branding

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What is Branding?

Branding is the characteristics that give your company a personality, a voice, and unique attributes that identify you. Your business’s personal profile, with a combination of visuals, colors, and strong written copy together brand your work in a unique way that will help your name and services stay fresh in your audience’s minds. Websites are created for different reasons and understanding why you’re building one is the first step in making the right choice in your digital marketing brand strategy. A branded website will instantly build your credibility if you use similar fonts, colors, and images across all of your platforms so you’re easy to recognize everywhere.

Here are a few examples of some topics on brand strategies for websites for you to read about from our top branding specialists.

6 Essential UX Tips for Creating a High-Converting Mobile Payment Page

Author: Eleanor Hecks Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Converting mobile site visitors into customers requires careful planning, testing and development. The user experience (UX) can make or break your sales. Even if your desktop website is successful, you can still fail on the mobile front. Follow these high-converting mobile payment page UX tips to ensure your smartphone visitors can buy from you without missing a beat.

1. Find a Single Goal

One error many e-commerce sites make is trying to do too much on the checkout page. Once the user hits the final step of the buyer’s journey, you should have a singular objective — to complete the sale. Anything that distracts from that needs to be removed.

Cut unnecessary clutter, ensure all links work as intended and keep only the form fields needed to fulfill the order. Ask what would make checkout easier for users. Can you add payment options, for example?

2. Offer One-Click Checkout

Cornell research found around 70% of customers leave a site before paying. However, one-click buying increased consumer spending by 28.5% and encouraged shoppers to visit more frequently. Adding this option to your store can improve UX by reducing the time needed to purchase.

For example, users might click on a PayPal link and utilize already stored information rather than inputting their name, address and credit card information. They might feel more secure sharing these details with trusted third parties, like Square, PayPal, Apple or Google.

Some retailers offer their own registration with the promise of future one-click purchases. If storing information, ensure you follow best privacy practices and explain how you keep it secure. Use as few fields as possible to gather the initial data.

3. Take Security Seriously

People share their information when they trust you to secure it from hackers. As around 57% of Americans fear financial scams, it’s important to show you’re being proactive about their security. Show them you have an SSL certificate installed and share a privacy policy.

Include what data you collect, why, how you store it and the measures to keep information safe from hackers. Ask only for the information you must have to complete an order and conduct business efficiently.

4. Test for Responsiveness

Many companies design shopping carts for desktops and add mobile features as a secondary option. With so many people using their devices to access the internet, you must ensure your website functions for smartphone users.

The app server you choose can impact the responsiveness of your page. When someone pulls up the mobile app, the server processes their request, authenticates the user and grabs essential data.

Ensure your site loads fast. Mobile users often access a page when they have a few extra minutes. If your site bogs down or throws up blank pages, they’ll likely bounce away and may never return.

5. Rework Error Messages

Customers who do something unexpected might receive an error message from your site. One example would be someone needing to share their mailing address. If you set the form so it is a required field, the user gets an error message if the form field is empty.

The words you use to direct customers to complete the task correctly can make a difference in whether they fill in the required data or abandon their cart. Statista found that 17% of people abandoned their orders because a website had errors or crashed.

Make error messages succinct and descriptive so the user knows what to do next. Avoid confusion, as you’re more likely to lose a potential customer when they don’t understand the problem.

6. Offer Additional Payment Options

People have different experiences with online payment providers. If they once had an issue with a service, they’d be reluctant to use it again. Your best bet is to offer them options, such as PayPal, Stripe or manually inputting their credit card information.

Offer as many options as possible without driving yourself crazy by managing dozens of payment accounts.

Perfect Your Mobile Buyer’s Journey

More customers use handheld devices throughout all sales funnel stages. The easier it is for them to click and buy on your mobile payments page, the higher your conversion rates will be. Look at the site through the lens of a smartphone or tablet. Fix any issues that create errors or bottlenecks on your site. With some refinement, your mobile conversion rates may surpass your desktop ones.

6 Unique Considerations When Designing a Website for a Physical Retail Store

Author: Eleanor Hecks Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Does a brick-and-mortar store need a website? The short answer is yes. People often begin their search for local businesses online, read reviews, see store hours and collect other data before frequenting a physical establishment. 

Design a website to showcase the unique features of a physical store by considering these topics.

1. Focus on User Experiences

The goal of a website for a physical retail store is to drive foot traffic to a real-life location. If users have a poor experience on your site, they’re unlikely to visit your storefront. 

Your first concern should be creating a website that provides an excellent user experience (UX). However, you must also share what kind of UX the customer might have inside your store. Add an events page so potential shoppers can see upcoming happenings they might want to attend. Showcase photos of your store’s features that no others in your industry offer. 

A Statista report found that 32% of U.S. adults rely on reviews from other customers to gather data on a product. Allow shoppers to post reviews and testimonials singing your praises. Adding transparency through feedback allows visitors to trust your brand and shows people what their peers think.

2. List Location and Hours

Unless you plan to set up an e-commerce store, the goal of your website should be to drive foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar shop. Some ways you can engage site visitors and encourage them to visit include:

  • Set up an interactive map showing your locations.
  • Keep mobile convenience in mind, such as a single click of a phone icon to call the store.
  • List what days and times your store is open. Be sure to update the page for special events, holidays and other changes. 

Update your Google Business and Facebook page to match your website so everything is consistent. 

3. Offer a Virtual Tour

Put yourself in the shoes of an average shopper. Let’s say her name is Lauren, and she is a working mother of twins and a 10-month-old baby. She has exactly 15 minutes after work to pop in and buy the item she saw on your website before picking the baby up from day care, getting the twins off the school bus and starting dinner for the family.

She wants to know the layout of your store so she can walk in, grab her item, check out and be on her way in under a quarter of an hour. Offering a virtual tour on your site lets her browse for the item she wants. It’s a good idea to provide an inventory-checking tool so she can ensure it is currently available. Lauren can see the store’s layout in advance, saving her minutes when she arrives. 

4. Focus on Omnichannel Experiences

Consumers still make around 79% of purchases in physical stores. While some people shop for more items online than in the past, they want to see and touch before they buy. They also like the convenience of instantly purchasing something at a local retailer rather than waiting for it to arrive via a delivery service. 

Think through how you can create an omnichannel experience for users. For example, John Doe enters your clothing store and buys a shirt for an upcoming event. When he gets home, he realizes two buttons are missing near the bottom. He should be able to call your store, contact you through your website or chat on social media to find a solution.

No matter how he contacts the business, the response and policies should be the same. He should only have to state his concern once rather than repeating it at each touchpoint. You may need to install customer relationship management software to ensure he has the best experience possible. 

5. Create Offline Only Offers

Use your website to drive traffic to your store by creating offline-only specials. Perhaps you sell some items via your site’s digital storefront. Reserve some of the most popular ones for in-store purchases. New arrivals and seasonal deals make natural choices for offline specials. 

If you plan to run an e-commerce store, offer a few online-only offers. Allow customers to pick up the item in the physical location to avoid shipping costs. You can also expand your sales by letting brick-and-mortar customers order an out-of-stock item while in the store and shipping it to them.

Measuring a successful conversion is challenging when people conduct research online for local businesses. Offer codes they can grab on the website to see how many of your first-time buyers start online. 

6. Optimize Local SEO

Think With Google’s 2024 Retail Guide indicates that the buyer journey is becoming more complex. Around 60% of consumers now perform six or more actions before reaching the decision stage. Many of their searches start on websites and by reading reviews. 

It’s wise to optimize your website for local SEO by using phrases such as “near city, state.” You’ll need to dig into some keyword research to determine what keywords people use and how best to meet their intent through your content. 

Return on Investment (ROI) Matters

It can be complex to determine how beneficial an online presence is for brick-and-mortar stores. Since every dollar counts, ROI is crucial to ongoing success. Measuring results requires forward thinking. You must consider brand image and awareness as part of ongoing business costs.

Your website should bring in new people and attract reviews and repeat visits from current customers. How well you promote the site depends on your marketing efforts and consistently improving consumer engagement.

Municipal Welcome Guide Print and Digital Design

Author: Sean H. Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Design Web Louisville created a comprehensive welcome guide for the Louisville Downtown Partnership that served as an essential resource for visitors, new residents, and locals exploring the downtown area. The guide seamlessly blended informative content with engaging visuals to highlight downtown Louisville’s attractions, services, and unique character.

The print version featured a thoughtfully organized layout that prioritized easy navigation through different downtown districts. Color-coded sections helped readers quickly locate information about dining, entertainment, cultural venues, and essential services. The designers incorporated striking photography of iconic Louisville landmarks alongside custom illustrations that captured the vibrant energy of downtown life.

For the digital version, Design Web Louisville developed an interactive PDF with embedded links to downtown businesses, attractions, and transportation resources. This allowed users to quickly access websites, directions, and additional information while navigating the downtown area. The digital guide was optimized for both desktop and mobile viewing, ensuring accessibility for users on any device.

Special attention was paid to wayfinding elements within both versions, including detailed maps with clearly marked parking facilities, public transportation routes, and pedestrian-friendly pathways. The guide also highlighted seasonal events and community gatherings that showcase downtown Louisville’s vibrant culture.

Zoo and Animal Conservation Website Design

Author: Sean H. Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Creating a cool, user-friendly website is key to attracting visitors and making them excited about your zoo or animal conservation organization. Zoos and conservation are not just fun places for learning and entertainment; they play an important role in saving animals from extinction and maintaining breeding programs. These spaces depend on being able to market locally and engage globally, and your website is an essential tool for promoting your zoo with minimal effort but great impact.

By combining these elements, you can create a dynamic and engaging website that not only showcases the wonders of your zoo but also facilitates a deeper connection with your audience.

Making a Great First Impression

  • Unique Design: Your zoo is one-of-a-kind, and your website should reflect that. Design it to catch the eye of potential visitors and match the unique theme and audience of your zoo.

Building Connections

  • Engagement: Keep your website fresh and interesting. Encourage visitors to sign up for newsletters and membership clubs to build a community around your zoo.

Embracing Technology

  • Innovative Features: Incorporate modern technologies like videos, live streaming, loyalty programs, and online booking. Consider integrating your website and mobile app for a seamless visitor experience.

Visual Appeal

  • High-Quality Imagery: Use professional photos and videos to showcase the animals and the zoo from various perspectives. People love to see and share these images.

Comprehensive Service Offerings

  • Free Consulting: Start with a consultation to discuss your project and determine the exact needs and costs.
  • Custom Development: Tailor the website’s layout and functionality to your needs, ensuring optimal performance on all devices, basic SEO setup, and smooth integration of third-party services.
  • Training and Support: Receive one-on-one training and assistance with initial content upload. Continuous technical support ensures your campaigns run successfully.
  • Deployment: Get help setting up your domain and ongoing support for maintaining your website.

Easy Access to Information

  • Essential Details: Make sure visitors can easily find information like current exhibits, events, directions, and resources for educators.

Simplifying the Visit

  • Visitor Convenience: Offer online booking, navigation aids, tour assistance via web/mobile app, safety guides, and pre-planned trip options to enhance the visitor experience.

Social Media Interaction

  • Online Engagement: Stay active on social media platforms. Share diverse content and encourage visitors to post about their experiences at your zoo.

Digital Transformation

  • Virtual Experiences: Use the latest technology to offer virtual zoo visits, reaching out to a broader audience who might not be able to visit in person.

Storytelling through Content Marketing

  • Zoo Narratives: Tell the story of your zoo and its inhabitants. Create informational pages on your website and link them with QR codes throughout the zoo for an interactive learning experience.

Online Merchandise

  • E-Commerce: Sell merchandise, gift cards, and e-tickets on your website. This not only provides convenience for your visitors but also opens up an additional revenue stream.

Flexible Website Solutions

  • Start Small or Go Big: Begin with a simple landing page or website and improve it over time, or invest in a fully made-to-order website solution to make your zoo stand out.

The Complete Guide on Creating a Website For a Zoo or an Animal Conservation Organization

Creating a website for a Zoo or an animal conservation organization requires a thoughtful approach that emphasizes user engagement, educational content, and the promotion of conservation efforts. Here’s a detailed plan to design such a website.

1. Understanding the Purpose and Audience

A zoo or conservation website serves a dual purpose: to educate and to inspire action. It targets a diverse audience, including families looking for educational outings, students and researchers seeking information, and conservation enthusiasts passionate about wildlife preservation. The website must cater to the curious minds of children, provide detailed data for academics, and resonate with the conservation messages important to activists. By understanding this varied audience, the website can effectively communicate its message, showcase the beauty and importance of wildlife, and encourage visitors to contribute to conservation efforts, either through direct action or support. The ultimate goal is to foster a connection between humans and nature, leading to a greater appreciation and active participation in wildlife preservation.

  • Objective: Define the primary goals of the website (e.g., education, awareness, fundraising, visitor information).
  • Target Audience: Identify the primary visitors (e.g., families, students, researchers, donors).

2. Content Planning

Effective content planning for a zoo or conservation website is essential in capturing the essence of the organization and engaging its audience. The content should be a blend of educational and interactive elements, showcasing the diverse range of animals and conservation efforts. Key focus areas include detailed animal profiles to educate visitors about species and habitats, updates on conservation projects and research initiatives to highlight the organization’s role in wildlife protection, and engaging educational resources tailored for different age groups. The site should also feature news and events to keep visitors informed and involved, and practical visitor information like operating hours and amenities. Interactive elements such as virtual tours and live animal cams can enhance the visitor experience. Additionally, integrating elements that encourage involvement, such as donation opportunities and volunteer information, can significantly boost engagement and support for the zoo’s conservation mission.

  • Animal Profiles: Detailed pages for different animals, including facts, conservation status, and habitat information.
  • Conservation Efforts: Highlight ongoing conservation projects and research.
  • Educational Resources: Create resources for schools and individuals interested in learning about wildlife and conservation.
  • News and Events: Section for upcoming events, news, and updates.
  • Visitor Information: Information on zoo hours, ticket prices, group visits, and facilities.
  • Donation and Membership: Easy access to donate or become a member with clear information on how funds are used.
  • Website Structure
    • Navigation: User-friendly and intuitive navigation with a clear menu structure.
    • Homepage: Engaging and informative, with links to main sections.
    • Footer: Include contact information, social media links, and quick links to important pages.
  • Design Elements
    • Theme and Colors: Use a nature-inspired color palette and design elements.
    • Images and Videos: High-quality images and videos of animals and the zoo.
    • Interactive Elements: Interactive maps, animal cams, quizzes, and games.
    • Accessibility: Ensure the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Printable Zoo and Conservation Website Content Planning Guide

3. Engagement and Social Proof

For a zoo website, fostering engagement and establishing social proof are crucial for building trust and community. Incorporating testimonials is an effective way to share real stories and experiences from visitors and members, providing a personal touch that resonates with potential visitors. Integrating social media feeds directly into the website not only showcases the zoo’s active online presence but also encourages visitors to share their experiences, further spreading awareness and engagement. Additionally, offering a newsletter sign-up is a strategic move to keep interested individuals informed and connected. This feature serves as a direct line of communication, delivering the latest updates, news, and exclusive offers, thus maintaining ongoing interest and involvement. Together, these elements work in harmony to create a vibrant and interactive online community centered around the zoo’s activities and conservation efforts.

  • Testimonials: Share stories from visitors and members.
  • Social Media Integration: Embed social media feeds and encourage sharing.
  • Newsletter Sign-Up: For updates, news, and special offers.

4. Technical Aspects

The technical aspects of a zoo or conservation website are pivotal in ensuring a smooth, accessible, and secure online experience for visitors. Key components include ensuring the website is mobile-responsive, as a significant portion of users access information on-the-go. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for enhancing the site’s visibility and ranking on search engines, making it easier for potential visitors to find the website. Speed optimization is another critical factor; a fast-loading website improves user experience and reduces bounce rates. Security measures, especially for online transactions such as donations or ticket purchases, are paramount to protect user data and build trust. Regular updates and maintenance are essential to keep the website functioning optimally and safeguard it against vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing analytics tools can provide valuable insights into visitor behavior, helping to tailor content and functionalities to user preferences and trends. Altogether, these technical aspects form the backbone of an effective zoo or conservation website, ensuring it is reliable, user-friendly, and secure.

  • Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure the website is fully responsive on all devices.
  • SEO: Optimize for search engines to improve visibility.
  • Speed Optimization: Ensure fast loading times.
  • Security: Implement necessary security measures, especially for donation transactions.

5. Content Management and Updates

In the dynamic world of zoo marketing, the pivotal role of effective content management and website updates cannot be overstated. Selecting an intuitive Content Management System (CMS) is the first step, ensuring ease of updates and maintenance. Zoos need to plan for regular content refreshment, keeping their websites lively and captivating, mirroring the ever-evolving nature of their exhibits and conservation efforts. Incorporating user feedback mechanisms is crucial, as it invites visitor engagement and provides valuable insights. Analytics tools play a vital role in understanding visitor behavior, helping to refine marketing strategies. Additionally, a clear privacy policy and adherence to web accessibility standards are essential, ensuring inclusivity and trust. Testing across various devices and browsers guarantees a seamless user experience. A thoughtfully planned launch, potentially accompanied by an event or campaign, and post-launch marketing through social media, email, and partnerships, can significantly amplify the website’s reach. Regular maintenance and a proactive approach to user feedback further ensure the website remains an effective tool in the zoo’s marketing arsenal, enhancing visitor experience and promoting conservation awareness.

  • CMS Selection: Choose a Content Management System that is easy to update and maintain.
  • Regular Updates: Plan for regular content updates to keep the website fresh and engaging.
  • User Feedback: Include a way for users to give feedback on the website.
  • Analytics: Use tools to track visitor behavior and adjust strategies accordingly.
  • Privacy Policy: Clearly state the privacy policy and terms of use.
  • Accessibility Standards: Comply with web accessibility standards.
  • Testing: Conduct thorough testing on various devices and browsers.
  • Launch Strategy: Plan a launch strategy that might include an event or a special campaign.
  • Post-Launch Marketing: Utilize social media, email marketing, and partnerships to promote the new website.
  • Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular checks and updates.
  • Feedback Review: Regularly review user feedback for potential improvements.

This plan serves as a comprehensive guide to creating a zoo or animal conservation organization website that is not only engaging and educational but also highly effective in promoting conservation efforts. By meticulously selecting a user-friendly Content Management System, ensuring regular content updates, and incorporating avenues for user feedback, organizations can craft an interactive and dynamic online presence. The use of analytics tools for strategy adjustment, adherence to privacy and accessibility standards, and rigorous testing across devices enhances the website’s reach and usability. A well-planned launch strategy, coupled with robust post-launch marketing and regular maintenance, ensures sustained engagement and growth. Regularly reviewing user feedback for improvements keeps the website evolving and relevant. This strategic approach guarantees that the website not only serves as a digital showcase of the zoo or conservation efforts but also actively contributes to the broader mission of wildlife preservation and environmental education.

Planning a website for a Business Improvement District (BID), City, or Community

Author: Gideon Harrington

Creating a website for a Business Improvement District (BID), city, or district is a significant task that requires careful planning and the right expertise. One common method used to find a website designer is through a Request for Proposals (RFP) system. However, relying solely on an RFP without seeking a subject matter expert can lead to challenges and may not yield the best results. Here are some helpful tips and guidelines on planning a BID, city or community website design or redesign. Keep these in mind as you begin your search for the best city website designer for your project.

Business Improvement District (BID) Website Design for American Cities

The Business Improvement District (BID) has become an invaluable asset in fostering the growth and prosperity of local businesses and communities across American cities. By collaborating with local authorities, BIDs work to create enhanced trading environments that benefit both businesses and the community at large.

At Design Web Local, we understand the critical role that clear and effective communication plays in building the profile of a BID and increasing foot traffic to local businesses. Our expertise in website design for BIDs ensures that all relevant information is easily accessible, helping to connect local business owners with visitors and the community.

What Should a BID or City Website Include?

A BID website serves as a central hub for information and engagement. Key features of a BID website designed by Design Web Local may include:

  • A comprehensive shop directory
  • An interactive map of the BID area
  • Updates on the latest news and events
  • Live feeds of social media activity
  • Video libraries showcasing events, activities, and promotions
  • A newsletter signup feature
  • A responsive website design for optimal viewing on all devices
  • Live chat support for instant visitor assistance
Download City Website Planner Outline

Essential Elements for a BID, City, or District Website

When designing a website for a BID, city, or district, there are several key elements to consider:

  1. Clear Navigation: Ensure that the website has a user-friendly navigation structure, making it easy for visitors to find the information they need.
  2. Interactive Maps: Include interactive maps that highlight key areas, businesses, and attractions within the district.
  3. Event Calendar: Provide a comprehensive event calendar that showcases upcoming events, meetings, and community activities.
  4. Business Directory: Create a directory of businesses within the district, categorized for easy searchability.
  5. News and Updates: Have a section for news and updates to keep the community informed about the latest developments.
  6. Contact Information: Clearly display contact information for the BID office and other key contacts.
  7. Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure that the website is mobile-friendly, as many users will access it from their smartphones.
  8. Social Media Integration: Integrate social media feeds and provide links to the BID’s social media profiles.
  9. Accessibility: Make sure the website is accessible to individuals with disabilities, adhering to ADA compliance standards.
  10. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize the website for search engines to increase visibility and attract more visitors.

By finding the right subject matter expert and considering these essential elements, you can create a website that effectively serves the needs of your BID, city, or district, and fosters a strong sense of community and engagement.

Comprehensive Features for Government, City and Municipal Websites

Our innovative content management system is meticulously crafted to cater to the unique needs of local governments, ensuring seamless communication and efficient service delivery to communities. We offer an extensive array of features, including detailed agendas, dynamic calendars, up-to-date news sections, and comprehensive facility listings, all designed to create a user-friendly experience for both residents and government staff.

Beyond these fundamental elements, our platform is capable of integrating custom interactive maps, providing a visual and interactive layer to your community’s resources and points of interest. Whether it’s art installations, public facilities, or event locations, our maps ensure that residents and visitors alike can easily navigate and connect with the city.

Our city-centered website system boasts compatibility with a variety of GIS services and integrable services, ensuring that you can sync with platforms such as Google and Waze for real-time updates and navigational assistance. We also offer integration with KPI data and spreadsheets, allowing for a comprehensive overview and analysis of city metrics and performance indicators.

Our team of experienced community content management designers are not just about finding ways to present information; we are about enhancing the way local governments interact with their communities, providing a centralized hub for all necessary resources and services. With our website platform, you can ensure that your community stays connected, informed, and engaged, fostering a stronger sense of community and streamlined government operations.

What is a Business Improvement District, and why does it need a website?

Much like a city unto itself, a Business Improvement District is a collaborative effort between local businesses and authorities to enhance the local trading environment. Through a ballot process, local businesses agree to contribute to a levy, which is then used to fund projects and services that benefit the local area. These improvements can range from enhanced safety and security measures to environmental enhancements and more. Having a website allows you to clearly communicate not only important community information but also highlight all the services and benefits you bring to your members.

The Pitfalls of RFPs Without Expert Guidance

An RFP system allows organizations to solicit bids from various vendors for a project. While this can be an effective way to gather a range of proposals, it has its limitations, especially when it comes to specialized projects like website design for a BID or city. Without the input of a subject matter expert, the RFP may lack the necessary details and criteria to attract the right vendors. Additionally, evaluators may not have the expertise to assess the proposals accurately, leading to a suboptimal choice.

Finding a Subject Matter Expert in BID Website Design

To ensure the success of your website project, it’s crucial to seek the guidance of a subject matter expert in BID website design. Here are some tips on how to find one:

  1. Industry Associations: Look for associations related to urban development, city planning, or business improvement districts. They often have directories of experts or can provide recommendations.
  2. Online Communities: Join online forums and communities where professionals in BID management and urban development discuss best practices and share recommendations.
  3. Portfolio Review: Look for website design agencies with a strong portfolio in BID or city websites. Review their past work to assess their expertise.
  4. Ask for Referrals: Reach out to other BIDs, cities, or districts that have recently undergone a website redesign and ask for referrals.
  5. Check Credentials: Ensure that the expert or agency has the necessary credentials and experience in working with BIDs, cities, or districts.

Reliable Website Design for Governments and Community

With Design Web Local, you can trust that your website will be a reliable resource for residents, businesses, and visitors alike. Our team of experts will work with you to create a website that reflects the spirit of your community, ensuring that all content is up-to-date, accessible, and engaging. Our Websites are easy to manage on your own and affordable to have updated by our team.

Your Municipal Website Design: Delivering a Positive User Experience

At Design Web Local, we specialize in creating websites that serve the unique needs of local municipal communications and tourism marketing. Our goal is to ensure that your website is not only accessible to all residents but also provides them with the tools and information they need to engage with their community.

Why Choose Design Web Local for Your BID or City Website Design?

Our expertise in local municipal communications and tourism marketing uniquely positions us to understand the specific needs of BIDs, cities, and districts. We are committed to creating websites that not only look great but also serve as valuable tools for community engagement and growth.

Contact Design Web Local today to start the journey towards a more connected and engaged community through a beautifully designed and functional BID website

Logo Updated for Size and Transparency

Author: Sean H. Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Your logo is the face of your brand, and ensuring it looks professional across all applications is essential. Our logo enhancement service takes your existing logo and optimizes it for your new website, creating a version that scales beautifully while maintaining perfect clarity. By removing the background and correcting colors, we’ve created a versatile asset that can be placed on any background without visual artifacts, ensuring your brand identity remains consistent and professional across all digital platforms.

Big Branding Strategies to Utilize for Small Business Success

Author: David Dixon

As a small business owner, you likely have a million things on your to-do list. Revenue, employees, production, customer loyalty… amongst these critical elements, branding may not be top of mind for you. Perhaps you even think branding is best left to the big shots, who have the excess revenue to devote to marketing budgets. If you’re thinking along these lines, it’s time for a major strategic overhaul.

Businesses that go big on branding pack a punch and stand out. Grabbing customers’ attention (and keeping it) is the best way to plump up that bottom line. Want to learn about some easy branding best practices? Designweb Louisville breaks it down.

What Exactly Is Branding?

Let’s get one thing very clear. Branding is more than just slapping a logo onto your socials and calling it a day. Instead, it is indicative of your company as a brand and the values it stands for. Branding presents an overall image of your mission and customer services and gives customers insight into the products and services you offer.

Why is it important? Well, consumers want to shop at a cohesive and consistent brand that ups the quality of their buying experience. Most businesses today invest in branding, which means that you’ll need excellent graphics, text, and design to get a leg up on your competition and stand out.

How Can I Reach My Target Market Through Branding?

Well, the two are intrinsically linked. When brainstorming for your business, you likely honed in on a particular audience or demographic to cater your services to. This might be based on interest, age, occupation, income, or gender. Zenbusiness attests that you should think a little bit harder about your target audience and what they might be looking for in business branding. For example, a younger demographic might want to see consistent branding across socials, including TikTok integrations. A wine lover demographic might wish to see witty quotes and sassy visuals when shopping for their new favorite wine. By playing to these target use cases, you’ll be getting the most bang for your branding buck.

How Can I Get Started on Branding?

Start by deciding whether you want to go the DIY route or if you want to get the professionals in. When it comes to coding and web design, you’ll want to get pros in to do their magic. However, most small businesses don’t have the expendable budgets to get expert designers in to do the work – at least, not all of it. But there are many graphic elements that you can do yourself just as well (and shh… for much cheaper).

For example, creating an eye-catching banner for your socials or site is a great way to build brand awareness and can be achieved even by novice designers. Use an online banner maker to create a unique and personalized banner for your branding needs. All you need to do is find a banner that works with your more significant brand identity and then add in text, font, color, graphics, images, and even video. It really is that easy! Similarly, social media posts with your logo and consistent branding can be easily DIYed too. Getting smart about which elements to manage yourself will be critical for small businesses low on start-up funds.

In our increasingly digital world, consumers learn more about businesses online than through any other space. And according to this 2019 survey by Hubspot, 70% of reviewed shoppers said that graphics and cohesive design played a significant part in their buying decision. Thus, be sure to include branding in your next campaign strategy to take the business world by storm.

Designing and branding a website doesn’t need to be complicated. At least, that’s what we believe at Designweb Louisville. We offer competitively priced web design and development services to help you build your dream site with ease. Click here to check out our services, or contact us at hello@designweblouisville.com for more information today!

How to Effectively Increase Brand Visibility

Author: Eleanor Hecks Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Brand visibility is imperative to success and relates to more prevalent customer recognition and awareness. It denotes the ability of customers to recognize a brand or business based on various factors.

It is commonly associated with visual representations of a brand such as the business logo, colors, and products, but it’s much more pervasive than that. For example, Apple and Google are synonymous with technology products, including computers, mobile devices, and so on. Every time those types of products are brought up, or the related topics are in focus, those two brands come to mind, among others. That is because they have effectively boosted brand visibility, in many different ways.

Of course, effectively increasing brand visibility for a small business or medium-sized operation, with limited resources, is quite a bit different than doing so for a corporate entity. What goes into brand visibility, and what are some ways to enhance and leverage the concept?

1. Optimize for Search

These days, there is no valid excuse for NOT optimizing a business or brand website for SEO, or search engine results. You can do this by focusing on relevant keywords, namely terms that your customers will be searching for. It’s not something you have to do alone either, as there are hundreds, if not thousands, of SEO experts willing to help. It’s also accessible to all businesses, big and small. 

Choose keywords, use a proper SEO tool, and begin adding those keywords to your site. Coming up with a clear content marketing campaign that hits all those relevant keywords and delivers enriching and engaging material is just as important. Moreover, the keywords can be embedded within the web copy on all pages, product descriptions, headers, and much more.

2. Use Smart Advertising

Advertising and marketing are critical for boosting visibility, across print ads, digital ads, and various other mediums. But one of the best ways to get your name out there is to use creative measures, doing something a little different than everyone else. Some examples include clever office branding, unique product packaging, local sponsorships, or even customer rewards and incentives.

Like all forms of advertising, the idea is to get your brand out there and in front of as many eyes as possible. Doing it in a witty or creative way ensures that both the medium and the content stand out, creating a memorable experience, and vastly boosting brand awareness.

3. Tap Into Influencer Marketing

The term “influencer” has taken on new meaning in the digital frontier. It doesn’t just include celebrities and public personas, but also YouTubers, social media users, content creators, and much more. Moxy Hotels launched a YouTube channel featuring Taryn Southern, a popular influencer that became so popular, it now has multiple seasons’ worth of content.

Just as you would with celebrities during the days of old, you can tap into an influencer’s audience and resources to build awareness about your brand. You can do it by offering products for review, paying for ad placements or mentions, sending out free swag, opening discussions with creators, and so on.

The trick is to choose the right influencers for your niche, products, and brand. Instead of just picking someone because they’re popular, try to find someone local. Alternatively, you can look for someone that works with the types of products or services you offer, such as tech, makeup, accessories, or whatever.

4. Enhance Offline Marketing

In the digital age, and with so much happening online, it’s easy to overlook the offline world. Every business should invest some time and resources enhancing offline marketing efforts. It includes product packaging, word-of-mouth advertising or referrals, radio advertisements, networking, public events, cold calls, and much more. Basically, the term encompasses anything that happens offline and away from the internet.

Wearing yourself thin trying to do it all is not the goal, nor is it a good strategy. But choosing one or two channels to focus on, and then becoming the best of the best is the way to go. If you choose to participate in local job fairs or networking events, then do it with a splash! Host a keynote discussion or panel. Give out free swag to all booth visitors. Make it memorable and get your brand out there.

5. Reward Your Customers

To build loyalty, entice customers to share their experiences, and naturally increase awareness, you need to be going above and beyond. Rewarding your customers is an excellent way to do that. The first thing that comes to mind is a customer loyalty program or cashback rewards, but while those are great solutions, they’re not the only strategies that exist. There are many ways to give back and reward your customers, not necessarily through monetary incentives.

Bundling small gifts with every purchase is one example. Honing customer service programs to near perfection to ensure customers are always taken care of, is another. Another still might be something as simple as offering free shipping for all online orders. You’ll need to review your competitors so you know what they’re doing and what they offer, and then you can up your game. Ensure that your customers continually have positive and memorable experiences, and that will create a cyclical system where those people are always willing to share and talk about your brand.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

Continue improving and innovating as much as possible, but also establish a way to measure brand visibility. Doing so is easier than you might think. You can look at website traffic, and how much it’s growing, review the search volume of your keywords, check in-store traffic, look at trending topics or messages about your brand, and much more.

Search optimization should always be on your plate, which means you should continue utilizing your chosen keywords and researching more. Smart advertising, offline marketing, and influencer support should also be persistent strategies. Don’t forget to reward your customers or your employees on the frontlines!

Once you put that vehicle in motion, don’t use the brakes, continue your momentum. Measure, iterate, improve, and then re-measure. It’s the best way to increase visibility, build strong and positive awareness, and cement your brand in the annals of history.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

Effective Use of Fonts in Web Designs

Author: Sofia David

Do you know that sometimes little things make a big difference among professional web designers and incompetent web designers? It is little things that we often ignore and don’t pay any consideration to. If you are a professional designer, then you might know these facts or those little things that are stopping you from becoming a master in your field.

If you have experience in designing a website, then you might know all the little points that make a big difference.

Have you ever tried to make minor changes on your website that resulted in a significant contrast? Yes, this is what I am talking about. Fixing ignored results is a considerable improvement that left us surprised and pleased at the same time.

Okay, if changes are so uncomplicated and easy to make, then why not do it 100%? If you want to give a professional and eye-catchy look to your website, then don’t even try to miss these tiny errors that may create a big problem in the future. Now you might be thinking that what obstacles I am actually referring to? Let’s proceed with the topic.

Effective Use of Fonts in Web Designs

The actual topic that I want you guys to understand is the complexity and significance of fonts or typeface that we use on our websites. The use of fonts in designs referred to as Typography that can impact significantly on your website.

With the right typography, you can make people understand your website in a better way. Now, how true is this? Let’s go in-depth to prove my words.

Why Should You Care About Font Design?

Do you know that Steve Jobs is called as the father of typography? Is it just because he originated ten fonts? No, it is because those ten fonts had made a vast and remarkable significant to our industry. He got this recognition because fonts play an unimaginable role in our website that can’t be contradicted.

Let’s make you more impressed and gratified.

Everyone wants a change in life. We, as human nature, get gloomy while looking at the same thing for a long time. Have you ever wondered that for how long we could look at the same style or design of font? Of course, we can’t. Choosing the right font for your website can do wonders that you can’t imagine.

Let’s come straight; typography reflects the context of your work. If it is done right, then it will have a powerful impact on the users. With the right typography, a user can easily understand the logic of your design. If you haven’t chosen the right fonts for your website, then how come you will be able to make them know your design?

Now, let me elaborate on this topic by mentioning points that will allow you to stop for a while and will force you to think that why you should care about Font design.

1- It Creates a Specific Identity

Believe me or not, but the fact that you can’t deny is that a specific font conveys a particular message to the reader or a visitor. It depends on you that what type of message you let to communicate them. For example, if we use Montserrat font in our graphic designs then its impact will be different on our audience, however instead of this if we use any other font then there will be a big difference. The fonts vary from website to website. You can’t utilize the same style or the same size as the font for every website. Understanding the importance and nature of fonts for your newly created website is a symbol of a professional designer.

2- It Helps You to Grow

Using the right font for your website assists you to flourish your business. Now, how much right is it? Let’s verify this point with a little example. For Instance, you have made a website on a specific niche. If you have selected the right fonts that are easily understandable, then the chances are that people will agree to read the entire context of your website with comfort.

On the other hand, if you haven’t chosen the right nature of font or size of the font, then the user will switch to someone’s else website where he can read the same context with a better font quality. Isn’t it make sense?

3- It Attracts the Audience

Choosing the right font for your website attracts your customers. It let them stay on your website due to good readability, and good readability comes by selecting the readable fonts. If you want that more and more customers visit your site, then be selective and be careful in choosing the font. A perfect font conveys a certain mood or message to the audience, so make sure it won’t be the wrong one.

4- It Develops Conformity

When you use the same font or two fonts repeatedly, then it helps to create harmony or conformity, and the user remained stuck to your website. However, using so many fonts in a single context make people confused, and somehow, they lose their interest, so that’s why fonts have so much importance.

Final Thoughts

So, here are a few points that you should consider before designing a website. As a professional designer, you should never avoid little things that may disturb your entire site. Try to adapt those things that have a positive impact, and try to avoid those mistakes that have a negative effect.

I hope you will find this article useful and informative, and it will help you to make the most excellent website in the future. Consider these points and be a professional web designer.

How to Increase Brand Awareness on Your Landing Page

Author: Lexie Lu

A good landing page will encourage your audience to keep moving through the sales funnel — and convince them that your business has services or products to soothe a pain point they’re dealing with.

However, advertising isn’t the only job your landing page has. It may be the first encounter a customer has with your brand, much like a product on a shelf or an ad on social media. Because you won’t get another chance for a first impression, your landing page also needs to be a good brand ambassador. A visitor should roughly understand your business with a quick scan and know what you do and why you do it.

With these strategies, you can use design landing pages that convince your audience and strengthen brand awareness.

1. Include Your Logo

Your logo is the face of your brand. It’s almost always a good idea to make sure it’s prominently featured on your landing page, even if you’re trying to keep the design as simple as possible.

In general, companies will opt for top-left logo placement, but some landing pages may change this up. A centered logo may be more effective, depending on the overall design. However, keep in mind that customers expect the logo to be in the top left, simply due to how many brands use this placement.

2. Use Custom or Distinct Brand Fonts

If your brand has some excellent typography backing up its look, you can lean on those design decisions to improve your landing pages.

Simple adjustments to your landing page fonts can help bring the page in line with your company’s overall look. They can reinforce the values or aesthetics you want customers to associate with your products.

While standing out is always helpful, it’s best not to go overboard. Some fonts that work great for a logo or header won’t translate well to body text or a form field. Ideally, you should have a standard font that works well for large chunks of text. When designing your landing page, it’s not always necessary to use the same font you use elsewhere in your branding. Sometimes, using one with similar characteristics will be enough to communicate the same values.

3. Use Your Branding Materials

Branding materials that show off what your company stands for — like graphics, videos and images that represent your products — can help a landing page show visitors what you’re offering. They can also quickly demonstrate your business’s values.

H.O. Penn Machinery is a dealer of Caterpillar heavy machinery and tools in southern New York state. The still background image here is actually a video, showing off some offered tools and machinery in action. The imagery in the video — heavy machinery used on construction sites and contractors overseeing work in a residential area — emphasizes the kind of utility and equipment new customers can expect from the brand.

Because H.O. Penn Machinery is a CAT dealer, the video also shows off the distinctive Caterpillar coloration and logos.

4. Build a Palette With Your Brand Colors

You can use almost every aspect of your landing page to subtly echo the look of your company. One of the simplest ways to do this is by basing the landing page palette off your brand colors.

This landing page from Vivino, an online wine marketplace and app, is a good example. The logo, center graphic and “Enter” button at the top-right are all in the company’s particular shade of wine-red burgundy. It provides a little bit of sophistication and re-emphasizes what the brand is all about.

Your landing page’s use of color doesn’t need to be complicated. This is especially true if your company, like many others, has adopted more of a minimalist aesthetic and may have a logo with just one color. Good design may just be a matter of remembering to use your logo shade as an accent, as with Vivino’s page.

5. Get Straight to the Point

A good landing page is scannable. You want customers to quickly know the benefits of working with your company — and it also improves awareness of your company. Your brand is about what you do and why, so if you can explain the products or services you offer in a sentence, you can boost your visibility.

Canva, a graphic design platform and software suite, is a good example of this. The page clearly communicates what the business has to offer — in this case, graphic design tools that anyone can use, regardless of experience level.

Breaking down your offerings into the simplest, most direct form possible will help customers know what you can provide. If your landing page makes things clear, it can help build that relationship between your look, logo and products in the customer’s mind.

6. Match Your Landing Page With Your Ad Campaigns

Consistency is critical in building brand awareness. The more often a customer sees your branding elements, the more likely they are to remember your design choices and associate them with your company.

Because of this, it’s best to keep your ad campaigns and the related landing pages as close as possible in terms of look and language.

Using Landing Pages to Strengthen Your Brand

With the right approach to design, your landing page can communicate a lot about your company and the products you offer. Keeping it in line with the overall look by using colors, fonts and imagery related to your brand will help the page build audience associations between your company and its values.

Lexie is a digital nomad and web designer. When she’s not traveling to various parts of the country, you can find her at the local flea markets or hiking with her goldendoodle. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.