Web Design Part II – Tools, Terms and More
Web Design 2016 and Beyond
Part II – Tools, Terms and More
Last week (link) we talked about the history of the Internet. Websites are inherently dated products, as much as any print collateral you might generate. Trends in design and technology wash across the web as surely as they do in fashion, film, and any other form of technical art.
Anybody can spot an “old” website – and even though they still work, websites should be thought of as software – something you invest in and continually update.
Language of Web Design
Perhaps the hardest part of the web design process for clients is the nearly foreign language that comes with it. Web design is filled with acronyms, terms with multiple meanings, and worse yet – the nomenclature is evolving as fast as the web technology it’s supposed to describe. Here’s a quick primer on web design terms – so we’re all speaking the same language.
Browser or Web Browser
This is the software you use to view the web – it’s your movable window to the virtual world. Browsers come in many different flavors – Chrome (not to be confused with Chrome Cast – another Google product), Firefox and Safari to name a few.
The recent past of web design is littered with dozens of failed browsers. From Netscape to Opera and Mosaic, these browsers were the casualties of the browser wars.
Cross-Platform Development
At Tingalls Graphic Design, this means that throughout the web design process, we continually test any sites we develop on both Windows and Mac OS computers. As well, they are tested through both Safari and Chrome web browsers.
Mobile Optimization
This means that your site works on mobile devices. This is important because of the dramatic change in screen size from desktop to mobile. It’s important because of the late April search update from Google.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This is the process of planning and implementing copy and content on your website to meet the expectations of the major search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.
Tools and Talent: Web Design at Tingalls
If you’ve worked with Tingalls Graphic Design before, you’re familiar with our expert designers and their high-end design sense, our rapid turnaround and customized services. If not, sit back and enjoy the show. Our professional designers use the latest Creative Cloud software from Adobe, the graphic software industry leader. Web Design these days is more than a “coat of paint,” however. We also use professional web developers who custom-code your website, using best practices in security, anti-spam and deployment.
Long Term Representative
Your website should be thought of like a long-term employee (that’s made of software). A good website is a tireless, unceasing advocate for your organization. This always-on sales rep and customer service agent should be well maintained and given the perks and benefits of frequent software upgrades. New content and feature enhancements are a given, but many web site owners forget about appearance.
If your website was made in 1997, odds are it’s out of date and all your customers can tell. Even if your site was made in 2011, trends in web design have come and gone. A dated website can be as bad as not having one at all.
Not just design and style have changed, but the back end technologies that drive web sites as well. Google has made many updates to the search algorithm and if you’re not following best practices, you might slip in your search ranking. Just like you provide the best tools available for your sales staff, so too should you make sure your website has all the advantages of updated software, SEO and quality user experience design.
Web Design at Tingalls Graphic Design
If you are looking to launch your first website or give a refit to your old one, Tingalls Graphic Design can help. Drop us a line and let’s get started. Still not sure? Take a look at our web design portfolio!
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