29Nov

How To Integrate SEO Into Custom Web Design

November 29, 2022 W. Scott Cain 13

For small and medium-sized businesses, effective web design can mean the difference between stagnant growth and major profits. Websites that are slow to load and difficult to navigate rank lower in Google search results, and that ranking ultimately ends up hurting a business’s bottom line. But a technically superior website will perform better when it comes to SEO, and here’s how.

SEO and Web Design Are Connected

When it concerns SEO, Google cares about the entire user experience, which is why the way a website is designed has an impact on search rankings. SEO isn’t just about content and keyword saturation.

Google’s algorithms are constantly updating to take into account how long each user spends on a website, how many visits to various pages in the directory, and more. A clean, modern website with a seamless design will help any business move up the SEO ranks.

Loading Speed and Mobile-Friendly Design Matter

Two elements that cannot be overlooked when creating or updating a website are loading speed and mobile-friendly design. Google places a high value on mobile-first web design because the majority of web traffic begins on mobile devices.

Not only do websites need to load beautifully on mobile devices, but they also must have minimal lag time. A web page that takes more than two seconds to load will see users moving on to their next best option.

An Effective Site Map Can Make a Difference

For new businesses, integrating an effective site map as part of an overall design strategy can make a difference in SEO rankings. This is because new websites rarely have enough external links that connect back to relevant pages. A site map can help Google’s systems crawl from one page to the next through clear links and connections.

Embracing Custom Web Design Gets Results

SEO rankings can be improved with masterful and effective web design. If you’re ready to embrace custom design elements that fit your business needs and improve your SEO, contact Integrated IT Solutions today.

01Nov

3 Web Design Predictions for 2023

November 1, 2022 W. Scott Cain 13

The web design industry is an ever-changing landscape rife with shifting trends and innovations. Sometimes, you can predict those trends, while other times, it might seem impossible. However, when it comes to 2023’s design trends, there are a few things you can look out for.

Innovative Web Design Elements

Interaction is the key to a successful website. Innovations and interactive elements will abound in 2023, giving designers new tools for web design. Virtual and augmented reality, increased animations, and video backgrounds will all work to engage and interest your user.

Increased AI Use

Artificial Intelligence design tools have been a boon to the design industry. For example, AI art generators have given designers a tool that creates high-quality, unique graphics. In addition, machine learning tools help designers craft a site that predicts user needs to nail your SEO.

Rule-Breaking

A new trend breaking onto the design scene involves content that shatters standard design rules. As a result, users will see a rise in bright colors, loud fonts, and disjointed layouts that draw the client’s eye without scaring them off.

Ready To Learn More About Web Design?

Our designers are excited to take on your most challenging projects, no matter how big or small. If you’re ready to begin revamping your company’s website, contact us for a web design consultation.

13Sep

Mobile Device Use Continues Driving Web Design Trends

September 13, 2022 W. Scott Cain 18

Business owners need to stay up-to-date with emerging web traffic trends. Traffic from people using mobile devices is continuing to account for a considerable share of most people’s online activity. Making mobile formatting a major web design priority will help companies maximize traffic and make a positive impression on their site’s visitors.

Screen Time

The time that people spend on their phones can average several hours a day. Naturally, web designers need to make sites accessible to people on the devices that they use most often.

Online Search Habits

When consumers are looking for a product or service, their first step may be consulting their phone’s search assistant or opening their phone’s web browser. Web design elements that maximize mobile site visibility and harness SEO strategies can effectively enhance a business’ online presence.

Links

Websites need to be ready to receive visitors who access their site from links on their phones. Social media platforms and mobile apps are among the most common resources that people use for link sharing.

In order to optimize a site’s performance and visibility, a great mobile layout is a must. Reach out to Integrated IT Solutions for professional assistance with web design. Our team can help you create or redesign a mobile format that optimizes usability and performance.

16Nov

Why We Are the Best at Doing Custom Web Design?

November 16, 2021 W. Scott Cain 72

Websites play a critical role in the world of digital marketing. It is the first interaction that customers will have with the brand. Hence, the design of these websites will decide whether users choose to engage further or quit the page abruptly.

Custom web designs enable businesses to convert their artistic senses into functional reality. Small-scale companies and well-established businesses opt for custom web design to ensure success on the market.

They hire custom web design agencies to get great value for their investment. The unique templates combined with SEO-friendly elements are essential to get a scalable website.

What is a custom web design solution?

Incorporating custom web designs in today’s world will enable more people to find the services and products. Businesses without any custom web solutions are sure to lose a strong client base. The custom templates are designed specifically for their brand persona, objective, and online presence. Designers will focus on the target audience to redesign the existing website of a business. These designers use advanced tools and technologies to deliver optimal results.

Why should you choose custom web design?

Tailored to specifics

Targeting an audience is crucial for online success. Businesses need to focus on a specific segment of customers and address their pain points. The web design must reflect their requirements. Custom web designs reflect upon this requirement and enable businesses to create websites for their specific end-user.

Improved security

Cyber-attacks or data thefts are common in unfortified websites. Businesses could lose valuable data without any real security measures to protect their web pages. Such problems are not an issue with custom web designs. These solutions will avoid any security vulnerabilities and keep the business safe from a myriad of cyber-attacks.

Credibility

Businesses should convey their uniqueness and reputation to stand out from the competition. It is a mandatory step to communicate brand value to the target user. Business owners can convey their value with custom web designs. Following these extra steps for site functionality will also improve trust among audiences.

SEO

Making a website search engine friendly is critical to perform better online. Customized websites are built to take advantage of the latest SEO trends and technologies. An SEO-friendly site performs better to stay on top of rankings. The designers also ensure CSS and HTML are optimized to the SEO requirements.

Why are we the best in custom web designs?

Consultative approach

One of our best qualities as a custom web design agency is taking a consultative approach. The company understands your needs and provides valuable suggestions to address your concerns. As a result, the website will reflect the unique brand values to drive more traffic and leads.

Knowledge

It is a great idea to work with agencies well-versed in digital marketing services. Agencies with a skilled team of digital marketers can optimize websites to make them adaptable to modern criteria. Moreover, the assistance of a highly skilled digital marketer will ensure that a brand engages with its audience consistently.

Experience

Another great trait of our web design agency is our experienced designers. The professionals ensure completing the project effectively and promptly. The entire process of delivering custom web designs is made efficient with a team of experienced designers. They also have expertise in the latest industry standards.

Conversions

A visually attractive website will not yield the project results without any optimizations. Functional designs will encourage customers to take the desired action and optimize the latest principles to boost conversion rates. These designers are also familiar with the elements that will improve the performance of the call to action.

Portfolio

Every outstanding web design agency will have an extensive portfolio of expertly designed websites. Evaluating their previous works helps to understand whether the agency is the right fit for the project. Similarly, businesses can also ask for references from an agency rather than settling for screenshots.

Communication

All great designers communicate with their clients regularly. They properly articulate their thoughts and ideas during the progress of the project. Since websites are an enormous project, a lack of communication will impede the vision and affect the final results. Hence, properly communicating with designers is essential for the project.

Pricing

The price of web design services may vary based on different factors. Most commonly, the location and quality of templates will determine the pricing. The best web design agency will provide the appropriate pricing for their clients and ensure the ideal value for their investment.

14Nov

Web Design Principles Every Designer Should Know

November 14, 2021 W. Scott Cain 62

Good web design is key to optimizing marketing efforts and increasing organic traffic. Similar to every creative discipline, web design involves various principles. Designers should follow these rules to create a perfect balance between a visually striking and functional design. In that sense, the following are some effective web design principles every designer should know and follow.

Purpose

Every site has its own unique purpose. It may be promoting purchases, telling the brand story, or providing demonstrations to customers. Designers should capture the purpose of their site during the initial design stages. This purpose will also decide to message and call to action. Most importantly, it will give designers a clear plan to work on design elements and content creation. Businesses can solidify their purpose by considering a target audience and their pain points. Understand the demographics of these consumers to find the right direction. Moreover, they can also reinforce unique visuals and content to ensure standing out from the competition.

Content

Every user wants information from a website. Providing valuable content is essential to engage with the audience. Hence, designers must avoid filler content during the design phases. Make sure to speak with the users with phrases and concepts that are familiar to them. Following system-oriented terms can make conversions difficult. Furthermore, they should allow information to flow in a natural and logical order. Quality is the primary concern to gain the credibility of readers and allow them to engage with the website. This further helps to create a loyal audience base.

Visuals

High-quality visuals of appropriate size and resolution can complement a good design. Photos, illustrations, and other visuals are vital to providing an interactive experience. People get a rest from reading content with creative graphics. Ideally, it adds energy to a design by filling negative white spaces. Designers can choose from an endless variety of designers. A high-resolution image makes for a positive first impression. This maintains the high level of user experience provided by other design principles. Businesses should make sure to choose images or graphics that are ideal for their niche.

Typography

Fonts convey thoughts and ideas in the right tone. In addition to the content, the right typography conveys meaning with stylized shapes and fonts. Designers should get design ideas from other elements of web design. Maintaining consistency throughout the visual representation is essential in every aspect. Traditional typefaces are suitable for conservative designs. And modern design elements require a little experiment in tone and style. The most important thing to consider when choosing typography is readability. Make sure to communicate large blocks of content with an ideal style of typecase that is easy to read as well.

Harmony

Inconsistent design interrupts the user experience. Bad user experience leads to reduced conversions and sales. Considering the overall impact of harmony, consistent layout, typography, and design elements gives better chances of higher rankings. Making the fonts, visuals, and navigation user-friendly makes the design even more exciting. The harmony principle also extends to the brand identity because of the consistent voice and tone. Designers can utilize the basic guidelines to help with consistency. These guidelines serve as an explanation to improve the guidelines and colors of the website. However, designers must ensure an immediate change for the entire site.

Tone

In the line of unique brand elements, the tone is another element that designers should focus on to create an impactful design. Choosing the right tone ensures all the other elements flow in a natural direction. Most importantly, the chosen tone should reflect the values of the business and its mission statement. The palette of the design will also communicate so much information, as it reflects the message. As always, consider the readability of content when applied to content. Ensuring readability for a website further improves user experience and avoids any disruptions in the overall interaction.

Authenticity

The most important of all design principles is authenticity. An honest design communicates how powerful and valuable the brand is in keeping the promise to consumers. Audiences don’t need shallow jargon intended for marketing. Adding depth and authenticity helps to communicate values without any cliches. Connect with new users to position the brand as an authentic partner. Designers can combine content and visuals to convey this aspect of the business. However, they have to choose the right tools from endless possibilities. As always, follow basic guidelines, along with a few exceptions to ensure flexibility without breaking the basic design.

12Nov

How to Create Engaging Content for Your Website

November 12, 2021 W. Scott Cain 55

Every business creates content, but only a few succeed in achieving effective results. First, they should consider the goals of their marketing strategy and determine the action of the audience after they consume the content. Typically, engaging content increases traffic, click rates, sales, comments, and social mentions. These metrics can also be used for measuring the engagement of target audiences. Hence, when the content doesn’t engage with the readers, it will result in a waste of time and money. Businesses should invest their resources to produce engaging content for their website.

Uniqueness

The fundamental idea is to create content that stands out. But, producing engaging content is the biggest strategy of any marketing campaign. Since many writers may be writing about the same topic or conducting the same research, originality is key to gaining a competitive edge. Businesses should put their personality into the content by hiring writers with the same aligned values. As always, it takes time and effort to increase engagement by researching metrics. Therefore, make sure to hire experienced writers with a proven track of projects and industry reputation.

Actionable copies

Every marketing campaign will have inherent goals. Consumers will not take the desired action when the content has no purpose. Businesses should always determine what their readers should do after consuming a piece of content. For instance, promoting a new product on the website requires highlighting its features and benefits. Consumers will read the content and understand the perks. Blogging is another effective tactic to drive leads because it gets shared often. Most importantly, the audience should complete the conversion with just one click. Including a hyperlink is essential to make it easier to complete this action and recommend the product to others. Call to action buttons can help the audience complete the desired action.

Accuracy

Generally, anyone with internet access can publish content today. The only thing lacking is the quality and accuracy of the source website. Most blogs are included with statistics and research details to further boost engagement. It is always essential to include accurate information from a verified source. The best place to source information is getting from authority sites. In addition to reputation, creators should also check whether the information is recent. Since information change at a tremendous pace, relevance should be valued above all, because more readers prefer relevant content.

Storytelling

All successful marketing campaigns are a result of successful storytelling. Businesses should tell stories to connect with their audience. Moreover, it improves credibility on the topic. For instance, people love to read books, watch movies, and stay up-to-date with reality news. Hence, the audience will love to read a flawlessly written story by someone who is qualified on that particular topic. Most importantly, writers should write stories that are capable of stimulating an emotional response. The human brain reacts differently to different topics. Powerful emotions like fear, sadness, or joy can be evoked by the written type of storytelling.

Though-provoking

The main idea behind thought-provoking content is that the audience should relate to the topic. Similar to storytelling, creating thought-provoking content is an art that takes years to master. Writers should draw inspiration from current events and pop culture to improve engagement with the audience. This strategy also stimulates discussions in the comments because they have to share their thoughts and ideas. As a result, it will improve the retention of audiences. This helps to boost the traffic and engagement of audiences. Businesses should consider metrics to improve the content. Each of these improvements will further enhance the chances of conversion.

Visuals

Every engaging piece of content is incorporated with visuals. Pictures and videos are effective tools to draw the attention of audiences and retain them. Especially original high-resolution photos are crucial for boosting engagement. These visual elements improve the performance of blog posts and provide better chances of long-term success. Businesses can also enhance content discoverability with infographics. They should conduct their own research to produce original pieces of content. Product demonstrations and discussions are other effective ways to drive more leads. Businesses should add visuals to their website, email newsletter, social media channels, and other platforms.

Headlines

Lastly, headlines bring readers to the content. Creating clickable headlines is key to improving engagement among target audiences. Headlines should pique the interest of readers and make them click right away. They can also research some top-performing headlines to improve engagement metrics. It will also hook readers into reading the entire content.

08Nov

Tips to Increase Website Conversions

November 8, 2021 W. Scott Cain 70

Out of all performance metric factors, website conversions are the most important. They indicate the usability, relevancy, and credibility of a website to target audiences. Businesses need to optimize their website to drive more conversions for a better return on investment. However, devising a step-by-step strategy capable of increasing conversions is easier said than done. Businesses may not find the right set of tactics that can deliver worthwhile results in some cases. This is the reason why; it is better to hire professional strategists and have them steadily increase the conversions with top-of-the-line strategies.

#1. Define goals

Before embarking on a conversion rate optimization journey, it is essential to set goals and have them measured. These goals can be particular actions that would generate certain values for a brand. After defining goals, it is essential to assess them regularly and improve the efforts to ensure better results. Some of the common conversion objectives will include, page visits, click-on elements, custom conversions, and form submits. There are some online tools that enable marketers to create unique requirements and track the behavior of each user to direct optimization campaigns accordingly.

#2. Analyze data

In most situations, conversion campaigns are assumptions that are not backed by any solid data. Marketers have to rely on the results to measure the performance of their campaigns and have them improved. But, constantly tracking data about visitors will provide valuable insights into users and their preferences. For instance, marketers need data on traffic and the sources. They also need abandonment rates for each web page, along with the bounce rate for forms. Information on average order values is also essential for designing an impactful campaign. All these data highlight information valuable to represent an ideal user.

#3. Competitor analysis

One way of ensuring performing better than the competitors is a competitor analysis. Businesses get to scrutinize their strength and weakness by highlighting the strength and weaknesses of their competitors. Moreover, they can even analyze the way the potential customers will perform on the competition website. The data is essential to focus efforts and strategize the campaigns for better results.

#4. Conversion funnel

To fix a broken conversion funnel, marketers need to understand the details of the user journey and find out where they hesitate or drop off from the website. There can be plausible explanations to find out about this factor and have them fixed properly. Marketers can use insights to track the conversion rates of each funnel. This even helps to identify specific stages of the journey where the customers are losing interest. Fixing them would decrease the dropping rates, resulting in boosted conversion rates. One of the effective ways to analyze this factor is by focusing on checkout rates. Studies reveal that an average of 69.23% of consumers abandons their carts. To avoid this problem, websites need to optimize their checkouts pages with simple layouts. This setup helps to retain the interest of users and prompts them to complete the conversions without any interruptions during the funnel.

#5. Value proposition

The value proposition can be simply described as the reason why customers should buy from a particular company. Therefore, businesses should clearly communicate their unique selling points to their customers. They should also tell them why it is a good decision to buy a product or service from them. Value propositions can be defined in many forms like headlines, images, or website copies. Each of these content ideas communicates different reasons why customers should choose them instead of a competitor. By doing so, businesses can make sure to engage with their target audience and influence their conversions.

#6. Critical pages

When a website isn’t showing any real improvements in conversion rates even after repeated efforts, then it is time to introduce some radical changes. Businesses can alter the design of their critical pages and introduce new layouts to impact conversions. They may even use the insights from visitors’ data to understand points that are blocking customers from finishing their conversions. Most high-converting websites use tools like eye tracking, mouse tracking, and click maps to understand user behavior. These tools will also provide insights on the journey of customers in completing the conversions. Through these data, businesses can surely boost their conversion rates.

#7. Foster reviews

Customers don’t convert when they don’t trust. One way of improving trust among audiences is building reviews and testimonials. Websites enable businesses to share reviews from various sources to improve trust and confidence among visitors. Reports show that 58% of customers are more likely to convert after reading reviews.

05Nov

Why should you outsource your website design?

November 5, 2021 W. Scott Cain 69

Websites are at the forefront of a business’s marketing efforts. It helps to drive organic traffic and leads. Existing clientele also gets to interact with content and other resources. A component of this significance requires a well-planned and researched web design project.

However, many companies struggle to complete their web design projects in an intended manner. Financial constraints and lack of technical expertise are leading factors that cause problems.

Most importantly, these projects are also inherent with a number of risks. Neglecting the significance of making the right decisions will affect the overall business results.

What are the problems with web design projects?

All web design projects are filled with risks. However, most of them are affected by poor planning and practices. Especially eCommerce sites are at greater risk of being affected. Studies reveal no other project run over in time or cost than web design. This factor is often overlooked in many situations. Companies even fail to address the need of estimating time and budget. Most commonly, inexperienced project managers with no defined methodology further contribute to the problem. Some even neglect to adapt to rapidly changing technologies.

Why outsource web design projects?

Businesses contemplating a new design project for their website can hire experienced agencies to deal with the requirements. It is a better choice than opting for in-house specialists in most cases. In that sense, here are some reasons to outsource the web design requirements to a reputed agency.

Time

The most precious asset to any business owner is time. They cannot afford to waste time on projects that may not yield the desired results. Most importantly, they cannot invest the needed time to manage everything with the in-house team. Outsourcing web design is a smart idea to conceptualize and complete the project within the specified timeline. Allowing real professionals will also ensure a myriad of benefits.

Money

Outsourcing project requirements is a surefire way to save money. Businesses don’t need to spend on recruiting talents or training them. They also don’t have to pay for any equipment or software necessary for the project. External agencies deploy skilled designers who can offer all these services at a reasonable rate. They also avoid the need to spend on the latest software technologies. This helps to save money in the long run as well.

Focus

Business owners have a lot of commitments that need their attention. It can be overwhelming to focus on all these responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. Hiring professionals ease the stress off the shoulders of the owners. They also stay abreast of the ever-changing technology to ensure successful results for their clients. Owners can keep a tab on the progress by properly communicating with the designers. They also get monthly reports with every necessary detail.

Accessibility

Reputed web design agencies enable access to the very best in talent and resources. Their team will consist of extensively trained designers capable of handling every aspect of a project. They also utilize the latest methodologies to deliver scalable websites. Hence, outsourcing needs to prove to be a rewarding choice.

Paperwork

Keeping track of documents and reports is an extensive task. Businesses are relieved from the stress of handling employment details, payroll reports, insurance paperwork, and other requirements. Once outsourced, the agencies will handle every necessary paperwork essential for these projects. They utilize advanced software for the paperwork needs to minimize the hassle of dealing with documents and reports.

Communication

Web design agencies excel through excellent communication. They keep their clients updated with the progress of each stage. Professionals will strategize the project details based on the unique goals of a company. They even evaluate the office culture of a business and make sure their values are addressed during the development. As a result, they can efficiently manage the team and ensure prompt completion.

Technology

Accessing the latest technologies is a costly choice when working with in-house teams. Whether a small-scale company or an established organization, accessibility to technologies is necessary to stay successful in digital cyberspace. Outsourcing web design requirements to an external agency avoids the need to spend money on software technologies. Most importantly, businesses get top-notch data and analytic tools.

Flexibility

Businesses at the point of resurgence need the assistance of professionals with a successful track record. Designers using the latest technologies can deliver the most intuitive and visually-appealing websites. They are also optimized to prove valuable for the latest SEO algorithms. All of these factors lead to ultimate success.

03Nov

Top 10 Web Design Trends for 2021

November 3, 2021 W. Scott Cain 75

The website is the first interaction point for many customers. They get introduced to a business and acquire the necessary information to engage further. This means that websites should stay up-to-date with their design and development. Presenting the most updated information is necessary to gain the trust of consumers. Developers should take advantage of the newest trends in web design to ensure such results. However, this is one of the challenging parts of web design projects and the most overlooked one.

Why a following web design trend is important?

The most basic consideration of web design is keeping up-to-date with the latest trends. As a business, owners cannot afford to fall behind the competition. Studies show that customers will quit a website if the pages are slowing loading or difficult to navigate. It also affects their reputation among existing clientele. In short, it is crucial to keep up-to-date with the latest web design trends and integrate them as quickly as possible. For any business site, following these trends is necessary to avoid any major expenses in the long run. Ideally, they can also hire reputed agencies to handle these responsibilities and avoid any hassles.

What are the top web design trends for 2021?

1. Videos

A modern trend in marketing is using videos for communication. Businesses can integrate videos as a part of the promotional campaign to deliver crucial data. It is a versatile format that allows engagement with the audience in many different ways. Modern trends allow videos to be more interactive as possible. The technologies even allow for seamless creation and integration.

2. 3D illustrations

Another trend that is gradually gaining traction is 3D illustrations. Due to cutting-edge technology, it is becoming difficult to delineate the difference between reality and virtual reality. Designers are exploring various 3D designs combined with images and objects. To get a more realistic feel, it is essential to focus on accurate intensity and shadow levels.

3. Organic shapes

Geometric shapes are an indispensable part of web design. However, organic shapes are taking over the realm because they are much more fluid and natural. These shapes don’t include any straight lines or dimensions. The shapes are taken from naturally-occurring elements. As a result, they can be perfectly utilized in the background.

4. Dark mode

By far, the most popular design trend of 2021 is dark mode. Offering low-contrast applications or webpage is deemed as an effective strategy. It helps the audience to browse through the applications in low-light environments. Most importantly, designers can bring focus to the specific content with a modern appearance.

5. Scrolling

Infinite scrolling transformed the way users interact with the website. It is going to stand out in recent years because of the latest developments in scrolling animations. Aside from the conventional options, there are scroll telling, horizontal scrolling, and other options for designers. Integrating this element makes a website more engaging and accessible than others. As a result, users get a more satisfying and intuitive experience from a site.

6. Extremes

Minimalism and maximalism are used extensively in web designs over the years. By definition, minimalism promotes a simplistic design to make a powerful impression on an audience base. It also helps to ensure an easy user experience. Comparatively, maximalist web designs prioritize creative expression. It gives designers the freedom to explore new principles and color schemes on a webpage.

7. Tone

Low-saturated colors are comfortable to view at and they make for a pleasing experience. Some designers even use muted colors when they take a minimalistic approach. However, it is essential to stay natural with the color palette and stay focused on giving a more natural appearance.

8. Icons

The most overlooked of all trends is icons. This exciting trend can improve the user experience significantly. Designers can even change the simplest interactions with well-designed icons. Moreover, utilizing optimized mouse scrolls and actions will also enrich the overall look and feel of the design.

9. Fonts

There are countless font styles that designers can choose for their websites. Instead of reusing existing typography, they can refresh the style with new shades and element levels. Most importantly, designers should focus on the readability of the chosen typography. Failing to do so will affect the conversion rate.

10. Vector art

The practice of adding exclusive graphics to a website is another trend that should be noticed. Vector art is the best possible solution to address the challenges in integrating graphical elements. However, designers should avoid sacrificing quality and loading speed for the vector art design integration in a website.

01Nov

Top 7 Web Development Tips You Can’t Afford To Miss

November 1, 2021 W. Scott Cain 73

By definition, web development comprises activities essential to building, creating, and maintaining websites. It includes both frontend and backend development to create a high-performing website. The coding and programming requirements for this process are handled by experienced developers. They also handle SEO optimization to ensure higher rankings in SERP.

Responsive and intuitive websites are one of the most effective strategies to improve leads and organic traffic count. Many businesses opt to hire professional development agencies for their project requirements.

What are the top web development tips?

Research

Failing to research objectives is the main contributor to failure in web development. A significant portion of websites built without any research will fail big time. Such mistakes are common around small-scale organizations, as they overlook this aspect of the web development process. First, developers should decide the steps they need to build a responsive website. Then, they need to identify the scope of a project by evaluating the target audience and competitors. After this step, it is essential to decide goals ideal to achieve the marketing targets. This also helps them to meet the overarching objectives and minimize failure rates.

Communication

Building a website requires the involvement of various specialists. It includes programmers, designers, UX researchers, engineers, and other professionals. Each of the professionals would have spent years to gain specialization in that particular field. Since these professionals need to interact day-in-day-out, communication is vital to ensure optimal results. The project will only end up wasting lots of time and money when there is no communication between team members. One way of improving communication is outlining the steps involved in the project. This helps the developers to identify the problems inherent in the project and address them as quickly as possible.

Management

Most web development projects of small-scale companies end up in failure because they lack proper management. In addition to communication between developers and designers, neglecting to track the progress of a project might lead to many confusions and complications. Hence, it is essential to employ an experienced project manager. They can establish communication between different team members and allow them to track the developments. Most importantly, project managers attend to each and every issue to avoid any undesired consequences. Before hiring a project manager, make sure to discuss the goals and purpose of a project to ensure the best outcome.

Efficiency

When business owners think about website development, they only think about frontend. In simple terms, the frontend of the website is the visual elements that users see when they interact. However, the backend is defined as the backbone of websites. The complex setup of codes, databases, and services supports the entire functionality of a site. Moreover, it allows users to interact with the features and plugins. Providing the ideal support to backend development teams is necessary to build a scalable website. Depending on the size and scale of the project, a development team will consist of more than one backend developer.

Location

When businesses have decided to outsource their requirements to a third party, they should consider the location of a development agency. Many businesses will prefer a local contact to trust than oversee partners. Search terms like “development companies near me” or “professional agencies near me” dominate the internet because of this factor. However, businesses can also choose agencies that are not closer to their geographical region. Partnering with global agencies brings a myriad of benefits. Even though proximity is preferred in many cases, they are many other factors to consider as well. It includes experience, portfolio, and cost structure.

UX Design

Similar to backend development, companies often overlook the significance of user experience in web development. They will not hire UX companies to work on their project and results may not be as expected. Furthermore, excluding user experience improvements will negatively reflect in the search engine rankings page of a website. Therefore, when development is at its initial stages, hire a capable UX agency to design and optimize aesthetic elements. Enriching the user experience of a page is essential to create a loyal consumer base and develop credibility. Most importantly, UX design services will give the best value for the investment.

Evolve

Lastly, web development technologies and standards are constantly evolving. Staying abreast of these changes is vital to ensure that a website stays relevant and scalable in digital cyberspace. Aside from development changes and trends, regularly improving methodologies will improve the scope and functionality of a project. It is the most important tip to follow.

30Oct

10 Common Myths about Website Design

October 30, 2021 W. Scott Cain 67

Words cannot describe the significance of websites in online marketing efforts. It reaches customers 24/7 and helps to sustain them with valuable information. Most consumers will evaluate a business based on its website design.

Yet, such a significant component often gets poorly planned or executed. A significant portion of companies doesn’t pay any close attention to the performance of their site. One can even say that they make poor decisions based on a host of myths and misconceptions.

A solid understanding of these myths is essential to avoid the waste of time and money invested in a website that rarely yields any results.

How do web design myths hurt a website?

First, planning and executing a web design based on common misconceptions will lead to unrealistic assumptions and serious design flaws. It will affect the performance of a site online significantly. Especially, beginners and novices come across the worst of misconceptions that will affect their brand in the long run.

What are the common myths about web design?

1. Linear creation process

The most common myth persisting among people is that web design is a linear process. Similar to humans, websites are also evolving constantly. The design elements should be fluid enough to accommodate new changes and updates. Therefore, instead of a clear beginning, middle, and end, the actual process is ongoing. Designers have to keep reinventing and redesigning the site to compete with other modern websites online.

2. Post-launch needs

People often underestimate the amount of work a website needs to perform at a required level. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance are vital to integrate relevant features, fix performance bugs, and deter security threats. Most importantly, ongoing maintenance is an indispensable part of driving traffic and leads to a website and growing a business.

3. Personal preferences

It is natural to prefer personal design choices and styles when designing a website. However, prioritizing a design capable of enticing the target audience is necessary to thrive as a brand. Many designers believe that their personal design preferences can lead customers on the conversion journey. But it will only leave a site one-dimensional and overwhelming in aesthetical senses. Hence, understand the persona of the target audience and choose design elements that will resonate with them better.

4. Minimalism

The field of web design is witnessing an increasing stride towards minimalism. Sleek, de-cluttered designers are seen as the future by many. But minimalism is not the ideal choice for every website. Most businesses need an optimal level of content to attract and engage with their customers. Therefore, a hyper-minimal design can make their website less functional and affect conversions.

5. Overloading features

New website features are coming every second, and they will not be suitable for every web design. Cluttering a page with widgets, parallax windows, chatbots, or QR scanners will only affect the visual appeal. Most importantly, users will have a hard time navigating around the page and may even ultimately quit it. Hence, designers should only include features that will improve the user experience or increase conversion rates.

6. Homepage

Simply stated, the homepage is the most visited page of a website. However, it is not the most important one. Reports show that home page views are decreasing drastically because other pages are contributing their part in providing value. Therefore, putting too much focus on the homepage design is another mistake to avoid.

7. Design is everything

Another popular myth that is surfacing around the internet is the role of design. A fancy design is not always the best practice. Web design consists of several other elements that can make a site appealing. Essentially, web design practices aren’t just limited to making the site look good. It is more about improving performance and efficiency.

8. Traffic rates

A new website doesn’t automatically translate into thousands of customers pouring in on a daily basis. Bringing in a greater volume of traffic and conversions is an entirely different process and has less to do with attractive designs. It is essential to build a solid marketing strategy and constantly monitor the results to ensure search engine success.

9. Mobile website

Even in this era dominated by smartphones, most designers believe they don’t need a mobile responsive site to get visitors. The consequence of this decision is losing millions of potential customers and possible revenue. Even Google is prioritizing websites with a scalable mobile version because mobile users drive the majority of global web traffic.

10. Budget

Lastly, the cost of designing and building a website will vary from one project to another. But, it would be beneficial to work with a budget and research for companies that can promise results in the long run.

14Jun

How to Convince Webmasters That Their Website Needs a Makeover

June 14, 2015 W. Scott Cain 32

Statistics are pretty grim when it comes to ecommerce sites. Most are lucky just to acquire daily traffic past the single digit range. The reasons most websites do not perform well is because they are not optimized. For website redesign services, they need to use data and numbers to show prospective clients why their site needs a drastic makeover if they hope to gain any momentum or edge over their competitors. (more…)

27May

How To Use Flat Web Design to Your Advantage

May 27, 2015 W. Scott Cain 32

While the world continues to embrace the latest and greatest in technological improvements and advancements, it seems that there has been a constant shift in the face of web design. (more…)

20May

Five Ways Flat Web Design Differs From Material Web Design

May 20, 2015 W. Scott Cain 24

At Integrated Solutions, we know our customers have many choices and factors to consider when it comes to optimal web design. One of the most common concerns we address is the difference between flat and material web design, as well as determining which (more…)

20May

Four Ways to Simplify Your Web Design

May 20, 2015 W. Scott Cain 32

In the world of web design, simple goes a long way. At Integrated IT Solutions, we know consumers have myriad choices online. We also know that the hardest battle can be winning their attention. Focus your efforts on designing a simple website that keeps clutter to a minimum and streamlines the user decision-making process to see a boost in traffic as well as results. Here’s how to hone in on the user experience and simplify web design.
(more…)