Sample Sites:

It is considered a given that web design companies present a portfolio of their past work.  New customers like to see a sampling of the visually stunning, extraordinarily beautiful work that they have done in the past.

Well, being the kind of company that dislikes being constrained to the confines of our industry's "box", we choose to present a bit of a different take on the subject of a website portfolio.

 

Why?  ... haven't you done any good designs in the past?

Well, of course we have, but that begs the question... What's a good design? How can a visitor to any website determine whether that design is good or horrible?  What is the criteria?

Which of the below designs for limousine services is the better design (both are fictitious, by the way)?

 

What if we added the following information?

• Both companies want to draw as much business from the search engines as possible, yet search engines favor sites with relevant text on the homepage.
• Visitors to the site on the left have to call the company to make a reservation, while visitors to the site on the right can make their reservation online.
• All of the information that visitors need from the site on the right can be accessed with three clicks;  while, the site on the left requires a number of clicks at different levels and not all pages may be accessed from the homepage.
• The site on the right gets many times the business of the site on the left.

Armed with that information, now which is the better design?

The design on the left may be more visually appealing.  It may lead visitors to feel better about our ability to design a better quality website than the site on the right.  Unfortunately, if all of our websites were designed like the one on the left, we would have a LOT of very angry customers ... or more likely former customers. And we could say the exact same thing if the details were reversed without changing one single graphic element.

 

Then... What makes a good web designer?

Plain and simple... a good, reputable web designer is someone who can build a site that fits your business plan and your requirements.

The first thing a web designer is going to want to know is how much you expect to pay for the design and the ongoing marketing.  This will enable them to tailor a package around your budget and avoid wasting a lot of time on unrealistic expectations.  Next, they are going to want to discuss your business requirements.  Do you expect your website to bring you new business, or do you need it to support your existing customers with information about your products and services? Where do you expect your visitors to come from?  Should the site be optimized for search engine placement, or do you intend to use the site as an adjunct to your print advertising?  A good web designer will want to look well beyond what you want your site to look like and how much money you have to spend on it.  Their proposal is going to take into consideration not only what is needed to create and publish your website, but will include a plan for keeping it fresh and popular.

In short, a good web design is more than just a web design.  A good web design is a solid business strategy, which serves your overall business plan today and into the future.