When turning to a web developer or agency to produce your website, you are purchasing much more than a completed product. A website is an active investment that an individual or organization can use to prop up their work, develop their fan base, and build their brand. A website can play a pivotal role in the financial growth of a brand or business. As a result, it should surprise people to find out that businesses are still trying to cut corners when developing their web platform to accomplish their goals.
Today, we want to explore why your some may not understand the importance of having a professionally built and maintained website.
Keep Your Website Alive: Maintaining Software & Coding Requirements
Whether you code websites from scratch or work with platforms like Wix or WordPress, developing a great website is more than just constructing the code yourself. Whether you incorporate native plug-ins or you develop your content management system (CMS), these coding ecosystems must be maintained, updated, and corrected as required. This issue can be further exacerbated when changes to coding languages impact the way that a website operates. Did we mention that software licenses also have to be renewed regularly?
A professionally designed website is a living and breathing digital creature. You can’t simply let the website languish alone or else it will break down. This is important to understand during the initial consultation that maintenance will be required to ensure the longevity and successful aspirations of your website.
A professionally designed website is a living and breathing digital creature.
More Than A Single Purchase: Websites Are Long-term Investments
Did you know that the internet has been actively used by the public since 1991? It probably feels like much longer ago than that, doesn’t it? The truth is that the internet has evolved by meteoric leaps and bounds in the years since the World Wide Web went live to the public. Should you look at a website in 1991 and compare it to today, you would be shocked! In that same way, the web is constantly evolving — even now. A modern website that was developed a year ago may look outdated and subpar in today’s digital climate. Why does this matter? What does this mean for you?
Setting realistic expectations about long-term investments is important for getting on the same page with our clients. The web is moving at a breakneck speed and innovations are being unveiled almost as fast as we can process them. As a result, coding changes, software development, and new digital trends can all materially impact the way that your website operates.
As an example of key evolutions through website design, we can look to the rise in video media. At one point in time, videos were one of the least efficient ways to attract audiences to your platform. Now, thanks to high-speed internet and HD video, the integration of quality video components can be an alluring aspect of your website’s design. We can take this one step further and highlight the importance of Mobile Web Design, an entirely new industry that early internet adopters didn’t need to worry about.
With user expectations constantly evolving, stressing the importance of maintenance and long-term value is an important conversation to have. By setting these expectations early, we prepare our clients to succeed when their website needs to be updated or renovated to match present expectations.
Clear Communication: How Web Designers Can Change the Industry
At the end of the day, it is not the job of the brand or business to understand the importance of a website and digital platform. Instead, web designers and agencies should take ownership of their role in the communication process. Web designers often focus on the more creative aspects of their work rather than on the logistical side. Adjusting this thought process leads to a host of benefits. Let’s take a look at our practical approach for preparing a new client for their website design and/or digital marketing campaign.
Detail strong project requirement
The best way to get on the same page with your client is to guide them through your design-and-deploy process. What goes into making their website? What components will need to be maintained long term? What issues should they expect to deal with in the future?
Cultivate open communication
To ensure our clients understand and embrace our role in the process, we cultivate a culture of open communication. When we can communicate directly and clearly with our clients, questions are answered and problems are solved rather than kicked down the can for a later time.
Clarify expectations
If we told our clients that they never will need to worry about their website again, they would probably believe us. With that being said, it is crucial for us to be honest, open, and clear in all expectations. When a client purchases a website design and/or digital marketing campaign, we make sure that they understand the long-term requirements that come with the new website.
Keeping Our Clients Informed & Educated
This is one more of the many reason why the agency-client relationship is so important. Our expertise and experience of the industry is something we strive to share with those with we work.
By prioritizing clear communication and education, we can better prepare clients for the responsibilities that go along with owning a website and tackle these challenges together!
