I love designing websites. It’s both a creative and technical process, which means I get to use all the parts of my brain, and it also means I’m helping some of Calgary’s entrepreneurs reach their business goals. Calgary website design has developed exponentially over the years, and there are more and more options to help me make your site functional and attractive. These are some of the tools I use to put your website to work for your Calgary business.
Colour Choice
When I embark on a website design, one of the first questions I ask is what colours our client would like to use. I can then advise from there. Colours influence emotional response and hold great significance for the viewer. Those feelings and responses might vary from person to person, but they are happen nearly all day, every day, and in every aspect of our lives. For those who want to present a businesslike and knowledgeable persona, I might suggest using a fair amount of black. To denote trustworthiness, I would suggest blue, and health and wellness is well-represented by green.
Logos
Creating logos is one of the most fun parts of my job. I enjoy the challenge and imagination needed to build a logo from scratch, and the chance to effectively depict personality of your business, tell your story, and most importantly make an impression on the people who see it. Your logo will feature prominently on your social media, website, and all of your marketing materials, so it needs to be good. Here are some examples of logos I have designed for clients.
Fun Fonts
There are hundreds of different fonts to choose from, and the selection process can be a bit intimidating. I pick fonts that first and foremost are easy to read, and I tend to lean towards the more classic options. Trendy fonts will not stand the test of time, and will distract to make you look like you have less expertise than is the reality. I prefer san serif fonts, as these look more modern and streamlined. Serif fonts, although traditional and classic, can crowd a page, and don’t shrink down as well for mobile devices.
Natural Navigation
The three most common ways to organize navigation are task-based, topic-based and persona-based. As you might have guessed, topic-based navigation is typically the preferred choice for sites that primarily provide information, while task-based navigation is ideal for sites that allow visitors to complete specific tasks. Persona-based navigation is based on your ideal customer (such as student, member or even patient), and targets those specific identities.
Great Images
Use of images can make or break a website. Stock images have made it easier to adorn your website, but the problem is that a lot of them just look, well, stock. Photos that have been taken by a professional specifically for your business will present the best face to your customers and clients, and will also give you a reserve to use for your social media accounts. Check out our Using Images Wisely Parts 1 and 2 for more.
Accordion Menus Make the Most of Space
No matter how engaging your content, it can only have an impact if people know where to find the information they seek. Accordions, which take up little space until the user clicks to reveal the content inside, allow you to provide detailed information without crowding the page. Accordions are excellent for presenting question and answer content, like on your frequently asked questions (FAQ) page.
Pop Ups for Attention-Grabbing Moments
Readers of a certain age will remember a time before ad-blockers, when pop up ads were a constant part of digital life. Those days are (thankfully) long gone, and now pop ups serve a more useful, less intrusive purpose. Used correctly, pop ups can be a valuable web design tool for your Calgary business. Pop ups also allow you to present lead generation offers and discounts at the most opportune time while a visitor is considering a purchase, which is a great way to boost eCommerce conversion rates.
Get a Great Website From Emphasize Design
Looking to make the most of your website design? Emphasize Design of Calgary is here to help, with comprehensive web design services. Getting started is simple! Take a look at our website design packages and contact us now!
I love using accordion tabs for content-heavy pages. I think it’s the neat-freak in me.. Everything just looks so organized AND you can still keep all your content in one space.