A website represents your business online. It presents your products or services, answers customer questions and promotes your business to the larger community. A website is vital to your business and how it is designed, how it looks and how easy it is to use are all important factors in your success online.
So should you use a graphic designer or a web developer to craft your website?
The benefits of using a graphic designer to design your website
Graphic designers use colours, contrasts and design elements to create static designs. They can of course move into web design and create interactive designs, but the focus of graphic design is in layout and aesthetics, and in helping to communicate a message that promotes an action.
Attractive website designs help to build trust in your community, increase customer loyalty and brand exposure, and will help to increase conversions and sales.
The benefits of using a web developer to design your website
Pure web developers are all about the back end of your website and its functionality. They are software developers and can actually make all the ideas of the graphic designer come to life in your website.
If you want a specific customised layout, the developer will code that for you. If you want specific interfaces, downloadable files and different templates for each page, the developer will make all of this happen for your website. A developer knows if the ideas put forward by a graphic designer will work or not and can offer alternatives, if the original ideas are unworkable.
So, which is best?
If you can find both skills in one person or in the same company, then that is the best strategy. That’s because a web developer and a graphic designer will each bring different, but complementary skills to the design of your website. Using only a graphic designer will leave your website with some deficiencies, as will using just a web developer.
Ideally you want a web developer who is a talented graphic designer to create your website. Or, at the very least, hire a company where web developers and graphic designers work side by side on your website.
A graphic designer alone may have lots of fabulous ideas, many of which may not be workable. A developer on their own may create a functional website, but may not have many creative front end ideas. Together, you will have a website to be proud of and one that will help to promote your online presence in a way that reflects the ideals of your company. But they must work closely together, from the outset of the project, or you’ll likely end up with a second rate website.
For more information on website design in Brisbane, call GO Creative on (07) 3333 2932 or request a free quote online.
