Whether you need to build a new site from the ground up or overhaul your existing site, there are a few things you MUST do before you turn on the computer. Identifying the target audience and what your site will do for them provides the very foundation for your site. Collecting, and later assembling, the content that accurately addresses your target site visitor can be a big job, depending on the scope of the site. One of the things we do at the front end of every project is determine the best tools for the job. Detailed below are our two construction tools of choice.
Content Management System (CMS) Websites and Blogs
We use WordPress for CMS websites and blogs. Content management is a great option for companies who need to update their content often and are savvy enough to do it themselves. The many WordPress themes, or “looks,” allow for numerous customizable design possibilities and good content management, while
WordPress plugins extend the basic application, making many specific needs accessible (such as showing events on a calendar or collecting visitor data through a contact form). WordPress websites are extremely popular for 3 very good reasons.
- WordPress is an open-source tool, which means the software (with all its benefits like search engine optimization [SEO] and clean code) are FREE to the website owner. (Of course, you still pay a hosting fee for your domain.)
- WordPress is easy to maintain. If you can create and edit a Word Document, you can update your own content in a WordPress website. It is our job to set everything up for you, but then you have the freedom to change your tune, 24/7.
- And don’t forget the WordPress community of extremely active developers and experts. They constantly upgrade and improve features. WordPress forums are filled with knowledgeable programmers and users who are willing to share their expertise.
Blogs are one of the best ways to cultivate the community that supports your business. Keeping fresh, informative content on your blog keeps the lines of communication open, shows off your expertise in your field, and benefits your SEO. We often encourage creating a WordPress blog to our clients, whether it is a page within their WordPress site or incorporated into an HTML design.
Custom HTML Sites
Some businesses are looking for a totally unique, interesting design to define their online identity. This happens most often when the products or services are out of the mainstream, appealing more to a niche market. In these cases, we build custom HTML websites, as they allow for extensive artistic control. The planning stage for a custom site is usually a little longer, since we explore lots of design possibilities and specialized methods for delivering information (like scripted slideshows and out-of-the-ordinary navigation).
There are some tools that we always use no matter which way we plan to build the site. These are mostly for generating content before it gets placed on the site. High-end graphics applications are a must for generating logos and manipulating images, and of course we need the basics for writing, managing spreadsheets and making charts, and generating PDFs. Content is vastly important to us — we have yet to encounter a client that wished we had skimped on quality.
Even the most amazing websites on the web need some kind of marketing mechanism operating to drive people to the site. There are so many stragtegies — determining what will best reach the target audience is a complicated task. Once the website is live, many companies find print pieces are as useful as ever for reaching existing and new customers and supporting sales efforts. We are big believers in continuity and consistency when building or retooling a client’s business identity, creating print pieces that deliver the same look as the website.
