Website Design

What to look for in a content management system

July 8, 2011 By

If you are having a website built for your company you may be wondering whether or not to have a content management system built into your site. A content management system (CMS) is a program which allows you to have a massive amount of control over the contents of your website. There are many different CMS’s that you can use in your website. Here is a look at some of the top names in CMS technology as well as what to look for when you are deciding which CMS to use on your website.

Top CMS programs
Drupal is a very versatile system that can be used with everything from blogs to larger enterprise applications. There are add-on modules that can be used to customize this CMS and make it even more relevant to your company’s needs. The technology is constantly being updated and improved as well.

AllintaCMS is also very easy to use. It has a number of free templates that can be used to build your site although it will also support a custom-designed site as well. It is not free but it is quite reasonably priced and this cost is low enough that it will still enable you to keep your website development costs at a minimum.

WordPress is a program that may be familiar to many bloggers. It is also an easy to use content management system that can be used to build a custom website as well. It only takes a few steps to set up a website that is controlled via WordPress.

There are many other CMS programs that are available. You may find that your web developer will prefer to work with a specific program. If you know that you do not like that program it is perfectly acceptable to request that they use a different CMS with your website. Here is how to choose which one is right for you.

Qualities to look for in a CMS
There are a few qualities that you should look for in a CMS. These will help you choose the right program to use for your site. One of the first things to look for is a program that is easy to learn and which works equally well for both images and text portions. You do not want to struggle every time you have to use your CMS.

It should be expandable. Your website may not always be the size it is now. You want to make sure that the CMS can be expanded if you add extra pages or additional functionality. This is especially important for dynamic websites.

It should work with any specific functionality that is built into your website. If you have an ecommerce site you do not want to find out that your CMS is incompatible with your shopping cart program or that you cannot add new images to an existing site.

You should also make sure that you can get adequate support for the CMS and for your website. It may mean that you use a CMS that your website development company is the most familiar with.

Filed Under: Website Content Management Systems, Website Design, Website Development Tagged With: CMS, Website Content Management Systems, Website Design company

Is a “static-dynamic” site right for your business?

July 6, 2011 By

When most people think of website development they only think in terms of a static site or a dynamic site. They do not realize that it is possible to have a combination of the two types of websites. Static-dynamic website offers all of the benefits of a dynamic website without losing the benefits that a static website structure can offer. Here is a look at the static-dynamic website and how it can benefit your company.

Why a dynamic website is not always good for your company
A dynamic website is much better than a static website in many ways. It can give your customers a customized web surfing experience. It can also take much longer for a dynamic website to feel stale or outdated. Because of this many companies have jumped on the dynamic website bandwagon. It is true that these sites can result in an increased amount of revenue for your company, but they do lack one important quality: they have elements that search engines consider to be important when determining site ranking.

What this means for your company
It simply means that if you choose a website design that is strictly dynamic you will find that it takes you much longer to get the search engine rankings that you had hoped for. Unless they know your specific URL it can be harder for potential clients or customers to find your website. They may come across the websites of your competitors first and this can translate into lost revenue.

If you are interested in ensuring that your site is search engine optimized but still has many of the advantages of a dynamic website you may want to consider building a static-dynamic website instead. Here is what you need to know about these versatile websites.

What is a static-dynamic website?
A static-dynamic website is very similar to a dynamic website in many ways. The content changes on a regular basis. The graphics and other elements will also change depending on the actions of the viewers. There is one important difference between a strictly dynamic website and one that is static-dynamic.

A static-dynamic website is not ASP, PHP or CGI driven. It uses the HTML framework that is favored by search engines. A tool draws constantly changing content from a database and places them in the static HTML website framework on a rotating basis. This means that you end up with constantly changing dynamic content and graphics but still end up with a site that is preferred by search engines. It is likely that your site will enjoy a higher traffic flow than it would if you had a strictly dynamic website.

How to get the site you want
You need to be specific when you are speaking to your website development team. You should make sure that the company you work with has experience working with the static-dynamic format. You may also want to take a look at the work that a company has done in the past and decide whether the general style and format are what you are looking for.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign, Website Revamp Tagged With: Website Design, website design development, Website Redesign, Website Revamp

How to keep your website fresh and appealing to viewers

July 4, 2011 By

A new website is truly a thing of beauty. The user interface and style have been determined and the information is fresh and up to date. You may find that if your site is properly search engine optimized that you will end up with a large number of viewers. Many of these will be new to your site and repeat customers may be fewer and farther between than you might like.

Keeping your site fresh and appealing is important in order to ensure that you keep getting a high rate of return visits. It is these return visits that will likely lead to you selling your goods or services online. Here are some tips on how you can do so.

Get a content management system and use it
You need to make sure that your website has a content management system built into it. This allows you to alter text and image portions of your website. Because you are able to make changes you can alter the content on your website on your own schedule and without waiting for your website development team to get around to it.

Many people have a content management system built into their website and do not take advantage of it. They let information that may be incorrect or out of date sit on their site because they feel they are too busy to update it. This can be frustrating for your customers and may result in them going elsewhere to purchase products or services. This can be a problem if you are trying to sell merchandise on an e-commerce website.

Ensure that your photographs are up to date
Nothing says “stale website” the way outdated photographs and information do when they are posted on a website. If you cannot even bother updating your website your customers may feel that you are equally careless about the way you handle your merchandise or deal with your customers.

This also holds true for images of the items you are selling as well. If you leave pictures of products that you no longer sell up on your website it can be a problem for your customers. Nothing is more frustrating than looking on an ecommerce website and finding that most of the items are either discontinued or look different from their online images.

Consider using a dynamic website
A dynamic website is one that changes its content in response to user input. Because the content changes with every visit it may make it possible for you to use the same content longer. It can also be helpful if you have a section of your site where users can input their own information. This is because your visitors will feel like they are involved with the company and that they are leaving a lasting impression on the website. By using visitor input you also will not need to generate new content as your customers will be doing that for you.

By ensuring that your website looks current and up to date you may find that the revenue it brings you will be at a level that you are comfortable with.

Filed Under: E-Commerce Websites, Website Design, Website Development Tagged With: eCommerce, eCommerce website, Website Design

The advantages of dynamic websites VS static websites

June 24, 2011 By

If you are working with a website development company on a site for your business you may be asked whether you want a dynamic website or a website that is static. Usually, the cost of a dynamic website will be somewhat higher than a static site of the same size. You may be wondering whether it is worth the additional cost. Here are some advantages that a dynamic site has over a static site.

It will inspire repeat visits
A static website can be quite informative but you may find that potential customers will only visit a couple of times and then stop. Why did they quit visiting? They realized that the information on your site did not change from the first visit to the last one. They may have read about what you have to offer and moved on to another more dynamic website. If you want customers to buy from your site, you need to ensure that potential customers are not going elsewhere.

Your customers get a personalized experience when visiting your site
A dynamic website will alter its contents in response to input from visitors. This can give them the feeling of a highly personalized web surfing experience. This can inspire customer loyalty and increase the likelihood that visitors will purchase or book the goods and services that you are offering. There are many different ways that this can be accomplished. You may want to include an area on your virtual storefront which shows the items that have been viewed recently or a function where repeat customers are greeted by name. You can work with a website development company and decide which will work best for your needs.

Your site will not look stale as quickly if it is a dynamic website
One of the biggest problems with static websites is that they begin to look stale or dated fairly quickly. This can bore viewers and cause them to look elsewhere for new information. While it is true that a dynamic site will look dated in time, it usually takes longer than it would with a static website.

How to get a dynamic website
Getting a dynamic website is not as difficult as one might think. An increasing number of website development companies are offering to develop these kinds of sites. Pricing will vary depending on how large the site is as well as how complex you want the dynamic structure to be. The more complicated it is to build, the higher the price will be.

You need to make sure that you are clear about how you want your site to function and what you want it to look like. Check a company’s portfolio to see if you like their work. Click on any links to make sure that the sites are functional. This can help you weed out unsuitable companies before any money changes hands. If you know that there are specific things that you want your site to be able to do, make sure you mention this before the project begins. It may change the price but can also save time and money because you will not be allowing your website development team to go in the wrong direction when building your site.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Website Design, Website Redesign, Website Redesign Company

Dynamic VS static websites- which is best for your company?

June 23, 2011 By

If you are having a website built for your company, you know that there are a lot of decisions to make before your site is complete and ready to go live. You need to decide what the site will look like and what information will be included. One of the most basic decisions you will need to make is whether a dynamic site or a static site would be best for your company. Here are a few factors that may help you make your decision.

What is your budget like?
Dynamic websites are usually more expensive than static websites of the same size. This is because dynamic sites require more programming than static sites of the same size. A dynamic site may require much more work especially if one of the links or pages do not function as perfectly as they should. Small businesses may be able to afford a static site but may need to wait before upgrading to a dynamic site.

Is the information pertinent to some viewers but not others?
Some companies have generic information that should go out to all of their customers. Other companies may have a larger volume of information to impart and not all of it may be relevant to each of their customers. If your company is in the second category, you will likely need the flexibility and personalization that a dynamic website can offer you. Some examples of dynamic functionality include a member’s only area, or a virtual storefront that customizes the kind of items that they show to a potential customer.

Do you want to be able to go longer without updating your website?
If you do, you may want to consider a dynamic website. While all websites need to be updated on a regular basis if you have a dynamic site the time between updates can be longer than with a static site. This is because a dynamic website may not show all of its information at first. If the end user is able to access a site and get different information based on their input you may not need to worry about updates quite as frequently.

Are you working in an industry and want to be viewed as cutting edge?
If you are working in the IT sector you should consider building a dynamic website. These websites are much more cutting edge than static websites. If you want your customers to view you as cutting edge you should not have a site that was built using technology that was in use years ago. A dynamic website is usually viewed as being much more cutting edge and can help elevate your company’s online presence considerably.

There are many factors to consider when having a website developed. By considering the above factors as carefully as possible you will be able to decide which type of site is the right one for your company. Whether you choose a dynamic site or not, working with a skilled and experienced website development company is truly the key to getting a functional site that will impress and inform your customers.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Website Design, website design development, Website development, Website Redesign Company

Advantages of a CMS – what you need to know if you are developing a website

June 21, 2011 By

If you are working with a website development company they may ask you whether you want a CMS for your website. Unless you understand what a CMS is and the role that it plays in how your website functions you may not be able to make an informed decision. Here is some information that should make it easier to decide whether to include a CMS in the construction of your company’s website.

What is a CMS?
CMS is short for content management system. This is basically a program which gives you the ability to add, remove or edit images and sections of text that have been placed on a website. This gives the owner of the website much more control over their site than they would have if they did not have a CMS. Here are some of the advantages that these programs can offer you.

You have more control over your own site
When you have a content management system built into your website you have much more control over the contents of the site itself. Quite simply, you can make changes yourself instead of needing your web developer to make the changes for you. This is advantageous for several reasons.

Your site can be updated frequently
This is a huge advantage, especially if you have a dynamic website that responds to user input. Without frequent content changes, both dynamic and static websites can rapidly become stale. If you want users to return to your site repeatedly you need to make sure that the contents are refreshed on a regular basis.

A CMS can save you money
A CMS can save your company money. In the past, individuals would need to pay their site development company to update the contents of their website. This could really add up over the span of a website’s life. For some small businesses, that may have meant that they needed to leave the content on longer than they would have liked to. With a CMS, however, a business can perform this task for themselves and therefore save money while still keeping current data visible to their clients.

Changes can be made in a timely fashion
This is also important for many companies. If you need to add pictures and text you can do so. Removing old information is just as easy. If you are offering products on your website you will want to be able to add information about your products and services that are currently available and remove information on products which you no longer offer. With a CMS you can perform these tasks yourself.

What to look for in a CMS
There are several things to look for in a CMS. The main thing is that it is easy to understand and utilize. If you can’t figure out how to use a CMS you may end up allowing your site to become outdated. The other thing to look for is that it gives you control over the areas you want to change. This may sound elementary but it is very important. Make sure your website development company knows which areas you want to be able to alter before your site has been built. They may need to structure or build it in a specific way for that to be possible.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Website Design, website design development, Website Design service, Website Redesign

Why outsourcing your website development project is a good idea

June 16, 2011 By

People who operate small businesses are often faced with a difficult problem. They may only have a limited number of employees that must complete all of the day to day operations that keep a company in business. As all companies become more dependent on technology in general and information technology specifically, the decision of whether to outsource or not is becoming more difficult to make. Here are some facts that may make it easier for you to make that decision for your company.

The advantages of outsourcing website development
There are many advantages to outsourcing website development. The same advantages also pertain to website maintenance as well. The first advantage is cost. Although it may seem expensive to hire an outsourcer to perform these tasks for you, the fact is that in the long run it may end up saving you quite a bit of money. Unless your company is one that is operating in the information technology sector it may have little need to have an IT expert on staff. The cost of having an IT expert on staff full time may be very prohibitive to some companies especially those that have a very tight bottom line.

Another advantage is that you will save a lot of time by outsourcing your website development and maintenance needs. Instead of dealing with companies that offer mass produced templates and poor quality websites or spending the time and energy needed to build a custom website yourself you may find that handing the project to a qualified and trustworthy company can save you quite a bit of time indeed. Experts have proven that by concentrating on the core tasks that a company needs to concern themselves with and outsourcing the remaining work a company can end up being much more profitable in the long run.

You can be sure that the site will be functional and easy to locate. A professional website developer has had experience working with different technologies and can mesh them together into a site that functions the way it is supposed to. A website that is not fully functional can end up driving customers away which leads to lost revenues.

The disadvantages of outsourcing website development
There are few disadvantages of outsourcing your website development and maintenance. Perhaps the biggest one is that you may be placing your trust in a company which does not understand what the goal of your business may be. This may be especially true of charitable organizations or foundations that may have specific goals or mandates.

If you do get an unsuitable website design you may find that a certain amount of time will be necessary in order to bring the project back to a state that you feel comfortable with. However, even though this will take some time, it will usually take much less time than it would be if you were building a site on your own.

In the end, there are many more advantages to working with a professional website design company rather than building a site yourself. If you look at a web development company’s portfolio and choose one that has the style and skills you are looking for you can outsource your site development and still end up with a great site in the end.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Web Design, webdesign, Website Design company, Website Redesign

Why you need to hire a professional website developer to create your next website

June 15, 2011 By

There is one simple fact that many companies need to accept: in order to attract as many clients as possible they need a website. There are several reasons why many companies try to avoid website development for as long as possible. They may think that it is too expensive to have other companies develop a site for them. They may also not understand the extent to which a website can benefit them. If they do decide to develop a website they may try to avoid the process for as long as possible.They may also think that website development is too expensive if they are hiring someone else to do the work for them. They may plan to have a site developed once there is money set aside to do so, but just never get around to getting the website project off the ground.

Many companies try to build their own sites
Because they do not understand how important a website is, many companies try to design or develop their own site. This is especially true with small businesses that may not have a large amount of money to spend. Because they need their site development to be as affordable as possible they often choose to build one themselves or work with one of the many companies that offer bare bones templates and cheap web hosting. This can be a disastrous mistake.

A website needs specific qualities or attributes
For a website to be truly effective, it needs specific qualities that bare bones templates cannot offer. If a website lacks these qualities it may mean that a company will lose revenue that would total more than professionally designed website may have cost in the first place.

A website needs to be easy to use
A site needs a logical layout that is easy to use. Customers need to be able to find what they are looking for and navigate around a site with little to no difficulty. If a site is not easy to use, viewers will tend to give up and look for what they need on other websites. A professional website developer will be able to create a layout that is natural and intuitive. A mass-produced template cannot offer this same flexibility.

A website needs to be attractive
A website also needs to be attractive and engage the end user. This means that they will spend more time looking at what a company has to offer their customers. Many mass-produced templates will not allow you to create a website that accomplishes this. At best, they look amateurish, which may cause customers to think a business is not experienced in its field or serious about doing business. This attitude can be disastrous and end up costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the lifespan of a website.

A website needs to be easy to find
A website also needs to be easy to find. Search engine optimization is usually not offered by many mass-produced website companies or it is offered as a feature that costs more each month. You want to make sure that your company’s website can generate the most revenue possible and this means having the highest amount of website traffic as possible.

As you can see, there are many qualities that your site needs and that it is difficult to obtain these when you do not have a professional website designer working for you.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Website Design, Website development, Website Redesign, Website Revamp

What you need to know about developing an ecommerce website

June 14, 2011 By

Many companies are examining how ecommerce can increase their profits. Many individuals who are working from home are also trying to make a living buying and selling items online. There are many small businesses that offer items to their clients via drop shipping or other methods and which are trying to maximize their income while keeping their costs as low as possible. These companies may think that all they need to do is to develop a website that includes a virtual store front and that buyers will begin to flock to them to purchase items. This is not a realistic expectation.

There are several things that you need to know about developing a website that will serve an ecommerce function. By keeping these things in mind when your site is being developed you will find it easier to do business online and end up generating a higher level of revenue than they may have thought possible.

You need to ensure that your site uses images as much as possible
You want to make sure that your site is as visually strong as possible. It is important that you include clear pictures of the items you are selling. For individuals who are selling services rather than goods, you need to make sure that your ecommerce site includes your portfolio as well, so that potential customers can get a feel for your work and become interested in what you can offer them.

Images are not just related to the items you are selling. You need to include icons so that your site is easier to navigate. Instead of simply including a button that customers click to purchase an item, you should include an image that they will connect with buying. A shopping cart button should be designed with the same features in mind.

You need to make sure that all of the images and elements load properly
You want to make sure that when your website is being developed that the correct code is being used. It is important to make sure that all of the images and elements load properly. Nothing turns a potential customer off faster than an imperfectly functioning website.

The virtual storefront needs to be easy to find
It is important to make sure that the virtual storefront on your site is easy to find. It can be separate from the main portion of your website but it needs to be easy to find and connect to. You don’t want people to have to search around to find your storefront as they are likely going to visit another website instead and go with your competitors for their items or services.

As you can see, there is a lot involved with developing a successful ecommerce website. If you have not had experience developing websites in the past it may be a better idea to work with a professional website development company. They will have access to the latest technology and be able to create a design that is functional and beautiful to look at. As a result, your online traffic will increase and you can feel confident that your project will be profitable in the end.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Development, Website Redesign Tagged With: Website Design, Website Design service, Website development

Top considerations in dynamic website design

May 12, 2011 By

Many companies want to be able to offer a unique internet experience to their clients. One way to do so that is increasingly popular is to develop a dynamic website to showcase a company’s offerings rather than utilizing a static website design. The advantage of a dynamic website is that it can change from user to user in order to create an interesting and engaging experience that varies from user to user.

How a dynamic website is constructed

Building a dynamic website seems fairly simple. The information is stored in database format. There are still templates as there would be with a static website. However, instead of all of the information being present in the various areas of the template, the templates of a dynamic website are mostly empty. Programs are used to pull the information from the database and it is then used to populate the templates. This results in a unique website that will vary in content from user to user.

Many people are actually more familiar with dynamic websites than they realize. For years, websites that offer mapping or directions have utilized this technology and structure. The users enter the information that they wish to learn (such as directions to get from one place to another) and the website is populated appropriately.

Although it may seem fairly straightforward for a website developer to create a dynamic website, there are several things that they need to consider. These will help ensure that the site functions properly and is attractive for users.

Layout of the site needs to be simple in order to be effective

It is important for the layout of a dynamic website to be fairly simple. Remember, it is the changing content and customized experience that should interest visitors and not a complicated or unwieldy site design. A simple design can still be dynamic but will be easy to use, something that visitors to your site will appreciate.

Information needs to be easy to locate

This can be complicated because the website designer will be dealing with constantly changing information. It is still critical that potential customers be able to find the information that they are looking for. If the site is hard to navigate, they will likely lose patience and go elsewhere in order to find what they are looking for.

Site functionality is critical

It is critically important for the site to function well. This is something that is more important with a dynamic site than it is with a static site. With a static site, if the programming is faulty, customers may still be able to find the information they are looking for. With a dynamic website, because the information is stored in a database, a breakdown in programming may mean that your site is completely useless.

Taking the time to work with an experienced website designer can be your best bet when it comes to developing a dynamic website rather than a static one. Make sure that the firm you choose to work with has experience working with dynamic website design and that you like the work that they are showing you in their portfolio. Then you should be able to get the kind of site you want and your company deserves.

Filed Under: Website Design, Website Redesign, Website Revamp Tagged With: webdesign, Website Design, website design development