Website development
Information on websites can quickly go out of date if you have a static site. If you have a catalogue of products that you wish to display, how do you update your site to show whether an item is in stock, or no longer available? What if you decide to change the prices? Do you want to ask your web designer to make hundreds of changes every week, just to keep your website up to date?
The easiest way to keep a site up to date, or provide more interactivity for your users, is to use dynamic web pages. A database driven website not only makes it easy for you to add new products and change existing information, but also makes it a more personal shopping experience for your customers.
Static web pages always look the same and the content never changes unless the page is manually changed and uploaded to the server. Dynamic pages, on the other hand can change every time they are viewed (without anyone making any alterations) and they can change their content based on what a user does, or wants to know.
Database driven dynamic sites
One of the most common types of dynamic web page is the database driven. This means that you have a web page that pulls information through from a database and inserts that information into relevant areas of the web page each time it is loaded. If the information stored in the database changes, the web page connected to it will also change accordingly and automatically.
To make online shopping or browsing a more personal experience, the database can be programmed to respond your customers each time they visit the website. This can be done in a number of different ways, one example being when the customer buys an item, they are presented with related items during, or on future shopping sessions. This facility provides customers with greater choice without them having to search for other comparative items e.g. when buying a CD by a particular artist, further suggestions are made of CD's by the same artist or in the same genre.
Such a shopping experience encourages your customers to return more frequently and builds their confidence in using your website. It also encourages the kind of impulse buying that occurs in traditional high street shops.
Other advantages are that hot new products can be promoted, items can be offered at sale prices, news about forthcoming events and images can be displayed on the homepage daily with the option to rotate them all at random.
We can create database driven websites and incorporate database driven functionality into existing sites. This can include:
- Online competitions
- Booking availability - airline, hotels etc
- Keep your customers up-to-date with special offers
- Add-up purchases and confirm the order
- Wish list
- Wedding lists
- Suggesting matching items
- Provide short examples from music tracks
- Subscription and Membership
- Notice board
- Newsletters
- Chat Rooms
- Forums
- Password Protected Areas
- E-Commerce Solutions
Flash websites
We believe that flashy animation and too much movement on a screen can be distracting and irritating to the user, not to mention occasionally confusing when used for navigation. Flash site design is not something we would normally recommend because of the additional time and expense, as well as other issues, such as search engine 'friendliness', accessibility and so on. Used sparingly however, it can be very effective as a highlighting tool, or to create additional interest.
If you would like to include some Flash elements in your site, please let us know.
Refresh your existing site
You may want to consider a complete redesign of your site if it is out of date, your colours and/or logo have changed, or you just want a new look.
We aim to provide an excellent service, consulting with you throughout the development process to ensure satisfactory completion of the project.
Often a website has not been successful in achieving good listings on search engines, or has not been attracting relevant customers and this can be due to a number of different reasons. If you feel that your website is not getting the results you want, call us for a free review and we will advise whether we can help.
Our aim is to build you a website, which is user friendly, easy to navigate, easy to update and most of all, cost effective. There are no restrictions on the look or layout of the pages, but we will discuss with you the issues of usability and functionality that may affect your choices.
Ok, so lets talk!
Whatever you want from your website, talk to us today and we'll help you turn your ideas into reality.
