Web Design & Development Misconceptions
We at one2love Agency have been building sites to suit our clients needs for several years and have noticed that there are often misconceptions around how the processes work. Here, we explore some common web design &?development misconceptions.
Web Design Is Simple
One of the most common web design & development misconceptions is that it is simple and easy. A beautiful website may look effortless and work intuitively, but it didn’t get that way without an understanding of the clients business, planning and a commitment to the user experience. Also, some clients think that website design works in the same way that graphic design does which is not the case. In reality, every button or feature on a website takes time and consideration and is often worked and reworked before completion to best reflect the clients brand.
Some of our simplest website designs have been the most complicated to produce. And our most complex sites have had a high cost to the client.
Everyone Needs to Be Involved in the Process
Keeping everyone on the same page is important, but not every person in your company has to be involved in every element of the process. Many clients are on the side of caution trying to keep everyone updated, but this can be counter-productive. Instead, its best keep brainstorming sessions for those who will be working on the project.
The website build will be most successful and cost effective if the majority of the brainstorming is handled prior to implementation. Major changes will often impact the cost of the site so having key members of your business deciding the requirements ahead of time will benefit all.
My Designers should build what I want
It’s understandable that many clients would like their website built exactly as they want. After all, they are paying for it and of course, the clients’ input and content is invaluable to the process. In reality, graphic and web designers spend the majority of their lives learning the technical and creative aspects of design so it’s beneficial to the client to trust that their experience will ensure that the purpose of the website is catered for. It’s the designer’s job to take the vision for your company and turn it into a user experience on a website.
My Website is complete, the site should automatically attract visitors
It’s natural to assume that once your website is built, visitors will come flooding in but your website is not where your marketing campaign starts, it is often where the marketing campaign ends or arrives. It serves as the foundation and online home of the business. People will need to know that the website exists in order to use it.
Designers will optimize the site for user experience, aesthetics, and functionality but it, this does not necessarily include promoting it. A good marketing strategy, like well-written content and social media marketing, are important and should go hand in hand with the site build. Growing your business through your website requires work and constant attention (SEO etc.).
Anyone Can Build a Website
There are easy-to-use web building platforms available which have led to the misconception that anyone can build a beautiful and successful website. While these tools can be useful for a short term solution they come with severe limitations and most often don’t meet the needs of the business. There is a lot more that goes into website building than how the site looks. Example: Capturing email addresses for your email campaign system or building a shopping cart that takes unconventional forms of payment. This is all dependent on the purpose of the website. A website is rarely successful without a clear purpose. If the client does not know what the purpose is, the designer will fail in its implementation.
I want a site like another one I have seen
Inspiration websites can give your developer a good idea of what you want and provide valuable aesthetic and functional insights. Unfortunately, it’s not always the best strategy. While there may be a few elements that impress you, these should serve as inspiration ? not a template.
It’s important to understand what it is that you like and dislike about the inspiration sites so that your designer and developer can apply that to your site design. Your designer won’t want to and should never ‘rip another site off’. The inspiration site’s budget can often be vastly different to your own.
Web Design Costs
One of the most common web design &?development misconceptions is that it should be cheap and from first glance, a beautiful, simple website may look easy to create. A website that functions and looks beautiful is the result of an experienced and talented designer/developer taking client input and creating to arrive at the resulting website. An effective website will reflect your brand and define your company. You should think of your website as an investment after all, you get what you pay for.
My Website is complete, the Job Is Done
Web Design & Development is a multi-faceted process. The web is constantly evolving, and websites need to be continually updated and iterated to continue to work effectively and remain compliant with best practices and emerging trends. Along the lines of how your phone’s apps need to be kept up to date to keep the device running well.
Web developers are able to check for updates, broken links, user experience. Functionality and SEO standards often change so your website will need to be frequently updated if you want it to operate well and potentially rank well. Websites are like a living entity that needs to be managed and nurtured.
Contact us, we can help you.