- Date: 8th February 2010
- Comments: 0 Comments
There is one phrase that springs to mind every time I see a poor quality web design pushed out on to the web. Leave it to the professionals. Many people can grasp the basics of Photoshop within a few days or weeks, and can learn the basics of HTML and CSS in the same time. So if you can use Photoshop and can write HTML, does that make you a web designer? No. Not in the true sense of a profession.
Web design can take years and years to get remotely good at. It’s not something you can learn from reading a few books, or a few articles on the web. You must understand it to its fullest. You might be great at creating pretty little things – good for you; you’re an artist or a creative at this stage.
So what will (or should) a professional web designer consider that a non-professional won’t. Pretty much most things past the visual appeal is probably the right answer here. Past the initial prettiness, there should come reasoning to design elements. Why is this element red, why is this text emboldened and why is that big button so prominent? When a company enters the stage in their marketing when they decide they want a web presence, why settle for a cheap knock off that won’t reap the benefits and rewards, and achieve its primary objectives?
The main objectives of your website may be to create new business, get a message across or it might be your entire business (i.e. Amazon, eBay and eBuyer all operate completely online without high-street stores). Executing your website poorly will not likely produce good results. Or, it could even have a negative effect on your brand. Something subtle, or something major, what if Currys main website colour scheme was for some reason orange? That’s the colour of Comet, one of their biggest competitors. Sure, this branding mishap would never happen (I hope) with such big brands, but it can happen a lot with smaller companies.
Why would you approach someone with little or no experience in professional web design to create your online presence? Simple answer in most cases is down to cost. How many times, as a professional designer (if you are one), have you heard something like “My nephew could design what you did for £100 ($175)“? Seriously, if you’re representing your company online, don’t cut corners. I can use a needle and thread, and I know the shape of a t-shirt, so why not ask me to make your clothes? I’ll make you a t-shirt for £2. You’re not going to do it, because it’ll be very poor quality. Most cheap web designers will be students paying their way through college or university, or they may have other jobs and it’s something to do for a little extra cash.
There are so many more reasons you should consult a professional to create your online presence, and not someone who’s only after making a quick bit of moolah.
What do you think sets apart professional web designers from every other Tom, Dick and Harry who happens to have a copy of Photoshop sat on their computer?