Designing and developing a website is not as simple as it might seem.  Every element has a specific purpose.  If it were only about a point of contact, websites would contain a description of the business, an e-mail, phone number, and an address; that wouldn’t cut it.  Let me give you an understanding of what must be incorporated into your website.

First, your website must be set for “responsive design,” which means that it will be configured to display on any device properly.  A smartphone, tablet, PC, or smart TV will need to be able to convert it to its screen size while keeping it visually pleasing and usable in every format. Your site’s content (written text) should be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Keep your target audience in mind.  If it’s geared toward the general public, make sure you use that voice.  If it's for industry professionals, make sure you use their verbiage and technical terminology. Refrain from making it too wordy; too much text can overwhelm the site visitor.  Phrases and words used throughout the website's content are crucial for SEO.  Search engines will determine how relevant your site is due to what is written and how and where it is displayed on the site.

Visually, a website should look pleasing to the eye, with a clean layout.  There shouldn't be too many images, colors, or special effects detracting from what you’re trying to say or sell.  If there are too many visual elements, the message you are trying to convey will end up lost in the shuffle.  The website visitor should be able to find what they’re looking for easily.

Website Images should be professional photos, stock images, or HD quality.  Your website might be displayed on a large screen, and if images are not HD quality with high resolution, they will look blurred, making your business appear unprofessional – like you don’t care about details or quality.

One of the essential elements on your site is to include 3 “calls to action.”  There should be at least three places to prompt the visitor to contact you, call you, sign up, or fill out a form.  It should be obvious and inviting while encouraging the visitor to do something for themselves.

Web design and development requires a specialized skill set. It includes the creative aspect of detailed design, copyediting skills, digital content creation, SEO (search engine optimization), social media, and digital marketing.  These are my creative and digital skills; so if you need to create an online presence, start a new business, or bring your business into the digital age, contact me for a free consultation.