is looking to find more information about their company?

Having all the pages on your website filled with relevant text about your business should be priority number one. This is your opportunity to showcase your professional business on the internet.

Usability

Having a website that is easy to navigate is one of the true signs that a professional web design company is indeed a professional. When visitors are able to contact you from any page, find the information they are looking for and able to make a decision, that is when you know your website was built professionally.

Additional Products/Services You Have to Offer

When your visitors know about the other products and services you have to offer on your website, it is a great way to increase sales and show that you are a professional company. When you have that additional information about your other products and services, visitors can learn more about those specific items or services you offer and establish that professional image that you want to portray.

When a little extra thought is put into the information you are placing on your website it can help your visitors make decisions is another way how you know that your website was designed professionally.

Lead Generation

When your website is educating potential clients and letting them know more about what you can offer them, they can make a buying decision. Leads are generated everyday by a company’
s professionally designed website. It is important to have these leads contact you by email, phone or any way possible! Having your website generate leads for you also cuts down on the time you have to educate those potential customers because they will already have done some research on your website.

When it comes to getting your professional business website built, let a professional web design services company use their experience, expertise and knowledge work for you. It will save you money in the long run, and continue to build up your professional image.

Tags: affordable website design, lead generation, new website look and feel, professional web design, professional website, relevant website information, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), website optimization
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5 Critical Key Factors to Keep In Mind When Building an Affordable Website Design

Affordable Website Design

When building an affordable website design, there are 5 key factors that can help guide the project to completion while keeping it affordable. These factors tame the project from going out of control and spending unnecessary money. Follow these factors and you will be well prepared and shouldn’t have a problem building an affordable website design:

Know the goal of the website before you get started with the project.

This rule is listed first for a reason. It is very important to know where you would like to go or what you would like to do before you put out any money to get something done. It may seem like a no-brainer, but people sometimes jump into building an affordable website without any idea of what to do. When this step is skipped, there isn’t a focus and clients tend to get a little of everything and often not in the areas that they had expected. This step is crucial when trying to keep within the boundaries of an affordable website design.
Building an affordable website design can take time.

There is an old saying in the design business: “quality, price or time, pick any two.” This explains the trade-offs when working on a design project. For example, the project can be made with “price” and “time” as factors, but the “quality” of the project will suffer. Another example, the project can be made with “price” and “quality”, but the “time” or the quickness of getting the project done will suffer. With an affordable website design, the “cheap” or price is the focus of the project right away, pick the other factor: “good” or “fast.”

“…it is important to focus on providing easy ways for the customer to get the information they want.”
Put less focus on the overall design and make sure the usability of the website is clear.

When building an affordable website design, it is important to focus on providing easy ways for the customer to get the information they want. The design of your website doesn’t have to be revolutionary. We have seen websites that offer “cutting edge” design, but when it is placed in front of users they get confused and leave to find the information they were looking for on a competitor’s website. Most of the time in business, your customers don’t care about how fancy your website is, they want to know what you can do for them. Information that is readily available and easy to read helps them with their decision making process.

“It may seem like a no-brainer, but people sometimes jump into building an affordable website without any idea of what to do.”
Help your affordable website design grow by including it in your other advertising.

This is one area where you can help, that not every business takes advantage of. It seems like a no-brainer, but some businesses do not put their website address on their other marketing items. We see this as a huge waste of such a valuable resource. It is similar to shutting the door in the face of a person who wants to do business with you and then sitting down and wondering why your business is struggling. It takes very little effort to include a website address on all your marketing materials for your business and it helps tremendously. An affordable website design can help convert traffic from your other marketing activities to your front door.
Talk with your professional website designer to see what options might be available for you.

When you deal with a professional web site designer, they know what certain items and features cost and can make suggestions of what is possible within a certain budget. This can be a very useful tool when trying to build an affordable website design. It is best to know what options are available to you so you can make the best decision when utilizing your resources.

In conclusion, keep these 5 factors in mind when building an affordable website design. Know the goal of the project. Realizing that the project will take time to complete. Focus on usability for your customer. Include the website address in your other advertising and keep the lines of communication open with your website designer. These factors will help guide the project and make sure that it gets done effectively, efficiently, on time and on budget.

Tags: advertise website, affordable web design, key web design factors, new website look and feel, stages of a web design, website design process, website designer, website goals
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Affordable Website Designs: How You Can Help Make Your Website Design Affordable! Yes, You!

Affordable Website Designs

There are many factors that you should think about when preparing to make your website design affordable. Making affordable website designs is something that every website designer strives toward if they wish to keep their clients happy. In this article we are going to discuss how both you as a customer and your website designer can work together to make your affordable website design.

Let your website designer know what your specified budget is.
This is rule number 1 for a reason! Affordability is different for each business. For example, I was talking to one of my acquaintances about boats while we were going for a boat ride on his new yacht. He said that the boat was “affordable” so he bought it and he loves it. Another acquaintance told me he was looking for a boat. “Affordable” to him was a price around $1200. Affordability is the amount of a resource (money, time, etc) to spend on something and it is not the same for any two people. It is important to let your web designer know what “affordability” means to you as a customer.
Know what you can live without!
“For example, I was talking to one of my acquaintances about boats while we were going for a boat ride on his new yacht. He said that the boat was “affordable” so he bought it and he loves it. Another acquaintance told me he was looking for a boat. “Affordable” to him was a price around $1200.”

Let’s face it, everyone wants their website to have ecommerce, interactive features, rank high in the search engines, get unlimited updates and make them financially independent. I’ll let you in on a little secret.you won’t get any of those with a $10/month website. Having a website that does all of those things is possible. They have been done before, but affordability was never mentioned while they were working on the project. So maybe having a presence online where your customers can reach you via email and find out more about your company and your store hours is what you really need. More likely than not, your website designer can do all of the things mentioned above, but you can help make your affordable web design easier on yourself, your wallet and your designer.
Have all materials ready for your website designer.
This help is extremely appreciated by all web designers that are on a project budget. A list of some of the things that you can have ready is as follows:
- Text for the web pages that you would like
- The pictures/images you would like on each page
- The location of the pictures/images (either on the web, on your computer or in your house)
- A company brochure
- A thought about what you would like the design of your website to look like
- Links to other websites you would like to have on your website
This can be a tremendous help for making affordable website design. All of these items mentioned save your website designer time and makes things more efficient. Do them and it will lower the cost of your business website design project.
If you think of any changes you’d like or features you’d like to add, bring them up and talk to your designer about them.
They might have an effect on the affordability or have some other extra steps that you don’t see that would need to be set up in order to have the new feature. Keep the lines of communication open! Having an affordable website design takes effort from both parties.

In conclusion, making an affordable website design is realistic and can be done. Having an affordable website design is done all the time, but it needs help from both the client and the website designer to make sure it is done properly. Help the web designer by gathering around items that are needed in the project. Also, it’s always a good idea to keep the lines of communication open, and affordable web design is no exception. Keep these ideas in mind when you are involved in a website project and you will have no problem keeping your goal of having an affordable website design.

Tags: afford a website, affordable website design, business website, company affordable website, how do we get this process started, new website look and feel, relevant information, small business website, stages of a website, website budget, website process
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