Living in Boca Raton as a resident for over 20 years, I’ve seen a lot of things change. Going to the mall could have meant going to Town Center Mall or it could have meant the old Boca Raton Mall, where Mizner Park is now. I can still remember getting Dan Marino’s autograph at the bookstore there in the 80’s. I can remember saying goodbye to friends moving to Raleigh with the mass exodus of IBM workers in the late 80’s when IBM relocated from the current home of the T-REX Business Center.  Progress always means change, but change doesn’t always mean progress.

10 Tips for Boca Raton Web Design

1. Hire a reputable Boca Raton Web Design company!

Often an overlooked step, hiring a web design company that has a good reputation can be a lifesaver. As with any business, there are good web developers and bad web developers. There are companies that charge a lot of money for their web design services, and make a lot of profit. There are other companies that charge a fair price and deliver quality work & customer service. Don’t be afraid to contact the clients of any web design company and inquire about their experience. A good company should be happy for you to speak to clients. It should serve as a billboard of their services!

2. Do your research!

Know what you want to get of your new website, before you contact a Boca Raton web designer or web developer. Having a list of demands is a great way to make things easier for your web designer to get right to the point, and design you something that you like. Tell your web designer what you want to avoid. This can equally save time, and more importantly: MONEY! Look at your competitors, see what they are doing to drum up business. Check out their websites and see what you like and don’t like about them. Don’t limit yourself to looking at local competitors only, check out websites from all over…learn what works and what doesn’t, for your business!

3. Deliver a clear message!

Your website should be designed to convey information to clients and potential clients. It’s a tool for expanding your business, and letting people know about the services you offer. Studies show that you have as little as 7 seconds to capture a visitor on your website. If they don’t see what they are looking for immediately, they are on to the next website. Make sure you sit down with your Boca Raton web design company and let them know what your message is, and make sure they understand how you want it displayed!

4. Look professional!

I can’t tell you how many awful websites we come across in business, and personally. I know of very large companies located in Boca Raton grossing many millions of dollars, but one visit to their website and you would think it was made in Notepad in 1986. The flip side of that, is that I know companies that look completely professional from their website, to their invoices, correspondence & letterhead, business cards and all their corporate branding, but are very small. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and the goal of any small business should be to look as professional as possible. For larger businesses, you may not feel the need to look professional because you are established or have a large clientele base…but how much bigger might you be with a little effort given to your image & online presence? Only one way to find out….and that is to LOOK PRO!

5. Use Basic Design Elements!

A cluttered website with lots of graphics and craziness is likely to turn people off. You should hire a Boca Raton web designer who has demonstrated that they can deliver, clean, easy to use websites that are designed to be user-friendly. Allowing your user, who is a potential client, to easily find what they are looking for without searching through cutting edge graphics or annoying flash that doesn’t add to the site, are sure ways to keep your visitors happy. Happy visitors = Happy customers! With the latest technology, it is actually possible to detect a users eye as it travels over the page, and designates areas it spends the most time in a color coded display, similar to an infrared heat display. The red, or hot areas are areas the eye spend the most time….while blue, or cold areas are the areas the eye spent the least amount of time. Areas that don’t show up with color are telling you that the eye didn’t even bother to look there. It can be surprising what the eye gravitates to, and what gets ignored. Make sure your Boca Raton web designer understands basic design and color applications, and how they pertain to web design!

6. Use color!

The use of color can be one of the most effective ways to help guide a website visitor around your site. The eye will naturally gravitate to color when set against a neutral or dark background. Your web designer should be fully capable is properly using color to help your site stand out, without taking away from your message. Highlight your bullet points and other points of interest in COLOR!

7. Create an easy way to people to contact you.

One of our favorite features to recommend to new clients, is a simple contact form located right on the front page. It should take less than 30 seconds for someone to fill out and send, right from your website. Your Boca Raton web design company should definitely be able to help you create one that looks great, keeps the flow of your site, and helps you connect with your customers!

8. Make a List!

Including lists & bullet points are a great way to deliver information quickly & painlessly. It’s a fact…people don’t generally like to read too much if they don’t have to. A small list of 5 to 10 items is something that someone will skim across and gather information from (even if it’s only the first few items, so make em your best!) A large paragraph will quickly lose your visitors attention to a picture somewhere else on the page, or some bright color. Balance these elements with the information you are trying to deliver and you’re on the way to an effective design. Your Boca Raton web designer should be able to help you establish order on your site, and recommend ways to make it easy to effectively deliver the text.

9. Promote your site!

Once your Boca Raton web design company has unleashed a killer website, you can’t wait for things to just happen. You’ll need to get out there and let people know how cool you are, and more importantly, how cool your new custom web design is. You should make sure that Google, Yahoo, Bing and others know about your site. You should make sure you are listed on all the local business directories, and as many other directories as possible.

10. Have Fun!

Your website is an extension of your personality. For many, it will be the first time they hear of or experience your company or services. Sometimes, just being yourself is the best way to impress your future clients. A warm, inviting positive website can many times win out over a ultra polished corporate site that reads like it was written by a philosophy major. Who talks like that anyway?? Your personality and the essence of your company should shine through your site. People who know you should look at your site, and totally find it a mirror of who you are. Business doesn’t always have to be business! Remember to have fun. Hire a Boca Raton web design company that can capture you and your business, and translate it into a fun, captivating website that makes visitors want to do business with you!

Dark Glass Media, Inc. – Boca Raton Web Design

Dark Glass Media is a Boca Raton web design company that specializes in helping businesses grab a commanding online presence through dynamic, custom web design and development and relentless marketing. We build custom websites based on your budget, and deliver customer satisfaction and quality products. We can help your website get the traffic it needs by optimizing it and delivering you results in search engines. If you have a web design or development project and are looking for a quality company that works hard, please give us a call or shoot us an email at: info@darkglassmedia.com  We would love the opportunity to provide you with a free quote and show you how we’re ready to help your company grow today!