Holistic Approach to Web Design
Lately I have been seeing a lot of professional website designers that offer one or two pieces of the Web design 
puzzle. Perhaps they do Web design and dabble in video. Or maybe they just offer SEO services. That approach doesn’t work for me. I am a firm believer that the most successful Web sites use a holistic approach.
Maximizing your presence on the Web takes more than just throwing up an eye-catching site. It takes experience and creativity to develop a strategy that can cohesively blend together all the aspects of a successful Web presence: custom web design, usability, search engine optimization, Flash/video, and social media.
Here’s how a holistic approach to Web design looks:
- Build a Strategy: A well planned strategy is a very important part of determining a Web site’s success. It forms the solid foundation on which all of the other pieces are built upon. Without a strategy you are shooting in the dark and you may be paying for a site that doesn’t help you achieve your goals. Your strategy will define what your site will look like, how it will function, and if you will use elements like Flash or video to enhance your presentation.
- Attract Qualified Visitors: In your strategy you also need to address how you are going to get visitors to your site. Think of it this way, the more visitors you have the more opportunities you have to convert these visitors into customers. Don’t be caught up in the thinking that just because you have this beautiful new site visitors are going to be flocking there. You will have to do some work to attract qualified traffic. Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-per-click, and social media are all fantastic methods for driving people to your site.
- Communicate Your Message: I am sure you have heard that “Content is King”. This is true as Internet users are demanding valuable content more than ever before. People are crunched for time and they want answers now. They don’t want to read through paragraphs of fluff to get the info they need. Keep your content short and to the point. If you have a message that would be best conveyed visually, by all means consider using video or Flash to communicate with your potential customers.
- Create a Solid Presentation: First impressions on the Web are everything. You literally have a few seconds to convey to the visitor they are in the right place and that you have the info that they are looking for. The design of your site also says a lot about your company and your level of professionalism. A professionally designed Web site will help you create the lasting first impression you are looking for.
- Develop Functionality: Whether your Web site has an ecommerce component or a database it needs to sync with, a custom built site can help you achieve your specific site needs.
- Measure Results: The best way to determine if your Web site is performing well is to utilize a Web analytics tracking tool. The information you can learn about your site in regards to traffic and information about your visitors can help you make smart decisions in the future.
When all of the aspects work together in harmony you create a solid presence on the Web which ultimately will lead you to more customers and a bigger bottom line.
