The purpose of your website is not clear
You only have a few seconds to grab a users attention. If they do not know what your website is Orange Count website designabout in a matter of seconds, they are more likely to leave your site and never return. Right away your site should tell someone the nature of your business. This information needs to be clear and obvious.

Going overboard with images
Overcrowding your site with a lot of images can slow down the speed of your site and drive visitors away.  Use images where necessary and as a way to enhance the messaging. Stay away from blinking images, as they tend to make the site look cluttered.

Making your contact information hard to find
One of the top reasons users will visit a website is to find out how to contact the company. If your contact information is not listed or is in a place that is difficult to find, the user is more likely to get frustrated and leave your site. It is best to have your contact information on a several areas of your site so it is easy for users to find it.

Leaving outdated information up
Users visit websites to find information about your company. If you keep outdated information up on your website, users can become confused and annoyed. Make sure to review and update the information on your website on a regular basis.

Having unclear navigation
If users go from one page to another and don’t know how to return to the homepage, they are more likely to exit out and not return. Make sure to have clear navigation that is consistent on every page. If your menu bar is at the top on the home page, it should stay on the top on every other page as well.

Not fixing broken links
If you have broken links on your site this can frustrate and confuse a user. You should check your links on a regular basis to see if there are any problems or if any changes have been made. If you notice that a link is broken, fix it right away.

Avoiding these few common website design mistakes are important, but are often overlooked. All it takes is a couple mistakes to make your site fall short of a users expectations and make them never return again.  Your Los Angeles website design team encourages you to pay close attention to the details while building your next website. 

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Images
One way you can add to your design is incorporate images. Providing the viewer with an image adds a visual element to your design that can be very intriguing. This technique is very common among graphic designers, but not every image will make your design effective. The image you choose has to say something about your design that will grab someone’s attention and draw them in. Incorporating the right photo in the right place can make your design exciting and effective.

Type
You can say a lot with type. Incorporating the right typeface on your design can really capture someone’s attention. Play around with different typefaces to see which one works best. Once you have chosen a type, play around with the size, color, thickness, and layout of your type until the type looks perfect. You will be surprised how much better your design will look once you have used the perfect type. 

Gradient 
A simple way to help give your design some character and attract someone’s attention is to add a gradient. You can create a unique color effects that can add dimension your design.  A linear gradient, will give you a color change from top to bottom, or side to side. A radial gradient will give you a circular color change. Choosing the right color combinations and the right gradient pattern can make your design pop.  Both types of gradients can give life to your design as long as they are used correctly.

Stroke
A design can easily go from flat to finish by incorporating a stroke to some of the main shapes of the design. Play around with the colors and the weights of your strokes to give it more variety. This technique will add perspective to your design that can

Shadow
Another great way to add depth and texture to your design is by using a shadow. This can add dimension to your design and make it more appealing. You want to make sure you are using shadows in natural areas. It is important to keep a balance between the darkness and lightness of the shadow or else it can look unnatural.

No matter what you add to your design, remember that everything you use must have a purpose. Do not add an element just because, use it because it will add value to your work. 

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Has your brand or Company image changed?
If your company has gone through a change, your website should also reflect these changes. Whether it be a new locations or a whole new branding change, your website is the first place many people will go to find out information about your company. Making sure your website coincides with any changes is very important.

What is currently working on your site? What needs work?
Before you redesign your website, it is important to make a list of what you like and do not like on your current website. If there is something on your current site that works very well, you will want to incorporate this on your new site. However, if there is something that you know is not working on your current site, then you need to find a way to change it, or make it better.

Does your site look dated?
The way a website looks to a user can leave a lasting impression on the way they feel about your company. Does your layout look clean and modern? You will also want to think about the content you provide to your users, is it still relevant? Updating your website to have a professional and relevant look and feel is very important to users.
 

Does your website take a long time to load?
Most people will not sit and wait five minutes for a website to load. If your website does not load in a matter of seconds, you risk loosing potential customers. Your site should not only load quickly, but should load correctly. It is also important to test your website often to make sure there are no broken links.

Does your website have Cross-Browser Compatibility?
Not everyone uses the same browser. In order to make sure you are not losing a lot of traffic, It is very important that your website be compatible with all of the major browsers that people use. Some of the most popular browsers include Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera, and Safari.
 

Hopefully we have given you a few things to think about when considering if it is time to redesign your website. Although redesigning your website may seem like a lot of work, but the benefits of doing so can greatly impact your business in a positive way. Remember that your website is the first impression many people will have on your company so keeping it up to date is very important.  

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Before you begin your design, determine what the purpose or primary message you are trying to get across. Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve, whom you are trying to reach, and is your design accomplishing these criteria. Remember to keep the purpose at the forefront of your design.

There should be a hierarchy of information, with most important information being dominant that is positioned accordingly. If your purpose is to get readers to call you, your phone number should be clear.  If your purpose is to inform people about a sale, the sale itself (50% off) should be clear. This dominant information is used to draw the user in. If you do not draw the user in you are not able to communicate your message to them.

Your layout should be easy to follow by creating a visual path where readers can easily find information they are looking for. It needs to be attractive, clear, and appropriate. If readers have a hard time following or understanding what they are reading, they are more likely to get frustrated and not even read it. A good diagram to follow is the “Z” pattern. This idea behind the Z pattern is that your eye will naturally follow the path of a Z when viewing information. Your eyes will first focus on the upper left corner and follow the shape of the Z until they end up in the bottom right. Although this does not work for every project, it is a great technique to keep in mind.
 

Choose the typeface you want to use. Determine if you are going to use the same type for the titles as the body or a different type for body and titles. One thing your Orange County graphic design team cannot stress enough, is to make sure you keep your formatting consistent. All titles should be formatted the same, your sub-titles should be formatted the same, and all of your body should be formatted the same. Your layout can become very cluttered if you have seven different typefaces all for different purposes and there is no consistency. Not only can this look bad, your readers are more likely to not read it because it is hard to understand and follow.  

Incorporating whitespace is another important element within your layout. White space is the area between elements in your design. You do not want readers to skip over cluttered areas, so make sure you incorporate plenty of white space where it is necessary. It can be used to highlight a specific element as well as allowing your eye to rest on the page. The amount of whitespace you use should be balanced among the rest of your layout.

All images and graphics should be used, as elements to enhance your messaging, not take away from it. You have to be careful when using graphics and images as they can easily distract your reader away from the important information. Remember that the most important information should be clear and focused on first. The graphics and images should be used as a secondary supplement that compliments your message. Every item that you place into your layout should have a purpose.

The layout of your design is so important to the effective of the piece. There are a lot to think about and take into consideration when you are laying out your project and that is why your Orange County graphic design team is here to help!

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Update anytime
You have the ability to update your website whenever, wherever with a CSM. You no longer have to rely on someone else to update your information for you. If you want to change a photo on your website, no problem. If you no longer offer a product and would like to delete it, go right ahead. Your updated information will appear to the world immediately after making your changes.

Cost effective
Without a CMS, updating your website can take a long time and cost a lot more in the long run. Because you have the ability to update your website whenever you wish, you do not have to pay someone to update it for you. If you do not have a CMS, every update you would like to make you have to pay someone to do it for you, which over time can really add up. Making updates yourself can save you time and money.
 

Search Engine Friendly
Your website can be SEO friendly if you have a CMS. With a CMS, you have the ability to update your information on a regular basis. Fresh content can play an important role in trying to improve your search engine ranking. Another great benefit is you are in control of the content and have the ability to plug in your key words and phrases into your content that can be picked up by search engine crawlers.

Easy to use
Another great benefit of having a CMS is how easy they are to use. You do not need to be a technical savvy person to use a CMS. You also do not have to worry about learning complex coding languages to make our updates. Although each CMS is slightly different have its own unique features, they are very easy to use.

A Contact Management System is a great tool for individuals and businesses. It allows you to take control of your website and update the content and images whenever you wish. Although this is just a few of the benefits of having a CMS website, hopefully you have a better understanding on how easy and cost effective it a CMS can be. 

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Quality Customization
If you want to be different, then get rid of the templates and go custom.  Although, custom design is typically move expensive, it is definitely worth it in the end to know your designs were created just for you. Most effective designs are those that were created with a purpose, stand out and have never been seen before.

Use of colors
Color is a vital element in design.  People typically process color before they even aware of it, which is why choosing your design colors is very important. Color can be used to enhance meaning, show structure, communicate a mood and also show dimension.  Don’t be afraid to go with a bold, or vibrant color as long as it is used properly.

Use of shapes
Incorporating a unique or non-traditional shape in your marketing material can really give your brand a signature look. Weather you are designing a business card, postcard or a website, incorporating a consistent shape into all mediums can have a positive effect on your brand. For example, instead of going with your standard horizontal business card, which everyone has already seen, try something like a circle or a square to make it stand out among the rest. Incorporating unexpected shapes into your marketing material is an easy way to make your business stand out.

Keep it simple
We have said it before, and we will say it again… When it comes to design, less is more. There is no need to add a bunch clutter to a design to make it different. If it is not needed to make the design better, then leave it out.  A clean and simple design keeps the readers eyes where they need to be- on the message. Simplicity is a powerful tool in design.

When it comes to your business, don’t be scared to stand out. In order for a business to grow, it is important to grab your potential client’s attention. Don’t be afraid to be different, especially with your orange county graphic design team by your side.  

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Our web design Orange county CA team put together a short list of the trends to watch in 2012:

Large Background Images
We’re seeing content heavy home pages being replaced by large, striking imagery. The visual story becomes the focal point and is complemented by brief copy, the two elements working in tandem to efficiently and powerfully communicate a key brand message. In most cases, websites that employ this design on the home page then revert to a more traditional content driven layout on secondary pages.

Single-page websites
It was once believed that web users were not likely to scroll to find information “below the fold” on a web page. This led to (often crowded) layouts designed to push all important information to the portion of the page that would be visible without scrolling. 

But this year there has been a definite upswing in single-page websites. In this design, the entire site is contained in a single page – with plenty of scrolling encouraged! These “micro-sites” require expert copywriting and careful editing in order to pare down the amount of text required to effectively communicate brand messaging. 

Mobile Compatibility
With mobile use exploding (and showing no signs of slowing), it only makes sense that websites are being designed to be increasingly mobile-friendly. Site designs must now work well with a number of different screen sizes to accommodate everything from television-sized desktop monitors to the smallest of mobile devices. Designers are turning to new techniques and tools, like responsive layouts and HTML5, to create websites that will look great and function seamlessly regardless of the device being used.

Social Media Integration
Social media itself, of course, is a continuing (rather than emerging) trend. We are, however, seeing a changing trend in the way that websites are integrating with social media. Where initially websites would simply link to their related social media profiles, we’re now seeing sites that bring social media into the primary design – often allowing for interaction with the social media profile directly from the website.

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The fact of the matter is this: at the end of the day, your site needs to communicate your company’s brand and key message(s) to your customers – and that simply can not be done without excellent copy.

Below are some simple tips to help you create engaging content for your website:

Define your audience.
It’s impossible to develop targeted, persuasive content if you’re not clear on who you want to target and persuade. Ask yourself who your ideal customer is. Who is buying your product or service? What problem can you solve for them? What questions might they have? What information about your company would they find valuable? Write your content accordingly.

Keep it short.
We’re all short on time. Visitors to your site are there to find the information they need and quickly move on. Don’t waste their time with wordy or “fluffy” content. Say what you need to say as efficiently as possible.

Make it skimmable.
People skim online content; they don’t read. Develop and organize your content to make it easy to skim. Use short sentences and short paragraphs, bulleted lists, and descriptive headings and sub-headings.

Write like a reporter.
Read a newspaper article and notice that all of the pertinent information is included in the first couple of paragraphs. If readers what more detailed information, they can opt to read further. Organize your content in a similar fashion. If it’s important, say it first. Don’t “bury the lead” in the middle of your story.

Developing engaging site content can be a difficult and time consuming task, which is why many Orange County web design firms offer copywriting services to clients along with web design California services. If you feel like you could use some help with your content, know that an Orange County web design company Urban Geko is here to provide assistance. 

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It can really add up!

Thankfully, there are many ways for our eco-conscious Newport Beach web design clients to reduce their marketing footprint.

Recycled Paper
Once conventional paper’s less attractive (and more expensive) distant cousin, today’s recycled papers are cost effective and top quality. By requesting recycled papers certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council for your next print project, you can help save additional timber from being cut to make new paper.

Earth Friendly Inks
There have been great advances in “green” printing practices, including soy-based and vegetable-based inks. Traditional inks are petroleum-based and release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Vegetable inks emit lower levels of VOCs and make paper easier to recycle. And the colors are great!

Request Digital Proofs
One quick and easy way to cut down on paper waste is to request a digital proof from your Newport Beach graphic design firm or printer. There are certain projects for which you may still prefer a hard copy proof, but most of the time a PDF proof is faster and works just as well.

Go Online
We have worked with several Newport Beach graphic design clients to reinvent their traditional marketing materials into savvy online marketing tools that require no paper at all.

We know that many of our clients feel strongly about employing greener practices in their marketing projects. We do too. If you would like to partner with an environmentally conscious Newport Beach web design firm, Urban Geko is a great match for your business!

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