Blog Designer News

For my first post here on Blog Designer (and I want to thank Kelly for the opportunity of being a guest blogger here!) I thought I would talk about the ‘heart of blog design’.

I’m not talking about setting up a standard blog.  When I talk about site design, I’m talking about a fully customized site that reflects our clients unique nature.  To be able to create a site that truly provides a feel for the business and that visitors will connect with, is a truly great thing.

When a client approaches and asks me to help them ‘get their business online’, I’m often asked to make recommendations on designs for them.  This is not something that I will do at first…. I ask them to tell me what they want.

Let me explain…. A business will generally have their own colors, graphics and objectives for the site, the experience they want their visitors to have and so on.  If they don’t – they should have and I see it as my role to lead and guide them through this path of discovery.

A great site designer will take time to get to know their client and the clients business.  This is necessary to be able to create a design that is uniquely theirs.

Only when we understand the objectives that our clients have for their site and the overall visitor experience they want to create, should we start looking at designs and layouts.

I work closely with a Graphic Designer – yes, I am graphically challenged and couldn’t draw a straight line if I wanted to.  However, I am very capable in being able to take a clients requirement and translate that to my Graphic Designer and create the site my client is looking for.

When I have the clients requirements documented, then I start to discuss site layout and design.  At this point I ask them to show me sites that they like and sites that they hate – and to tell me why.  This provides a greater understanding of the client and their requirements.

Sometimes it is necessary to consult with the client and explain why one layout or feature could be a detriment to their site.  With all the ‘whiz bang’ stuff out there, bells and whistles so to speak, it is easy to be dazzled by how ‘neat’ something is.  If I don’t believe that a certain feature or layout is appropriate, I will explain why to my client – but… it is their site and if they really want that feature, then I’ll include it.

To me, the ‘heart of blog design’ is about understanding your clients needs and unique features, and creating something ‘just for them’.

How do you approach a site design for your clients?  Share your thoughts.

Charly

About the Author:  I'm a business woman with over 20 years experience in the IT Industry. I am a 'tech' - yes, I used to get my hands dirty - but turned to business management during that time due to my ability to translate business requirements to 'tech speak' and vice versa. I approach web services work from a holistic point of view. As I have a strong business background as well as technical background, my aim is to help people map their online presence to their business processes ensuring that the website is an enabler and supporting the business rather than determining the direction of the business. Find out more about my services at Ask Charly Leetham or Follow Me On Twitter