We're to my favorite portion of this series, design! You know who you are, what you do, and you've laid claim to your place on the internet. Now it's time to really get creative and decide the visual message of your brand.
Step 1 - Logo!
A strong and professional logo is the number one item in my opinion to starting a successful online presence, and will be the starting point to your website's look and feel. I've talked extensively on this topic previously, so if you'd like please feel free to read my post on logo design for more information.
Step 2 - Get Inspired
When designing a brand new site for a client, I always ask the same question first; What other sites do you like? Hear me out on this one, because there is a fine line between inspiration and becoming a carbon copy of another company's vision. Taking a look at other sites can help you decide what elements and general styles you may want included on your own.
Are you looking for a visual heavy design, focusing on large format photos or sliders or a more simple corporate look, focusing on client ease of use and text content? Are you interested in a design that will incorporate your social media feeds in a immediate and easy to see format? Thinking in terms of your specific industry can be a big help in the process too, as it's common to see different styles between a contractor and a photographer.
For example, Weaver's Wildlife Control in Hampton, Virginia is a great example of a more visual and artistic direction, while $400 Divorce in Newport News, Virginia go for the clean and simplistic style fitting of an attorney.
Sometimes seeing these elements in action can answer what will work for you. Your designer can bring your ideas to life, but at the end of the day, only you can know what image you want to portray to your clients and customers.
That's all for this month! Stay tuned for my next post where we will discuss your homepage design and general webpage structure.