- Websites design and development It's more than a glorified ad.
Does your website stand-out from the rest of those in your industry? The web space has moved so quickly that cyberspace may seem as infinite as space itself! We have seen a move from websites designed purely by the IT Technician (limited by technology and expense) to websites crafted carefully by designers to meet the intuition of the user.
A good website will be part of your sales team - it will sell on your behalf and keep your business ahead of your competition.
Questions you may ask
- 1. I have noticed advertising for super-cheap websites. What’s the catch?
Many of our current clients have been ‘caught out’ by this. They thought they were getting a bargain however when it came to making any changes, having a page added or a line of text added - they were charged, charged, charged. They ended up spending a lot for a poor, unplanned site and not getting any value for money.
- 2. There are several web-design companies, why should I work with The Big Grin?
Our clients tell us that we are a pleasure to work with, because we do it all. We understand that you have your full-time job and putting time into a website - which is not a core skill - can be extremely time consuming and full of stop-start hurdles. We tend to do the bulk of all of the work for clients so that all you need to do is proof-read, edit and approve.
- 3. The last time I had my website developed, it cost me a fortune. What can I expect now?
Technologies have improved making the design and development of the website much easier. This translates into serious cost reductions and having your website up and running has never been quicker. A good case in point is our client ww.predictivehire.com - we wrote the copy, created the wireframes, completed the graphic design, completed the HTML design and had it developed all within a two-week timeframe ... from scratch, with no templates!
Services
- Web presence planning
- Website wireframes
- Website design
- Responsive website design
- Website builds (PHP and ASP.Net)
- User interface design and review
- User experience design and review
- 1. I have noticed advertising for super-cheap websites. What’s the catch?
- Digital Communication Get noticed and start the conversation.
Have you looked at your local bus-stop? Everyone is online! They are browsing, receiving, responding, researching, reviewing and chatting ... constantly. Your digital communication strategy is essential - there is SO much out there ... how do you get noticed? What is the most effective digital strategy for YOUR business? It may be having a Facebook page. It may not. It may be having an active blogger site. It may not.
We work with businesses to wade through the plethora of communities and technologies out there to find one that suites your business. It is all about getting the right message to the right people at the right time in a way that is meaningful and of interest to them.
Questions you may ask
- 1. A colleague was talking to me about an SEO. Do I need this?
There is a lot of jargon within the discussion of digital communication. It can be a different language! Our job is to strip it all back and talk about the best ways, the smartest ways, the most cost effective ways to achieve YOUR end goal (e.g. sales, website hits, feet in the door)…. and sometimes SEO (search engine optimisation) is not the way to go! Let's talk.
- 2. Does my business need a Facebook or LinkedIn page?
The first question to ask is 'How will this meet your requirements'? These social media tools are not conducive to every business yet work amazingly well with some. The point is, you have to do what is right for you. Too many people make the mistake of using it as a tool to 'sell, sell, sell'! It's not just that and if you use it for that, people are likely to log off. Its a conversation, an engagement. You may need a Facebook integration or a Facebook page, but you may not. Let's talk.
- 3. All these new technologies and 'social media stuff' really makes me anxious. Its happening too quickly and feels all too big. Can you help me?
Yes… and at no stage will you be left in the lurch. We believe stress only exists when you don't have a solution. We will provide you with the solutions you need and educate you along the way. At all times we are aware that this is your business and so we talk in easy to understand words, avoiding all of the technical 'mumbo jumbo that you may not want to know. The point is, we will walk with you every step of the way.'
Services
- Microsites
- Banners
- eNewsletters / Blogs
- eMail Campaigns
- Social media
- 'Your business online' review and workshop
- 1. A colleague was talking to me about an SEO. Do I need this?
- Web Platform Design Behind the scenes of your website.
Once your customers have signed up to your website (or software) and are logged in… what happens next? Can they easily find, and navigate through the functions offered? Since you are the inventor of your software, YOU understand it, however this doesn't mean that others are quite as clear! Having a well designed 'user interface' is crucial. Using a combination of our Psychology, Sociology and Graphic Design skills, we consider the needs of the user, their journey and what they will be geared to look at. This is then implemented in a well thought out redesign of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) to ensure it is centred around the user's experience (UX).
Questions you may ask
- 1. I have a web development company - I just need help with the user interface and user experience (UI/UX). Can you assist?
Yes! We work with many start-up IT companies who are often focused on 'back-end' algorithms, dots and dashes - but haven't give much thought to the user experience. As development is never done, so is the case that design is never done.
- 2. Why is The Big Grin good at user interface and user experience design.
We believe that is our skills in combination. Firstly we have combine psychology and sociology backgrounds which gives us a natural lean to question, and understand what users want. Secondly we bring combined experience of excellent graphic design with business experience ensuring that the user experience matches what you intended for your product.
- 3. What experience do you have with online businesses?
Plenty! Two of our own start-up businesses have been pure-play online businesses and many of our clients are purely online businesses or technology platforms. From a reverse-auction platform to a regression econometric platform (that calculates the likelihood of tenure and performance in your new hire), to a Skills Analysis tool - we have helped them with website and platform usability, design and development.
Services
- User experience review
- User interface design
- Process mapping
- Conceptualising and Wire-framing
- Detailed design specifications
- Graphical User Interface (GUI) development
- 1. I have a web development company - I just need help with the user interface and user experience (UI/UX). Can you assist?
- Mobile and tablet design Your business is portable.
Technologies change fast - really fast. It is no use designing for the technology when ... next year the technology may become obsolete. Like all good marketing strategies, we focus on your customer first. Today mobile devices are increasingly being used for the same tasks as a desktop. How are customers interacting with your site ... what are they looking for and what do they need to know? These questions remain constant across all digital media - regardless of the technology being used. Your mobile and tablet design needs to be congruent with your customer.
Questions you may ask
- 1. I don't know whether I need an app, or just a mobile compatible web site?
It is estimated that there are around 650 million websites today with 4.12 billion indexed web pages whilst there are less than 1 million apps today across all platforms. There is a reason for this. Users can access your website from their mobile device and with very little further investment a mobile website they can be viewed clearly on a smaller handheld device with a touch-screen interface.
An app, on the other hand, is like software. It is an actual 'application' downloaded and installed on your device. Always ask yourself this question first: "do I need an app at all?". If you are a service based business, e.g. legal, accounting, recruiting, etc. chances are that an app is probably not 'core' to your offering.
However if you offer an online product - a web service - which has user logins then 'yes' a native mobile application may be an excellent investment for you. Alternatively, if you provide customers offline access to your product, then an app will be a good option for you. The bottom line? Always focus on the needs and behaviours of your customer.
- 2. Do we design our website first and then our mobile site, or vice versa?
This reminds us of the old debate - 'what came first ... the chicken or the egg'! As with this debate - you can argue both sides. Our view is that it doesn't really matter. The key as always is to focus on the customer experience. Always consider what content you are using and why it's there first. How that content then 'behaves' across devices can then be 'rolled out', e.g. if designing a website, have smaller screens in mind so that when you are ready to go mobile or responsive - you can.
Services
- Mobile planning
- Mobile site wireframes
- Mobile app design
- Mobile app development (Android & iOS)
- Responsive site design
- User interface design and review
- User experience design and review
- 1. I don't know whether I need an app, or just a mobile compatible web site?
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Need a new website? Creating a website takes some work, but should be a very straight forward process. Here are the some of the most common questions asked by clients. More info.
