Simplistic web design that catches the eye
I have always preferred simple minimalist web design. Clean lines, simplistic colours and not overloading the viewer with information. I have seen a tendency for people to try and get too much information into their home page. This can lead to a potential customer not being able to find the information they require. After a short while they could decide to look elsewhere. I design sites from the point of view of the customer or potential customer. Ultimately, it is your site and you will retain control throughout. Someone who knows your business will know what they want to find and go directly to the right section. However, a new customer may want to look at all you have to offer and see if you are the right fit for them. Every business is different, and I try to work web design to highlight the best that you have to offer while also giving viewer an easy time navigating around your site.
Web site types
Depending on who you talk to there are anything between 5 and 15 different types of web site. It could be corporate, e-commerce, blog, portfolio, brochure, portal, social media, forum, video or audio streaming, educational, news or magazine. The list is potentially endless. For me I have a list of types of site that I can currently produce. There are some types that I am working on and some that are beyond my current knowledge or availability. In these cases you are better of getting a development house such as Dotsquares to produce for you. The types of site that I can currently produce are brochure or corporate, e-commerce, news or magazine or portfolio. I am working on portal sites and adding in capability to allow for reports to be produced for potential clients. Setting up a blog is something that will take constant updates by yourself. I’ll produce a guide to setting up your own at some point. I cannot create social media or streaming sites. It is simply far beyond my skills and will take a team of staff to create something worthwhile.
Web Design with WordPress
I use WordPress to create websites. For me it offers an incredible array of features, from layouts and editors to forms and SEO. (Search Engine Optimisation or How To Get Spotted By Google). These features aren’t always that simple to use and I am constantly learning how to get to grips with them. However, this is something I enjoy and my regularly expanding knowledge is the basis of what I am offering. I have looked at Wix and Squarespace as well as Weebly, websiteeditor and other free sites. I can see their appeal and in some respects such as layout, they can give some improvements on WordPress. However, they are aimed at small businesses who wish to create their own site and this can have an effect on the look of the final site. I have also found issues with uptime, speed, security and further development should your business expand. Eventually, I will run through each of these build your own sites and give my opinions.
The Look and Feel of the Site
As I have mentioned, the look and feel of the site can be an issue with some of the other content management systems (CSMs) that are available. For me I have a lot more freedom using the themes available through WordPress than through some other CSMs. I have more control on the layout of the sites, plus I have access to the WordPress Add-In Market. This contains hundreds of extras that can be used to give extra functionality to your website. The main criticism with WordPress is that experience with HTML and CSS is helpful when dealing with these features. Fortunately, this is something I have and am expanding on all the time.
Uptime, Speed and Security
I use Bluehost to host all of the Websites.
All of my data is stored on UK based Apache servers. This means that the page load time is significantly higher than if the servers were based in another country. This also ticks a few boxes for UK data regulations. Having the websites I produce hosted in the UK and by using WordPress for content management also means I have a large amount of control for the security of the websites. Using features such as Wordfence and Spamshield to protect the sites from attacks and, most importantly, downtime.
Further Development
As your business grows, so will your website requirements. You may start out wanting a brochure site, simply advertising what you do. This could turn into an e-commerce site, where customers can place and pay for orders online. You may also wish for customers to be able to log in to track their orders. WordPress already has features like this ready to add to your site if you need.
If you want to discuss your needs further, please fill in the form below, email stuart.blake@kestal.co.uk or call 07730615279