Web Design

New Zealand Web Design

Learn how your business can make the most of the Internet with effective New Zealand Web design and development. Find out how to plan your Web site, choose a domain name, create great content and promote sites online.

• Web Design
• Web Hosting
• Web Promotion

New Zealand Web design teams offer site design and development services designed to launch your business into cyberspace. A strong Web site design can do wonders for your business, bringing new customers to your door and ensuring that Web-savvy consumers find your business online.

New Zealand businesses are reliant on the Internet for day to day operations and the promotion of their products or services. Although the initial cost of New Zealand Web design can seem high, it's worth finding a reputable and experienced design team with knowledge of the Internet. A good web design company will give you some input into the design process, but should offer expert advice on layout, design, colour and navigation. Quality New Zealand Web designers will help you create a site that is attractive and commercially effective. Here are some tips for creating a Web site design that works:

• Plan what you want to achieve with your site
  Having a clear idea what you want your site to do for your business will give you something useful to present when you meet with your Web design team. Make a list of goals, prioritising objectives and setting objectives which can be measured. You can refer back to this later to assess the effectiveness of your site.

• Choose a domain name
  Register a domain name for your business. This should be catchy and as short as possible, while still describing your company. Don't get too complicated with this name, as you will often tell potential and existing clients your Web address over the phone. A good way to come up with a New Zealand domain name is to brainstorm with your team and create a list of possible names. Give this to your Web designer or check the availability of your chosen names through a domain name registration site.

• Incorporate your Web site in your company's brand
  Once your Web site is developed, it will become part of your company or organisation's image in the marketplace. As an integral part of your brand, your Web address will need to be printed on your business cards, newsletters and letterhead. You may even wish to include your site's address on company vehicles, in print advertising and on displays or signage.

  Your Web designer's work should be consistent with your existing brand (unless you are having a complete overhaul). To ensure a fit between your Website and other marketing material, you will be asked to provide samples of business cards, brochures and advertising campaigns.
  

• Sort out your site's content
  Using your list of goals or objectives as a guide, make a basic plan of your site. How do you envisage your site's navigation working? How many pages do you need? Put yourself in the shoes of a visitor to your site – try to make it as intuitive and straightforward as possible for people to get essential information about what you offer. Your Web designer will be able to assist with detailed planning of your site, but make sure you think through the navigation of your site and consider ways in which you can make visitors spend more time on your site, find useful information and take up what you have to offer!

  As for the words which fill the pages of your site, you will be largely responsible for providing this material. If you provide your own written material, make sure it clearly communicates what your business provides in the way of products and services. Ensure all copy is thoroughly proofread and edited. Alternatively, if you don't feel confident, ask your Web design team if they can provide the services of a copywriter.

  Web usability experts maintain that people do not read Web pages thoroughly. Instead, they will skim-read the information, taking in headings and subheadings, but not looking closely at large blocks of text. It is a good idea to write in a clear style, avoiding long blocks of text. Create effective Web site design by breaking up your page with bullet points, subheadings and graphics.

  Remember that people will not always arrive at the home page of your site, so it is important that each page make sense on its own. Let visitors know where they are and provide an easy way to return to the homepage.

• Make a scene!
  When your site 'goes live' and your business can be accessed from anywhere in the world, make sure that your existing clients know about it. Also think about how you will access all potential clients and include your online presence in other marketing material. Your site is just one of many (over 100,000 in New Zealand alone), so you will need to have a marketing strategy for your site. If you can afford some professional Web promotion or optimisation for your site, this is definitely worthwhile and more cost effective than traditional methods of advertising.

• Keep your site relevant and up to date
  It is likely that your site will require some updates or regular maintenance, so make sure you discuss this with your Web design team at the outset. It's important that you factor some kind of content management into your budget, so the information on your site remains relevant and up to date. There are also content management systems available which allow you to update the content of your site yourself.

Once you have your site up and running, take a moment to enjoy your entrance onto the global stage of the World Wide Web – the world in which your business exists just got a whole lot bigger. Your reach to the world increases with an online presence: a website can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere in the world. With this in mind, make sure that your site is useful, clear and well promoted, to ensure your virtual reach is as effective as possible.

Looking for more information? Find information on New Zealand Web design in the NZS.com directory.

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Business images from Flickr: Sky Tower, New Zealand Flag and Wellington Buildings.