CMS Web Solutions

I had a great discussion today with a client about Web Design. Port Perry, along with having this years Playboy Playmate of the year, has some pretty great business people. Today’s discussion centered on exactly what is Web Design. Toronto is where this particular client’s business is. He noticed that the majority of the clients he deals with have websites that aren’t getting the results his is. He was picking my brain as to why. I explained that before we build any web design project, we ask the client what the purpose of the website is, who the target market is and what the target market is looking for. We emphasize that the website is for the visitor, not the company. “That”, I said, “was what designing a website is really all about”. It’s starting with the visitor and working backward, not the other way around.” That’s the sweet spot, or should I say centre fold.

Each week there seems to be a recurring “theme”. This week’s web design in Durham Region “theme” seems to centre on the difference in an IT type company/division creating a website, verses a marketing type company/division building a website. The battle centres on who should construct it. The short answer is, it’s not about who does the web design. It’s about what the purpose of the web design is. Is it more operational than marketing or more marketing than operational? Is it for existing customers or prospects? What does the target market want to see in the website. Design can be clinical or attractive. What does the target market want to see? Once you answer the questions you will get a better indication of what you require. Like hiring an employee, it’s all about the right fit.

Being a website designer in Durham is …interesting. Because we get to visit many different businesses around Durham, we see how they are actually using their websites. It’s amazing how only a few businesses really “get” how important the website is to their business. Those that have understood have benefited a great deal. In fact, they are now asking us what else they can do and “what’s next?”. The short answer is to find other niches, build a website, optimize and capture other business.

Did your battery go in your car’s electric door opener stranding you in Toronto? Try the key. Can’t find a Pickering phone number on the web? Try a phone book. Email not working? Try a telephone; it’s designed for that too. Nothing is perfect. Stuff happens. Business goes on. Relax. Breath. Then remember there are always options…unless you forget there are.

I was having a great discussion with a fellow Website Designer in Ajax recently. We both agreed that most businesses are still not capitalizing on the strength of the Internet to capture new business. Most still see their website designer as a sort of “brochure” developer rather than as a strategic marketing partner to help them go after new business. It’s gratifying to watch our video testimonial from 3 of our Whitby clients talk about how we’ve helped their business grow. What’s everybody else waiting for?

More people are moving to hand held PDA devices. When your website is designed ensure you can see it on a PDA. It’s an important point to consider for your website designer. In Toronto recently we tried to find a well known restaurant nearby. The company had a “flash website” that couldn’t be seen on my PDA! (Flash sites are big pictures). Remember, whether your a web designer in Toronto or anywhere for that matter, it’s all about building for the audience. Pretty sites are useless if your client’s potential clients can’t see it!

If being found on search engines is important to your business it’s time to start looking at getting a blog. It seems some of the search engines are weighting blogs higher on the relevancy scale. When getting a blog, make sure your web designer builds it right into your website design. Website Design in Port Perry just added another service!

According to usability expert Jacob Nielson “on the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.”
So, visitors just aren’t reading your content like you think they are. Remeber to write the most important information at the top…think inverted pyramid. Also, studies are showing that hyperlinks win in the “most frequently clicked” column (buttons #2, back button #3). Think of hyperlinks as eye “bumpers”. Set them up strategically to flow visitors where you want them. Set up Goal conversions in Google to measure. There is a reason our industry calls it “web design”.

Many business owners I meet with are still not using their websites to measure the effectiveness of their off line advertising. It’s simple to do and will save/make you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. How? First, design a page on your website specifically for tracking purposes. In your offline advertising design an ad that directs people to that specific page, say to an online coupon. You can then measure if people are actually visiting that page. Move your marketing dollars over to those ads that are actually working. You’ll not only stop wasting money, your extra focused marketing dollars will increase your revenue even more.

What goes delete, delete, delete, delete? If you said “you” first thing in the morning, it may be time to get a more robust SPAM filter. We recommend getting one that screens and stops SPAM before it comes into your computer taking up valuable band width and hard drive space. The SPAM filter we discovered and liked so much that we now offer the service to clients, fights the ongoing SPAM battle for us. For $3 per month or .10 per day it’s a no brainer. How much time do you spend deleting?