Web Design
We believe that a website, when properly leveraged, is a remarkably powerful marketing tool
Websites can outperform all of your other marketing tactics, and yet work together with your other marketing strategies. Here's everything you need to know about web design.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What does a Web Designer Do?
A web designer’s job is to envision and plan a strong web presence that will help companies stand out from their competition, attract the right website visitors, and turn those visitors into customers, clients, and patients. They plan out how a website should look and function to obtain the best results.
A great web designer's skillset will be a mix of creative design skills, a strategic approach to User Experience, and years of experience. They should also be a life-long learner who stays to date on design trends and technology.
What's the difference between Web Design and Web Development?
Web design is how a website looks and functions. It includes things like colors, fonts, images, formatting, navigation, etc.
Web development refers to building the structure of a website. It includes the coding, scripting, capacity, security, etc.
Click here to read more about the differences between web design and web development.
What is the difference between a web designer and a web developer?
A web designer plans how a website will look and function. They consider both the company’s goals and what the user hopes to accomplish when coming to the site, and then they create a site designed to achieve both. How the site looks (colors, fonts, images) is certainly part of the equation. But so is the user experience when on the site. Things like easy-to-read formatting, accessible navigation, intuitive next steps, and clear calls to action are all components of the web designer’s plan for a great website.
A web developer takes the designer’s plan and makes it a reality. This includes the coding and scripting on the backend of a site as well as the technical aspects of a website like performance, speed, capacity, and security.
Things like HTML, CSS, Java, PHP, SQL are all in the web developer’s toolbox.
Why is Good Web Design Important?
The impact of good web design is such that it can directly affect the results you get from your website. Web design affects user perception of your company. It affects your ability to attract the right audience. It has an impact on how customers experience your company. And it can affect your conversions, sales, and bottom line. Good web design considers your target audience and what matters to them when they interact with your website.
What is Responsive Design?
Responsive web design is the approach of designing a website that will respond and adapt to whatever device it’s viewed on and perform well on all of them.
What are the different types of Websites?
Websites are as unique as the companies they represent, but they generally fall into one of these types:
- Single Landing Page
- Brochure Website
- Lead Generation Website
- Sales Funnel Website
- E-Commerce Website
What is the difference between a web designer and a webmaster?
A web designer is responsible for the creative aspects of a website, including making sure the design supports company goals and user experience. The web designer considers UX (user experience) as well as UI (User Intent). In other words, The web designer is in charge of the overall graphic design elements, and helps create the way users interact with the website.
A webmaster typically manages the website once it’s live. This can include tasks such as keeping the site secure, updating content, managing SEO, solving any issues with functionality, and maintaining the site’s structure.
What is the difference between a website designer and a web page designer?
A web page designer’s scope of work is limited to a single page, such as a one-page website or a landing page.
A website designer, on the other hand, is responsible for how all the pages of a website work together. They consider things like navigation between the different pages and cohesive structure.
Can I build my own website for free?
Yes, you can build a basic website for free using a free, open-source website builder like WordPress or the free plan of a subscription-based website builder like HubSpot CMS. However, you’ll incur domain and hosting costs, and you may need to pay for additional apps or premium plugins to give your website increased functionality.
Is it worth it to build my own website?
While you can build your own website, it will cost you time and attention. That’s time and attention that you won’t have available for other business tasks. If your time is best-spent researching, learning, and then executing web design so that you can build your own website … and if that’s what’s important to you … then it might be worth it for you to build your own website. If not, it’s probably worth hiring a web designer to do it for you.
How do I make a website appear on the Internet?
To publish a website and make it appear on the Internet, you need a domain name as well as a place to host/store all the files, data, and code that make up your website.
- How do I register a domain name? You can purchase and register a domain name through companies such as GoDaddy or Domain.com.
- How do I host websites on the Internet? You host websites on the Internet through a hosting provider such as Bluehost or HostGator. Hosting also is included with some CMS licenses through providers like HubSpot and Webflow.
- Do I have to learn Unix? You do not have to learn Unix to publish a website and make it appear on the Internet.
- Do I have to learn how to write code? You do not have to learn how to write code to publish a website to the Internet if you are using a CMS.
- Are websites built using HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL or Javascript? Yes. These are all programming languages used to build websites. However, a CMS manages all the code for you so you don’t have to know these different languages.
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What is a CMS (Content Management System)?
A CMS (content management system) is what is used to manage, store, and publish the digital content of your website. This includes the pages, posts, media (graphics, images, pictures, audio, and videos), and the files of backend code that makes it all work.
What are the 3 different types of CMS?
The three different types of CMS are:
- Open-Source: available to download and use for free with no licensing or upgrade fees. (Such as WordPress)
- Commercial: proprietary software built and managed by a company that provides access to it for a fee (Such as HubSpot or Shopify)
- Custom: built specifically for your company, exclusively for your use
How do I choose the right CMS for my website?
The following blog posts will help give you some things to consider in making this decision:
- Top Web Design Companies in Fresno
- 6 Tips for Choosing a Web Design Company
- What are the Pros and Cons of using WordPress?
- What are the pros and Cons of using HubSpot CMS?
- What are the pros and Cons of using Webflow CMS?
- What are the pros and Cons of using Shopify CMS?
- WordPress vs HubSpot CMS
- Is WordPress bad for SEO?
- Which CMS is better for SEO?
- How Much does the HubSpot CMS cost?
- 7 Reasons to Build Your Website in HubSpot CMS
- 7 Tips for choosing the Right CMS for your Business
How much does it cost to build a website in 2023?
The cost to build a website depends on variables such as the purpose of the website, the amount of content, features of the site, and hosting. You could invest as little as $3,000 or up to $50,000 or more, depending on just what you need your website to do. Click here to see some price comparisons.
Or, even better, request a consultation to get an estimate based on a customized solution based on exactly what you need.
Is it worth paying for a web designer?
When you invest in hiring a web designer, you aren’t just paying for their time instead of yours. You’re also getting the benefit of their skill, knowledge, and experience. Often, you’ll get a more robust website with higher-level functionality … yielding better results … when you pay a web designer to do the work for you.
However, if you have a small budget, and you already understand a lot about the web design process, sometimes hiring a part-time freelancer can be a compromise.
Click here to read why professional web design is more effective than DIY.
How much does it cost to design a one-page website?
The cost for designing a one-page website depends on the functionality and things included with that website. For example, our standard package for a one-pager includes one page of content, one lead generation form, custom design, basic SEO (search engine optimization), legal disclaimers, responsive design, Google Analytics, SSL encryption, and HubSpot CRM integration. All of that for $3,000.
How much does it cost to design a multiple-page website?
There are additional costs involved when you invest in the design of a website with multiple pages and functionality. It all depends on how many pages you need and just what you want the website to do for you.
For example, our standard package pricing for a brochure-style website that has up to eight pages of content, one lead generation form, and all of the things also included in a one-page website is $5,000. The standard package pricing for a lead gen starter site with up to 15 pages of content, two lead gen forms, a blog, and all the other basics is $7,500. While a sales funnel website with up to 20 pages of content, three lead gen forms, a blog, and all the other basics comes at a package price of $10,000.
How much does it cost to build an eCommerce website?
E-commerce websites cost more to build than brochure-style, lead generation, or even sales funnel websites because they are much more complex. For example, they need product libraries, shopping carts, and connection to a secure payment gateway. The best way to get an idea of cost for an eCommerce website is to get a consultation.
How to choose a Web Design Company?
You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a web design company. There are many talented web designers out there, but you want a company that is the best fit for you and your specific needs. Some things to consider in making your choice include:
- Skill, Knowledge, and Experience as evidenced in their portfolio of work, reviews and testimonials, as well as their own website.
- Industries They’re Experienced With … have they worked with companies similar to yours or within industries similar to yours? And do they have experience with a variety of industries?
- Passion and Creativity are important because you don’t want your website to look like a clone of someone else’s.
- Professional Process … if they don’t have one, it might be a warning sign.
- Communication is a major determining factor when choosing a web design company. Make sure that their communication style fits yours and ask questions so you know what to expect regarding project status updates and follow up.
How do I find a Web Design Agency?
There are various ways to find a Web Design Agency when you need help with a website. For example, you can do a Google search for “top web design companies” in your area or “best web designers” near you. You can ask colleagues and other people you know for their recommendations and referrals. Or you can find a web design agency by networking with other business professionals.
What makes a good Web Design Company?
Some things that make a good Web Design company are their skills, knowledge, experience, passion, and creativity. Good communication, a professional process and system of workflow are also important. A good web design company should consistently produce high-quality work. Don't be afraid to research the company's reviews, ask for references, and to see examples of their design work. Click here to read more about 9 qualities that help identify the best web designers.
How Often Should You Redesign You Website?
While constantly making minor updates to your current website is essential for good user experience and SEO. The typical recommendation for a complete redesign is every two to three years. While this is a rule of thumb, the frequency of updates may vary depending on your business needs. To better decide based on your unique situation, check out our article: "How often should you redesign your website?"
About WorldLight Media
We're a small team of honest and reliable professionals located in Fresno, CA. We specialize in Web Design, Digital Marketing, and Revenue Operations. We've been in business since 2005, and we love to help companies and organizations grow!
Need a new website? We serve businesses all across the United States
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