If you’re thinking about getting a new website for your business, then the chances are, you’re busy exploring ways to create one. In which case, you’ve probably heard the term ‘web designer’ being thrown around. The reality is that web designers will play a crucial role in turning your business’s story, goals, and identity into a visually aesthetic and engaging digital platform. After all, there are more than 1.18 billion active websites across the world, the battle to do business with a digital audience is pretty high.
But what does a web designer do? And furthermore, how can hiring a web designer benefit your business?
The ‘front-end’
There are a number of roles that play a part in creating a website, two of which are website designers and website developers – which can often get confusing. In short, website designers work on the ‘front end’, while developers work on the ‘back end’ coding. Website designers are usually artistic and experts in graphic design, focussing on the visuals of a website, creating mockups of what the platform will look like, so the website developers can build it using code.
Ultimately, web designers help create that first impression – and we all know how important that is, especially when it comes to websites. Those first few seconds when a customer visits your website are crucial. And, if your website looks unattractive, chaotic, or outdated, this will probably lead to a visitor leaving your website and, worst, taking their business to a competitor.
Telling your story
A web designer is responsible for helping to tell a business’s story.
They listen to you. They hear your mission, vision, and goals before transforming them into a visual design. They work with clients to understand what they want their website to do. They then work on the likes of color scheme, font type, logos, and imagery, using their experience and knowledge to piece together these various elements, which together tell a business’s story. They might create a totally new website or perhaps give their current platform a refresh.
Before developing a final design, web designers tend to create several initial concepts to discuss with the client.
Speaking to your audience
Who is your business speaking to? Who do you want to engage with? One of the primary jobs of a web designer is to create a digital platform that speaks to your target audience.
For example, if your target audience is children, your website needs to be explicitly designed to speak to them, perhaps through bright colors, easy-to-read font, and simple imagery.
Enhancing user experience
Many things can impact user experience, and the design of your website is crucially one of them. From ensuring brand consistency throughout a website, while guaranteeing pages flow effectively to ultimately producing clean, sharp, and professional-looking results, professional designers have the knowledge and expertise to optimize the user experience by keeping visitors engaged.
Supporting search engine optimization (SEO)
Every business wants to rank high on Google, right? Well, believe it or not, a web designer can help with this. After all, many design elements of your website – including complex layouts and hard-to-read fonts – can have a direct impact on how visible your business is on search engines.
In short, poor design has the potential to lower your SEO rankings, so it’s always best to hire a professional when creating your website.
You only get one chance to make a good first impression
Do you want a new website? Perhaps you’re looking to re-design your current platform? We offer web design in Tampa, Florida, so get in touch. At ClickFirst Marketing, we believe you only get one chance to make a first impression – and we’re ready to make it a good one.