Let’s pause for a moment and remember all the fascinating web designs we’ve seen recently.
They’re unique in many ways but also share a few notable characteristics. As a rule, they all have a user-friendly interface, a responsive layout, a carefully chosen combination of fonts and colours, and easy navigation.
What’s the “purpose”, you may ask? Well, at the core of every professional web design service, there’s one central objective: to captivate the audience. And chances are, you too want to leave such an impression on your visitors. But what does it take to leave a lasting impression? What steps should you take to improve your online marketing campaign and business website?
This is a detailed guide to help you understand the design process. We’ll go over the key features that differentiate a professional web design service from the work of an amateur wannabe designer. So, let’s dive in.
Solid Design Skills
Well, that was no surprise! But you’d be amazed to see how many self-proclaimed designers struggle to accomplish simple tasks. But web designers need to have more than basic skills. They should be able to think in an organised, logical, and structured way to create attractive visuals and layouts that are both functional and user-friendly.
However, an elegant, glamorous design isn’t enough. You need more than just a flashy, shiny website to draw eyes away from your competitors and straight into your shopping cart or enquiry form. Like any successful brand, you must strive to develop industry-leading solutions that meet consumer needs. Your audience never stops evolving, both socially and individually.
So a website is a must. But the continuous redesign, updating, and inspiration from current trends give you a competitive edge. A professional web design service evolves at the same pace as your target audience. This brings us to the next point.
Mastering Visual Elements
Of course, looks aren’t everything. But they still play a significant role. Imagine you start watching a random movie on Netflix, and the first few minutes are unbearably annoying. What are the chances you’ll keep watching it when you have other options? And that’s the case with almost everything else.
The reason is that we constantly and instinctively use visual cues to understand our surroundings. If our ancestors had decided not to judge a lioness by her appearance, we probably would not still exist! On the other hand, this evolutionary ability, the so-called “first impression,” can be an extremely effective tool if we know how to use it.
In addition, a recent study concluded that the attention span of humans today is shorter than that of a goldfish! This directly impacts the form and type of content we can use in marketing campaigns. Another study shows that online visitors only take about 50 milliseconds, or 0.05 seconds, to decide whether to stay on or leave your website.
In short, using visual cues on your website should be simply mesmerising. A professional web design service will ensure that every element, including colours, images, and content layout, has the right impact on the viewer.
Experience in Web Design Trends
Web design practices have evolved over the years. Trends from a few years ago may no longer be relevant today. For instance, website designs that aren’t mobile-friendly are not an option anymore, considering how many internet users browse on smartphones. Experienced web designers can most likely adapt to trends and even predict them.
If you have the opportunity to work with an experienced designer, ask them what they think about your design request. They know the pros and cons of each web design approach, idea, and template in detail. But remember that no great idea is born perfect. They come to life, live, grow and adapt to actual circumstances. So if you genuinely believe that your ideas will be trend-makers, they are probably the only ones that can help you achieve that.
There’s one crucial point to consider before you drown yourself in the bottomless ocean of design trends. Every part of your marketing campaign, including your website, should be consistent with your brand image. This consistency signals your company’s credibility and strengthens customer loyalty.
A professional web design service can help you improve your online presence along with your overall brand image. Although changes are often desired, maintaining your brand’s identity is much more critical. So, consider your website design as an opportunity to ensure that your brand has a cohesive presence.
Higher Website Security
Website security isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when considering design features. But with so many cyber threats and hidden risks lurking all over the internet, every business needs to pay attention to cybersecurity. A security breach that compromises your business data or that of your users is never a good sign.
When your customers shop on your e-commerce website, they must feel safe. You must assure them that their sensitive data, especially their credit card information, is secure and will not be shared over an open connection. A professional web design service usually includes regular platform updates to prevent malicious attacks on your website.
You also need a reliable, well-equipped CMS to protect your website from security breaches and cyber threats. With popular CMS platforms like Joomla and WordPress, you have less to worry about as they have been tested frequently. Also, regular updates and customisations are offered to fix bugs, errors, and security issues.
Solid Strategic Planning
Without strategic planning and a dynamic, systemic approach, there is no such thing as a professional web design service. For one simple reason: today’s market is fundamentally different from the past, and any business that wants to survive must have a solid marketing roadmap.
Start your plan by answering the most critical questions: what do you want to accomplish with your website? Do you want to sell more products, provide information about your services, or network with other businesses? Depending on your business objectives, the focus of the web design will shift, and the combination of web elements will look completely different.
If you haven’t yet determined your goal, take a step back and examine the website design of your potential partners and competitors. Pay attention to crucial factors such as the number of projects, scope and aesthetics, and capabilities of their websites. Based on the results of the competitor analysis, you can get an idea of how your website will stack up against the competition.
Internal consistency is also central to a functional strategy. If you run a large company, you should involve your digital marketing team, content creators, and content strategists in the web design process. When all units pull together, they can better agree on the type of content, user interactive options, publishing mediums, device responsiveness, etc.
Impressive Portfolio
A simple written CV cannot be a sufficient reason to hire a professional web design service. You must carefully review their previous work and see what they offer. Check if they have experience with similar designs that you have in mind. The website should be convincing in terms of technical aspects as well as aesthetics.
Apart from the skills of the web designers and the kind of services they offer, there are other critical factors to consider. Check the certificates and credentials. This way, you can ensure that they have a proven track record in designing and experience in developing powerful websites.
Also, you can contact past clients or view links to their websites to learn more about your designer candidates. This will give you insight into their professional skills, management processes, and, more importantly, their ability to work effectively with clients.
Effective Communication Skills
Outsourcing a project can be both exciting and challenging. The only way to alleviate your concerns is to establish a line of communication with the outside world. Simply put, the agency you choose must be accessible when needed. Part of a web design process involves submitting ideas, getting approvals, gathering data, holding meetings, etc. Each step will feel like a routine task with a professional web design service.
It may be tempting to do all the work in-house. After all, it’s easier to establish a line of communication and connect all members of your marketing team that way. But outsourcing doesn’t necessarily mean chaos. A professional project manager can streamline workflow and ensure that the desired results are achieved efficiently.
Sometimes even the web design agency will offer to manage the project, saving you a lot of unnecessary headaches. However, we always recommend that our clients take some time to oversee the design and development process. This way, you’ll stay in control, save time and energy, and be able to share your ideas with the designers.
Affordability
Depending on the project’s scope, the cost of a complete design and development package can range from $3000 to $30,000. The cheapest way to create your own website is to use Squarespace or set up a free WordPress website by yourself.
Spending money on short-term or makeshift solutions may seem more economical, but it’s the least worthwhile investment in the long run. With a comprehensive web design service, on the other hand, you can do everything right from the start. Because it starts with need assessment and builds the design process around your business vision.
In addition, it’s always a good idea to seek objective opinions to evaluate your website’s performance. Designers have a keen eye for ways to improve site usability and functionality, security vulnerabilities, navigation features, responsive design, and other performance metrics. This will be your surefire strategy for increasing conversion rates and revenue.
Service Comprehensiveness
A web design service can include anything depending on the client’s needs. Whether you are looking to spruce up the look of your current website or design a new one from scratch, you should know exactly what technical capabilities the design agency offers. Hiring a team of designers specialising in UI and UX, SEO audit, and technical optimisation will ensure that no part of your website goes unnoticed.
Often, design and development are two different packages. One option is to hire a developer with equally strong design skills. Alternatively, you can hire a designer and a developer who already have experience working together. Both options are very time-consuming, and it will cost you a lot of energy to locate the perfect candidates.
You can also hire a web design and development agency to take over and streamline the entire process. Working with an agency specialising in web design and development, information security services, digital marketing, and website optimisation can reduce the time and effort required to find a gifted freelance unicorn and bring all the necessary skills together.
Bottom Line
There you go, folks! That should be enough to get you ready for the next step. Hopefully, now you have a general understanding of how the web design process works and what you should factor in before making your decision.
One last piece of advice: never settle for anything less than perfect. And there is no need to look further. We’re right here!
At BroadWeb Digital, we carefully work on every aspect of your business website, from design and development to information security and web optimisation.
We’ll make sure your website makes it past the first impression with pride. So, get in touch today, and let’s start our journey together.
Further Reading
- Change for the Good or Bad? A Guide to UX Innovation – A good read by TopTal on the role innovation plays in UX Design and whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
- IT Outsourcing Companies – A list of professional web design services besides BroadWeb Digital
Do you have a helpful resource to share on this topic? If so, let us know at [email protected] and we will consider featuring you in this section.
