Our world is becoming more visual by the day as more images are shared, messages are quickly conveyed, and a brand story is told. When Canberra Web is designing or updating your website, we will spend as much time consulting with you about the imagery of your site as we will about the text and the build.

Unfortunately, high-quality photos for your website can be as expensive as they are important. Luckily your digital marketing experts right here in Canberra are going to share four ways you can save your web design dollars and visually promote your brand, with stock images:

1) When They Don’t Have People in Them

We’ve all seen those cheesy corporate stock photos of a group of people in a bland office posing unnaturally. These photos can be spotted a mile away as stock images and they are the reason stock photography has a poor reputation. Don’t take the risk of trying to pass off a stock image as your team, when your ‘team’ could already be appearing on someone else’s website.

2) When They Don’t Have Your Products in Them

Just as the value of your team is found in the unique individuals you have curated for your business, your product or service is just as unique to your brand. Therefore, don’t try and pass off a stock image as your own product, you’ll lose your unique selling position, and only you can convey your product or service.

3) When They’re There for a Reason

Yes, images are a valuable storytelling tool, but choosing a stock image just because you’re short of images for your website is not going to help you market your brand. Make sure the stock images you choose are relevant to the story you’re telling on that page. Plus, while you’re searching free stock image sites, keep an eye out for photos which feature your corporate colours to tie everything together.

4) When They are Customised

That brings us to the best way you can use stock images to your advantage in website design, through customisation. Don’t be afraid to crop or Photoshop a stock image to make it more focussed and relevant to your brand. Overlay text on a stock image to make your content more visually appealing and connect the dots for your readers about why the image is there.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the task of choosing images for your website design. For web design Canberra businesses can rely on, contact the experts at Canberra Web.

In an age where there are millions of websites that can be found on the internet, how do you make yours more attractive and visually appealing to potential customers?

It’s simple, follow 4 these easy tips:

Choose your colour and design wisely

When choosing a colour scheme and design, opt for one that reflects your brand logo but also your company ethos. Research has shown that different colours elicit emotional reactions, spark interest and convey messages, and could be a powerful subconscious tool in getting your visitors to convert.

According to colour psychology, red commands attention and expresses confidence and action, which is why it is often used by news and media groups as well as charity campaigns. Blue is a calm colour representing trust, authority and modernity, often used by banks and social media platforms. Meanwhile, colours such as purple represent luxury, green represents nature, balance and growth, and orange warmth and impulsiveness.

In terms of layout, consider the purpose of your site. Is it to channel a magazine-style feel which is updated regularly with content; do you want to feature large, eye-catching images front and centre to promote your products; or are you looking to provide information?

Utilise images to their potential

Don’t make the mistake of using stock pictures and graphics on your website; these can look fake and will generate a feeling of inconsistency. Potential customers may even question whether they can trust your product or service if you aren’t using your own images.

By using photos of real people that you’ve taken for your business, even if they're of your actual customers, staff or volunteers, you’ll convey a level of authenticity that will resonate with your audience. To improve engagement with your site, it's also a good idea to employ brand videos and infographics to explain your purpose and complex subjects.

Prioritise user experience

One of the most important factors in making an attractive website is user experience (UX), so make sure the layout is simple yet engaging and that your website is quick to load (that means ideally within two seconds).

Clear navigation through a structured sitemap and menus is key. Also, ensure your content is clear and easy to read, but avoid putting too much content on a page, and vitally, make sure your buttons are prominent because this is where a visitor to your website will take action. The key is ensuring there is a clear flow to help the visitor achieve their goal (information finding) and yours (conversion), and that every page serves a purpose.

Be consistent

It’s crucial that once you’ve decided your brand’s elements, such as colours, font, tone of voice and design, you use these consistently throughout your website - and also in your offline presence. This enables visitors to focus on your message and completing on their intentions for a seamless experience, rather than querying elements of your design and your company as a whole.

Expert web design Canberra businesses can rely on

If you want to attract more visitors and keep them on your site for longer, Canberra Web is a specialised team of local web designers who not only design but also build and maintain premium quality websites. So while you’re focusing on running your business, Canberra Web’s friendly and efficient staff will provide you with the highest level of service at an affordable price.

9 reasons to skip a DIY site builder

Quite simply, if you have a great business, you need a great website. These days, the world is all about the internet, you only get one shot at making a first impression, and stats show that customers can write off your online presence - and therefore your business - within a few mere seconds of clicking in.

The good news for businesses is that getting online is not difficult or expensive. But that doesn't mean you should go for the easiest option.

What's the easy option?

Yes, we're talking about DIY site builders.

As the name suggests, a DIY site builder is a home job. Without knowing how to write code or go to a pro, you can get online. But we think that's a very bad idea. Let's tell you why:

1. Flash
   Many DIY sites prominently feature Flash technology - which Google doesn't like to list. And, let's face it, your customers are busily Googling.
   
   
2. Simple
   Simple is good, but too simple means there is less for Google to crawl and index. And that means less traffic and conversions.
   
   
3. Google
   Again with Google, but we can't over-emphasise its importance. Getting in those listings is not as easy as it seems, and a DIY site is just not maximising your chances.
   
   
4. Analytics
   Analytics give site admins a clear picture of how a website is performing, and the DIY options offer only limited technology in this area.
   
   
5. The look
   You might think your DIY site looks good, but be honest and compare it with some of the best in the business. Do you still think it's the best look for your business?
   
   
6. Mobile friendly
   As time goes on, more and more people are switching off their laptops and using only their mobiles. But most DIY site builders are based on desktop designs that do not necessarily look or work efficiently in the palm of your customers' hands.
   
   
7. Uniqueness
   Maybe you really have found a great look for your DIY site among the template options. But how many other dozens or hundreds of other sites look almost exactly the same?
   
   
8. Professionalism
   Most DIY site builders will want to show the world that they helped you get online. But do you really want to tell the world that you went for the cheapest and easiest option?
   
   
9. Support
   Once your DIY site is online, you will be alone in the world once all those day-to-day website running issues start to crop up. But getting a pro to build your site means you will have someone to turn to.

Canberra Web genuinely cares about providing the best web design Canberra can possibly put online for Australia and the world to see. Call us today.

4 hot web design trends of 2018-19

No, trends are not just for the fashion world and catwalk - they're important in any industry. Put simply, keeping up with current trends is like surfing: stay on top of them, and you're riding a great wave with your customers. Lag behind, and business races ahead while you're bobbing aimlessly in the water.

Here at Canberra Web, we are right on the cutting edge of the hottest web design Canberra can offer - so let's tell you about four web development trends we've identified in 2018 that you can't afford to not know as we head towards the new year:

1. Responsive designs
   There was a time when a website was a website and you could get away with marking it as optimised for a certain platform. But those days are over; your customers are spread across a huge number of platforms, including desktop, phone, tablet and all the different iterations of them. This is what a responsive web design is all about: making your site work with what users are using today, and getting it ready for the platforms of the next generation.
   
   
2. Hamburger menus
   No, our stomachs are not grumbling: the hamburger menu is that now-familiar three-line symbol that allows you to simplify your pages by packing away the menu, avoid clutter in your navigation and clear screen space for your content. Particularly useful in the small-screen world of mobile browsing, the hamburger menu is also being seen in desktop versions as users become more familiar with how this sleek feature works - just make sure it's obvious enough to spot so that your users don't miss your site's all-important navigation.
   
   
3. Ghost buttons
   "Who you gonna call?" That's right: the ghost button is that transparent, normally rectangular button that, while subtle, really grabs the user's attention and looks great particularly when layered on a high-quality photo background.
   
   
4. Hero images
   Put simply, a beautiful and prominent HD hero image can make your site design look professional and really encapsulate the essence of your brand. It's basically a big header image or photo, but designers are also getting more creative by making those heroes vector backgrounds, illustrated artworks and even video. But it's important that the hero image does not come at a great cost to site loading time.

All web developers need to challenge themselves if they are to produce the best results. It’s no surprise that developing and maintaining your website takes consistent effort, and with this in mind, it’s important that you’re building strong habits that you can rely on. Think of your website as a new-born baby. It cannot think for itself, so instead, you have to be the one to constantly nurture it and pay attention to its needs, ensuring it remains healthy and functions well. To ensure you’re employing useful habits for your website management, consider these tips:

1. Keep up with the latest developments

Keep yourself up to date with the latest technology trends and innovations across the entire spectrum of design, UX and functionality. Simply by reading new articles and following the industry's influencers daily, you’ll be able to keep your inspiration fresh and stay informed. You can use platforms such as Twitter, Hackernoon and SmashingMagazine to stay up to date.

2. Update your site regularly

The best sites are those which prioritise security. Get into the habit of updating your site whenever patches are released, and carry out other regular cyber security techniques such as penetration testing to see where your weaknesses lie. It's also a good idea to ensure you're carrying out cyber security best practice, such as having an up-to-date privacy statement, encrypting your site with SSL, and having databases and servers that are backed up.

3. Check out the competition

Spend some time looking at the different websites out there - particularly your competition. Try to work out how they were built and what works and what doesn't. Being able to satisfy the end user isn't just about putting together a neat website that looks impressive and loads with super-fast speeds; it's about understanding who is using your website, what their needs are and how it fits within the broader industry so bear this in mind.

4. Reduce file sizes where possible

As we all know, load speeds are vital to continuing to attract high rates of traffic and keep users on your site for longer. But modern websites need rich media to impress. So make sure you are consistently optimising your images, video and audio content before you upload them. Not only will this improve load speeds and navigation but it will reduce wasted space.

Trends move fast in web design, so if you're about to work on a new web design project, it's important to brush up on your skills to stay ahead of the curve. To ensure you get it spot on, why not speak to us at Canberra Web instead, for the best in web design Canberra businesses can depend on.

Having a website is paramount to running a business. However, just having a site alone doesn't mean your business will grow and thrive. Having a bad website can be worse than having no website at all, as it can confuse and drive away your potential clients. One of the worst aspects of bad web design is clutter.

What exactly is clutter?

We define this as:

- Too much, or too wordy content.
- Too many images.
- Too much browsing choice in the form of buttons and tabs.
- Poor and crowded layout.

Is it worth investing in decluttering?

If you are taking a look at your cluttered site and wondering whether it really is worth investing in an upgrade, we can guarantee you that it is.

Here's why:

Cluttered sites lead to fast click away rates

Today, people are time poor. If your potential clients have landed on your website, there is a good chance they already know what information they're looking for, and if they can't find it quickly, they will move on to the next company on their list. You really only have a few seconds to grab someone's attention, and if they are feeling overwhelmed by images and information they won't stay. Cluttered sites take more time to navigate because the eye is confused, and there is a direct correlation between too much clutter on a site, and how quickly someone will leave the site.

Our brains crave order

There is a reason why sleek and simple designs with lots of white space are effective. The best websites have short and informative pieces of information alongside arresting photos and compelling calls to action. Sites that are overcrowded look less credible. This is because our brains want order and simplicity so they can quickly process information, and we tend not to trust sites that violate this rule.

Your website is directly impacting your bottom line

Even if you don't sell products directly through your website, your potential clients might navigate there to find your contact information or important details about your services. If they leave before you connect with them, this is eating into your profits.

Clearly, a cluttered website is costing you in fundamental ways, so talk to the web design Canberra experts at Canberra Web about an update today!