Not really. You’d be surprised at how perceived user activity differs from real customer interfaces. We’ve got the analytics and reports to prove it.

Before we design a website, we establish precise user personas. We learn everything we can about who your most important users are and how they’d like to interface with your site. You might say we build your site from your customers up.

The result is a more user friendly, customer engaging, search engine optimized, measurably more effective website.

Before you embark on a new website design, make sure the intent is to establish a conversation with your site visitors not just talk at them. To do that, you’ve got to know whom you’re trying to engage and what they’re looking for in your web relationship. (Sounds like a dating service, doesn’t it?) Once you know that, your website can be designed to truly meet user needs and experiences.  (Then they’ll look forward to seeing you again.)

Branding is the consistent behavior of all internal and external messages and communications to all audiences of a company. It’s the fomenting and maintaining of an attitude that will engender relationships and ultimately profitability.

Branding, like marketing, should start on the inside of a company and emanate from the top. It’s the shared vision, personality and mission of the company. The tangibles only reflect the branding, not define it. You can have the most creative ad campaign in the world or the most consistent look and feel to your marketing communications. But if the right attitude doesn’t permeate the corporate ranks and extend to the customer, the marketing materials are simply attractive wrappings on an empty package.

Harsh but true.

Just because someone knows something about WordPress and even has a degree in design does not mean he or she is a competent web developer.

Remember when the miracle of desktop publishing gave your administrative assistant the opportunity (notice I didn’t say ‘ability’) to generate “marketing materials”? Sure it was cheaper than having the professionals do it. But most of us quickly came to the conclusion that good marketing communication is both a science and an art and best not left to the amateurs. The same is true of web design.

Good web design is a team sport. Because of all the processes, constantly changing technologies, programs and standards, no one person can know it all and do it well. You’ve got to have a team of experts who each know their individual disciplines, appreciate their relationship to the other elements of the process and know that collaboration yields the optimal synergy.

Your choice in web developers reflects how much you value your website’s contribution to your company’s marketing, branding, customer relations and bottom line. So take the selection process seriously. Learn about the fundamentals of an effective website. You’ll not only better appreciate what makes a better website, you’ll better appreciate what it takes to accomplish it.

Do your homework and select a web development team that truly knows their stuff. It may very well be one of the best marketing decisions you’ll make.