Top 5 Reasons for Redesigning a website.
We hear ” I need my web site redesigned” quite a bit these days. While there are many reasons here are our top picks.
- I need my website to look more professional.
Looks are everything and online you have just a few seconds to make that all important first impression. A well designed fast loading web site can do wonders to encapsulate your expertise and reach and engage your target audience. - We need our content reorganized.
If your site visitors are having click through page after page to get to the information they want, you are making then work too hard. A web site with intuitive navigation and well organized content = “a don’t make me think visitor” - My web site is not doing what I want it to do.
Whether you want your site to act as a lead generation tool, a portal of information, or a selling platform, it is important to guide or funnel the site visitors exactly where you want them to go via “call to actions” - I need to add some additional functionality
Want to add a blog, additional pages, links to your social media networks? A well thought out web site will always be able to accommodate additional functionality without a complete redesign but sometimes there comes a point when a redesign is the best options. - I want my site to perform better in the search engines.
The structure and design of a web site bears a huge relation on how well a site performs in the search engines and a skilled web designer will know how to optimize all elements that make up a web site, for best search engine results.
Now lets take a look at these in action with three before and after web redesign projects.
Peter Meder and Company
We addressed all 5 reasons in the redesign of a web site for Chicago headhunter, Peter Meder and Company. The new site has a much more professional look/feel and immediately imparts the nature of the business. Visitors have easy access to the current position searches which is a huge time saver for both client and job hunter.
Bear Essentials
Content reorganization was the main driver behind our redesign of the Bear Essentials web site. We produced a much more appealing user friendly site with clear call to actions.
Tiger Tables
A more professional look was the order of the day for our redesign of Tiger Tables with clear call to actions.
Do you have a web site that could do with a makeover? We’d love to have an opportunity to talk with you.
Call us at 847 607 8679
2010 © Chicago Web Designer
in Branding, Chicago Web Designer, Internet Marketing, Usability, Web Design Projects
A letter to Chicago from the Chicago Web Designer
Dear Chicago,
Hello! A week ago today I was packing up my St Louis web design business and today, here I am firmly planted in Chicago. It may be a while before I am fully unpacked but I am really looking forward to getting to know you, all your fabulous businesses and getting down to work as the Chicago web designer.
Here is what I do:
Web Design
- Custom Web Site Design
- Web Site redesign
- Banner ad Design
- Email templates
- Blog Design, wordpress, blogger
- Internet marketing ( SEO)
Graphic Design
- Logos and corporate branding
- Presentations
- Brochures
- Advertisements
- Traditional graphic design
I have been in the web and graphic design business for over 10 years and am truly passionate about what I do.
One question, as a city you have a lot of nick names. Which one do you prefer, Chi town, ChicagoLand or the Windy City?
Yours Sincerely
The Chicago Web Designer
2010 © Chicago Web Designer
in Branding, Chicago Web Designer, Graphic Design, Internet Marketing, Random Thoughts, Web Design Projects, Wordpress
Website Design Testimonial
I always appreciate testimonials from clients and this one from Burns Recovered Support Group for pro bono web design work almost has me blushing. Today I am blowing my own trumpet and without further ado …….
Dear Zoe,
The two words “thank you” seem inadequate at this time.
It amazes me… I wrote to you in May and explained that Burns Recovered Support Group is a small nonprofit and asked for your help – pro bono – in totally redesigning our web site
You kindly and graciously contacted me and said that you would be happy to do this for us as part of your commitment and concern to the “community at large”.
Much to my astonishment, here we are 2 ½ months later and our beautiful web site is now on-line. You designed a user friendly site for our visitors to use. You designed a visually attractive site for everyone to see. You have taught this “barely computer literate” woman how to manage the site on her own! I have already had people contact the office to say how great they think the site looks.
So, instead of two words… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU…. and, many more “thank you’s” You have given us a gift worth more than you can ever know.
Yours truly,
Linda Hansen
Executive Director
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
New web site for Burns Recovered Support Group of St Louis
Remember this post ” Pro Bono Web Design” at the beginning of June? Well the web site for Burns Recovered Support Group is now live. Visit it here www.brsg.org
We went from an outdated this:-
to a slick, all singing and dancing this:-
A fresh new look and feel, the design of the site has focused on getting the site visitor to where they want to go quickly and without making them think, via simple drop down navigation and bold buttons on the home page. Built on the Wordpress platform, the client is able to easily update the site, whether it is adding a new event or a batch of photographs. Burn camp 2010 is just three weeks away so stay tuned to see new photos of all the happy campers.
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
New Website for Chicago Headhunting Company
There is nothing like kicking off a Monday morning with the launch of a project. Today sees the release of a new web site and brand image for Chicago headhunting company, Peter Meder and Company.
We began working with Peter about a month ago. He wanted a very professional and polished looking web site and was interested in integrating his blog and networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. We created a clean crisp look and feel enhanced by an amazing set of photographs ( taken by Peter himself) with call to actions on the home page to current headhunting searches, social media connections and his blog.
The blog, “Moving up -A conversation with Peter, career advice and stories from 25 years of headhunting” has been live for a few months but just using a standard blogger template. To ensured it flows seamlessly with the rest of the site we created a custom template, with navigation to the main site and branded with the Peter Meder and company brand elements.
Twitter and Facebook accounts were also given the brand image.
We are just finishing up on a stationery set to complete the brand makeover. As I said before full image branding are my favorite design projects and I am looking forward to the opportunity to working with more Chicago based clients!
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
New website in progress for Breeze Law
The creation of a magazine ad was the momentum for a redesign of the Breeze Law web site. The site is currently in the content population stage but here is a sneak peak at the look and feel.
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
A Website redesign mini makeover project
Over the years I have had my fair share of web redesign projects, in fact a quick look through my web design portfolio and I can count about 20 projects that are re design efforts. The majority are for new clients but there a few long standing customers who I work with (and with much appreciation) again and again.
Web redesign is an expected cycle in the life a web site. Sometimes a full scale project is the only way to accomplish your objectives ( Your web site…is it time to re design? ) but other times a small cost effective maintenace project will suffice.
This was the case with one of my long standing customers Fair Market Inc.
After a mini makeover, we re-launched their web site earlier this month, giving new copy and photographs a fresher more appealing look/feel completely reworking the home page and adding blog functionality. Although the content of the site is all new the basic framework remains the same, with the same approach to navigation.
The site however is fresher and nicely up to date all without blowing the bank.
Home page
Products page
How about your site? Could it benefit from a mini makeover?
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
Building a brand image
Last year I was contracted to build a brand image for an online small business radio start up. As a web and graphic designer, these are favorite types of projects and I have been fortunate to enjoy plenty over the last few years. From a designers standpoint the real beauty of a complete brand image project is that you get to start with a completely blank canvas.
Various circumstances meant that the Small Business Radio was unfortunately never launched but I thought I’d share with you today the elements I created.
The starting point was naturally the logo which was then incorporated into a business card.
Then came the look and feel of the web site. It needed to accommodate a custom designed media player and a space for ads.
and lastly a set of banner ads to promote the site before and after it’s launch
It was a really fun project to work on and I was disappointed it never made it to the launch stage. I think it would have been a great resource for all of us small business owners.
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
in Branding, Graphic Design, Logo Work, Web Design Projects
What makes a lead generation web site sucessful?
A few weeks back I announced the launch of hardscapestl.com . The site offers a wealth of information for those looking to beautify their yard with a retaining wall, patio or any other hardscape project. For the client it is a highly targeted lead generation tool.
The secret of success for these types of web sites is in the planning stage.
WHO?
Start by defining your user groups, give them names – it helps cement their unique attributes.
For the hardscape site we focused on three user groups:
- Those just starting to think about backyard upgrade and in the market for design ideas. – the Designer
- Individuals who are further down the buying path, know what they want and looking for someone to build for them. – the Do it for me
- Hard core DIYers who want to build themselves. – the Do it myself
ENGAGE
Once you have your user groups defined how do you engage them. Each of your user groups are more than likely looking for different types of information.
- For the Designer it was all about ideas and we created custom slide shows of pavers and retaining walls.
- The Do it for me are itching to get their project underway. We provided information on finding and hiring a contractor and an excellent visualizer tool that enables them to view different products in situ.
- The Do it Myself user is interested in the more technical aspects and a custom designed project calculator application allows then to get down to the details of their project.
CALL TO ACTION
For lead generation web sites you want to capture pertinent information about the users. Requesting information is a balancing act, making users fill in forms, and jump though hoops for every scrap of information on a web site is futile. They will be hitting that back button in no time and trying a different site. It is a give and take process, give away some information but request contact details for others.
“Download our coupon” was our main call to action on the hardscape site, but we also tailored call to actions according to the user groups
- The Designer was offered project design tools, with download offered for free and a simple online form to receive product samples.
- Both Do it for me and Do it Myself we offered a free estimate
Understanding your user groups, how to engage them and capture their information is key in lead generation site.
New web site for Atlas Restoration Specialists
If you have a house fire, get flooded or a tree falls through your roof then Atlas Restoration Specialists is the company to turn to.They are the St Louis experts when it comes to restoring your property to its former glory.
Launched yesterday was their brand new web site where you can truly see the value of their work with some amazing before and after photographs. Learn more about their full service offerings, meet the team and even contact them directly through their pager.
2010 © St Louis Web Designer
