Internet / Web Design Services
In our
computer-dependent world, the Internet is playing an
ever-growing role in the day-to-day operations of
businesses and other organizations. A visually
stimulating website often leads to increased recognition
and interest. The Studio has the experience and the
tools to fully develop and implement the website you
desire. Whether it is a simple HTML-based advertising
solution, a banner exchange, or dynamic Flash content, rest
assured 4DS has the experience. 4Gash Design Studio can take care of
everything, from domain registration, and setting up
monthly hosting to design, development, updates, and
maintenance.
4DS uses only the most current
web applications, such as BBEdit, Dreamweaver
, and Flash. Image editing is performed with Adobe
Photoshop, and custom vector art is handled with Adobe
Illustrator. With these tools, your site will have the
professional quality you deserve.
Steps to Effective Website Design.
Design proven easy
4Gash Design Studio has been involved in website creation since the early '90s and specializes in providing a service to small- and medium-sized businesses. Personalized service ensures the final product is exactly what was requested for your business website.
All sites created by 4DS are designed to get your business message across quickly and effectively, with good browser compatibility and easy indexing by search engines. In fact, we will specifically build your site to gain better results through search engines. All sites, following final completion and approval, are registered with major search engines and Internet indexes. New customers easily find you!
Some web designers offer design packages built around pre-created templates, which means their sites tend to look the same. We prefer to approach each project from a blank canvas so each site has a unique look. In addition to standard website features, we can include more advanced features, such as Flash content, web forms, mailing lists, photo galleries, message boards, and shopping cart systems.
Designed correctly, and with the right promotion, a website can be a powerful, cost-effective marketing tool. The Studio’s motto is "Do it, and do it right the first time."
Your Web Site Design Checklist.
In the initial meeting between your company and the Studio, several questions will be asked of you, but they all revolve around one basic question: What elements are necessary to develop a good website? I've provided a simple checklist of 10 things to consider before this initial website meeting.
SITE GOALS. Before you begin your project, you must understand what the intent of the site will be. What do you expect to achieve by having a website? Establish goals for the site: the more specific, the better. Once you have a clear picture of the site's purpose, you may move to the next step.
TARGET AUDIENCE. Whom is your site intended to reach? Will it be for inter-office use, public or wholesale sales, recruitment, entertainment, official business, communications? Something else entirely? Try to narrow it down as much as possible so you know what tone the site should take to appeal to the intended audience. (If a site is to appeal to many different audiences, consider making different themes within the same site to appeal to each.)
DETERMINE INTERACTIVITY. How will your visitors "experience" the website? How do you want your clients to view, react to, and interact with the site? Elements to consider are site navigation, visual cues, dynamic content, pictures, text layout, and flow. (If you don’t know what some of those terms mean, never fear: we will help you understand.)
COMPETITION. You want your site to be the best of its kind, so check out the competition. What does the competition have to offer? What are they doing wrong? How can your site do it better? In what ways will your site have the competitive edge?
DATA FLOW. It's important to consider the flow of data within your site. If you're building website with a lot of information, you need to sort the data into bite-sized chunks that can be divided into categories (or "main links") within your site. One helpful tip is to organize these ideas using index cards or Post-It® notes.
DATA DELIVERY. Determine the methods you will use to distribute the site's content. You may need different forms of delivery for different kinds of data distribution. Consider dynamic content, video streaming, and other appropriate methods.
SITE NAVIGATION. Here's where your site starts to take shape visually. How do you want your site layout to look? Will your site have a main navigation bar at the top of the site? Along one side or the other? Will you use dynamic navigation for your site?
VISUAL DESIGN. This aspect of design is crucial: it marks the first and last impression of your site. This includes a color scheme and other graphic representations. Statistics show you have about five seconds to capture a visitor’s attention when they visit your website. If your site’s content does not convince them to stay, they leave the site looking for another vendor. 4Gash Design will develop a website using proven methods to effectively capture visitors’ attention, clearly communicate the right message, and encourage a positive response.
REDESIGN. Don't be afraid to get lots of input on your site's design and constantly make changes. Pushing your site through different design phases helps simplify and (hopefully) make the site more effective as it matures. The Studio is a firm believer in changing the look of the website yearly (at most every two years) and content monthly.
SITE LAUNCH. By this time, you're ready to present your site to the rest of the world. Remember that the Internet is a global community. You should have tested the site with a varied group of people to ensure all major bugs have been corrected and revisions have been made where appropriate. Now that you've built the best site of its kind, it’s time to move it online and let the customers begin pouring in.
