Website Design

Introduction To Website Design

Your website is the official online representation of your company and brand. Everything else references and points back to it.  Modern consumers are often introduced to new products and services online and will likely look at your website as a first point of contact. The experience that visitors have on your website immediately begins to shape their opinion of your brand. Judgements are made on your level of expertise, your competence, your credibility, and your overall reputation. Strategic website design enables you to guide users through the desired experience and prompt them to take action. The technical aspects of a posative user-experience include fast page speeds, easy navigability, and proper functionality on any screen size. It is equally important, however, to connect with audiences at a personal level. A friendly introduction to your company, an authentic desire to connect with your visitors, and a promise to take care of them can all be communicated through creative and strategic website design.

Website Design In Calgary

When it comes to website design services in Calgary there is a full range of offerings. Most small and medium size businesses fall into one of three categories:

1. DIY Website Builder: With services like Wix and SquareSpace some business owners take on the designer role themselves with the aid of templates, stock photos and partial design support. These DIY solutions are growing in popularity with more companies coming out with “out-of-the box” DIY web products. A successful DIY business site will require patience, significant research, some trial-and-error, and something that DIY products cannot provide… creativity. We see a lot of abandoned DIY sites.
2. Freelance Website Designer: Freelancers come in all shapes and sizes, as well as levels of skill and expertise. The growing amount of open-source content management systems and website building platforms has made freelance website services a viable career choice for many individual practitioners. Each freelancer will have their own particular strengths and weeknesses. It is important to know what you are getting. Some may be extremely creative with design but lacking in marketing expertise and strategy – others may present solid strategies and have a strong technical backround, but rely heavily on templates for the visual components. Website freelancers also offer varying levels of support. Some will build a site and then dump it back onto the owner to manage and maintain – others will stay with you to update and maintain the site periodically. It is not always clear what you are getting.
3. Marketing Agency: There are a number of agencies in Calgary that offer full and partial-service website solutions. Agencies generally present a more structured and strategic approach to website design with clearly defined services and support. Some agencies specialize in particular industries or marketing methods (ie. lead generation, social media marketing, etc…). For smaller businesses in Calgary, the main consideration when considering a marketing agency for website design is the price-point. Some agencies are positioned more towards large companies with set budgets. AUCO Marketing is focused solely on small and medium size businesses.

Our Approach To Website Design

The visual design itself is not the first step. We start with strategy. We will work with you to define your marketing goals and help build an online strategy to support them. Your website will establish your digital footprint and play an esential role in propagating your brand online. It is important to present a clear message. We will look at industry trends and identify major online competitors. We will map out the customer journey and identify the key touch-points that take place both online and offline. Only once we have clarity on the desired customer experience will we move forward with the visual design and development of the website. With sensitivity to your budget we will present the most cost-effective solutions at the outset of the project. You will know exactly what you are getting into. When we start the design process you will be able to view our progress in a website staging environment (a special URL). Only once you are satisfied will we publish the site. Once it is published our support services ensure that your site continues to perform well, is secure, and properly maintained.