DESIGN

Good web design means  creating great looking websites whilst ensuring they are still as user-friendly as they can possibly be.  Experienced designers will have a wealth of knowledge and practice utilising not only HTML, but also CSS, Javascript and other graphics packages such as Photoshop, Fireworks and Flash to name just a few.  By using these tools they create the foundations of the website and, together with you, decide right  from the outset,  just how your website should look when it's completely finished. The actual design result does not contain any coding and is just a graphical representation.

DEVELOPMENT

Web development  is the programming in the back end which converts the beautiful design into a good working and professional website. The web development can be very basic for a small static brochure website or more complex for a website which requires to be dynamic, needs a content management system, payment facility, shopping carts or a register and login area with user name and password.  Also online forums such as Wikipedia http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum are a good example of web development.  To ensure that your website is performing well and remains competitive and the back end is flexible it is very important to engage experts when planning your website and to really think about what your website needs to do when you start and what functionalities you want to add to the site in the future.

The back end programming is also a vital element required in order to increase  the visitor’s online experience - it is important to remember that the development goes hand in hand with the design which holds the visitor’s attention at the very beginning of the whole process.
If you want to produce a really user-friendly and professional-looking website, which is eye-catching, visually attractive and does the job you want it to do, both the design and the development need to be given your full attention in the planning process.

In your move away from 2009 and into 2010, think about how your business has evolved over the last year and how you want to portray any new products or services within your new or updated website to keep the attention of your prospective clients.

To help give you some inspiration, here are some ideas of what to think about for 2010:

Using Large Text and Headers

To create a big impact, it’s not necessary to use Flash – it is still  not great for the search engines and some may even say it has seen better days. Flash plugins are fine to use for the occasional banner, video or movie, but using Javascript and JQuery is a far more search-engine friendly alternative.

Instead KISS (the old sales abbreviation of  'Keep It Simple Stupid')!  Use a banner or a large logo so that all your visitors have to do is scroll down to read about you, instead of having to perform several clicks to get to where they want to be.

Potential customers can become confused by too much information on a website, so  simplify the words and paragraphs you display on your site to focus their attention on where you want them to go.  This is bound to increase your conversion rates.

Magazine Layouts

Think about magazines and the way they are styled in such a way to attract reader attention.  If you keep your paragraphs short and think about displaying  them in blocks next to relevant and interesting images, this will not only be appealing to your visitors but it will also allow the visitor to really focus on what interests them.

Ulster Grocer

Funky Fonts

Have you thought about using some unusual fonts instead of the regular Arial, Times New Roman, etc.  Funky fonts are fun and help to ensure your site remains unique and different from the 'norm.'   A website that utilises typography in this way will be far more interesting to read than using just photos and images.

Fonts.com for great font ideas

The Business Card Layout

This is another way of keeping things simple and does away with the need for the user to navigate, as they will have all the information they need on one page.  It will also help you by get rid of all the old content which is no longer relative.  If you decide to use this style, it will be more of a 'holding page' telling your visitors how to locate you and your blog, your social media sites, etc., not forgetting of course your business testimonials.   These  layouts will reflect personal profiles and will probably have more of a casual feel about them.

The use of large Images

Illustrations, designs and logos help to keep your visitors' attention and not only help your site to stand out from the crowd, but also look appealing.  Large images create a visual impact which will stick in your visitors' minds. The  images draw the visitor into your site simply by their very size.

Using icons in the place of text

If you research some websites designed with children in mind, you’ll notice these sites often use icons instead of text as, again, icons are a way of  keeping to keep things simple.  They make it as easy as possible for your visitors to click on exactly where they want to go.

Project Icons

The use of White Space

Too many sites use strong coloured backgrounds which are not great on the eye and make it difficult to read the important messages you are trying to get across.  White and cream or more muted colours are best for background space in order to keep your visitors’ attention focused on what you're telling them.

Having said all this, it doesn’t mean you have to have a very minimalist website.  By simply removing out of date or unnecessary elements of your site will, by default create a simpler visual picture.

Modal Boxes

Another trend that’s on the way in is a modal box.  You could compare it to a pop up box although it is much more subtle and sophisticated. Modal boxes are interactive, requiring your visitor to take action - here is an example:

Great to use for alerts, contact forms or downloads

Testing

Tests should be carried out on your site to establish which features are redundant so that they can be eliminated in your new re re-vamped site.  To display elements without reason is just helping towards confusing visitors and possibly preventing them from getting to where they want to be.  Remember not a lot of people have a lot of time these days and if your site features too much information, your potential customer may just go somewhere else.

Minimalist

Think about a blank canvas on which you can make a bold statement.  By using blasts of colour coupled with clever typography, you can create a very impactful website.

Larger Footers

By using a large footer,  it can become more an integral part of your whole design.  Within the footer you could feature your social media, for example, Twiiter and Facebook updates.

Vintage Designs

Have you thought about using a vintage design using colours from the 30s or 40s?  This would create a refreshing change for your 2010 website.

Intro Boxes

An Intro Box is a great way of introducing yourself  without the need for an 'About' page.  It’s a good idea as it means you only have limited space in which to really get your message across.  For example, you may just wish to feature your logo, state the name of your company, contact details and ask your visitors to click to take them to the page where they can read about you and your testimonials.