Hello!

 

What do you think?

A webdesigners portfolio/services website must have blog integrated or not?

How do you see the idea of having a blog inside your porfolio website and post useful information for your future customers? Does a blog makes less professional a web designer's website?

A blog never makes a site unprofessional.. infact it helps in seo if u keep writing fresh content often

 

so if u wish to have a blog or not is entirely up to u.. if u can write quality contents.. then why not?

The key is writing quality content, were a lot of developer blogs go wrong is they try and pass off the impression that they are an expert even if they are just starting out. I think the best way to go is to blog about your learnings and interesting things you come across rather than trying to be a how-to guide when you yourself are learning.

 

As said a blog will help your SEO and if done in the right way will give a reason for your visitors to return.

The key is writing quality content, were a lot of developer blogs go wrong is they try and pass off the impression that they are an expert even if they are just starting out. I think the best way to go is to blog about your learnings and interesting things you come across rather than trying to be a how-to guide when you yourself are learning.

 

As said a blog will help your SEO and if done in the right way will give a reason for your visitors to return.

 

A blog never makes a site unprofessional.. infact it helps in seo if u keep writing fresh content often

 

so if u wish to have a blog or not is entirely up to u.. if u can write quality contents.. then why not?

In fact here where i am and live i would say the hardest part of selling webdesign to clients is to make the understand that they need a website, because obviously it would be very beneficial for their business. Make them understand what websites are about how all this "new technology" (for them..) would help them grow and make better marketing for their business. Besides the services that i will post in my future page i would use the blog to post useful information so they can learn and hopefully contact me for a deal. I don't want just to visit my website stay 2 minutes and say "oh they design websites, no big deal!" and leave. I want to make them stay longer and read interesting and useful content in my website so they memorize my brand and maybe in the future when they need a website come back to me. But, i don't know yet if it is a good idea or no... Here in my country as far as i know no other webdesign studio is using blog, they all have static content websites (maybe because their studios are big enough and don't need a blog to bring more customers).... and sometimes doing something special like no other did might hurt your start-up. What do you think? How you see my point of view? Do suggest any changes to the idea??

Many Thanks for your responses!

Edited October 30, 201411 yr by dorianq

The key to convincing potential clients is the promise of conversion. Clients don't care for flashy websites. Conversion is almost all they care about. Focus on why getting you to create them a website will generate them more money. Blogging about this kind of stuff should get them interested. That said you have to make sure your websites do indeed convert and there are many factors at play when it comes to online conversion.

The key to convincing potential clients is the promise of conversion. Clients don't care for flashy websites. Conversion is almost all they care about. Focus on why getting you to create them a website will generate them more money. Blogging about this kind of stuff should get them interested. That said you have to make sure your websites do indeed convert and there are many factors at play when it comes to online conversion.

 

What do you mean "conversion"? The conversion of the money they pay for the website for what they get in return (like more money)?

Conversion as in when getting visitors to your clients sites to buy something or register or download -- whatever the purpose of the website is.

I would suggest to keep blog page in our home page, and do allow others to comment on your posts.

The key to convincing potential clients is the promise of conversion. Clients don't care for flashy websites. Conversion is almost all they care about.

 

Normally I completely agree with your posts but I have an issue here! Just look at the number of sites with big sliders/carousels as the most eye-catching element on the homepage, even though these have been shown to be terrible for conversion!! How to square this (and the previous flash craze) with clients only caring about conversion and not flashy sites?

 

Normally I completely agree with your posts but I have an issue here! Just look at the number of sites with big sliders/carousels as the most eye-catching element on the homepage, even though these have been shown to be terrible for conversion!! How to square this (and the previous flash craze) with clients only caring about conversion and not flashy sites?

 

I'm not entirely what point you're making? You say that sliders are bad for conversion (they are) but then talk about squaring them with clients who care about conversion rates. Why would you try to force one on a client when you know they're pointless?

 

Can you clarify your answer?

 

I'm not entirely what point you're making? You say that sliders are bad for conversion (they are) but then talk about squaring them with clients who care about conversion rates. Why would you try to force one on a client when you know they're pointless?

 

Can you clarify your answer?

 

Sure! rbrtsmith said that "Clients don't care for flashy websites. Conversion is almost all they care about.", which I find very difficult to reconcile with the number of flashy websites out there! Clients ultimately decide how their sites look, and if conversion actually was all they cared about, they wouldn't have paid for a flashy website with a big carousel to bounce visitors away! Maybe they just don't appreciate that flashy websites tend to be conversion killers??

I see what you're saying. As designers I'd argue that we should be persuading clients to opt out of flashiness, especially as websites are marketing tools. If a site is covered in bells and whistles that do nothing to convert, they should be dropped, even if it does look nice.

 

I was speaking to a client recently who showed me a sneak peek of a demo site he's having designed/built by someone and he himself said straight away "What's the point of that slider at the top, people just scroll past it. And all the transitions look like a Powerpoint slideshow", which is true. He thought it was pointless but wanted a second opinion.

 

Often I think clients wanting X, Y and Z on their sites is because their competitors have it, or more likely, the designer was just lazy.

 

Sure! rbrtsmith said that "Clients don't care for flashy websites. Conversion is almost all they care about.", which I find very difficult to reconcile with the number of flashy websites out there! Clients ultimately decide how their sites look, and if conversion actually was all they cared about, they wouldn't have paid for a flashy website with a big carousel to bounce visitors away! Maybe they just don't appreciate that flashy websites tend to be conversion killers??

 

Yes of course clients want the websites to look good, but conversion is the no1 priority no matter which way you look at it. And you'll find the bigger the client the less 'flashy' the website becomes. Google for instance haves one of the most simple UI's around, whereas back in the day all of it's competitors websites were comparably very cluttered. It succeded in part because it gave it's visitors a clear goal. The problem with a lot of flashy websites is that these animations and extra graphics can distract the user from their intended purpose which will reduce conversion.

If animations are to be used they should be there to aid with the conversion process and not hinder it in anyway. Just because a lot of sites are doing it doesn't make it correct.

 

We have been very sucessful in gaining clients through specialising in conversion. If you own a business your goal is to make money from it. You would always go with a website that is more likely to generate your business greater revenue. (Of course not at the expense of damaging your brand through conversion by deceving, which we do not do.)

Edited December 3, 201411 yr by rbrtsmith

Completely agree about Google and I'd even say they went too far as there's no tagline to explain what exactly they're searching, but it's big G so they can get away with it! Lots of big clients haven't the same philosophy though, for example check out Chevrolet (http://www.chevrolet.com/) which I came across recently. I'd really like anyone to explain to me how they came up with that mess if conversion was a priority for the design!

Completely agree about Google and I'd even say they went too far as there's no tagline to explain what exactly they're searching, but it's big G so they can get away with it! Lots of big clients haven't the same philosophy though, for example check out Chevrolet (http://www.chevrolet.com/) which I came across recently. I'd really like anyone to explain to me how they came up with that mess if conversion was a priority for the design!

 

Car companies spend a lot of money marketing their products across a range of media. Chances are you're not going to buy one of their cars simply after visiting their site.

 

Customers probably already have an idea in their mind about what they want, which model, age, etc, after seeing a TV ad, and they will go to the site to look over the details/compare makes and model, before they eventually head off to the dealership to buy one.

 

 

That single post alone tells me you're doing everything wrong in relations of web design.

 

I'm all for sliding banners, carousels as long as they help achieve a client's business aims.

 

 

Say a client had an aim for more people to download their PDF. If some kind of convoluted carousel helped that, then I'm all for it. You should be advising client what is best for for site, in order to meet their needs. Not, just blindy doing what they say.

 

You say "Clients ultimately decide how their sites look" - that is frankly scary and I feel for any company you may work on behalf of. Client should certainly have an input into the site, but it is the designer whoi should be creating the site that best meets the client's business goals.

 

Just because you see a lot of "flashy sites" out there does not mean it is good. It just says there are a lot of crap of web designers out there, who are not correctly servicing their clients. hell, why I am moaning, carry on what you guys are doing. Ultimately, your client will "bounce" (see what I did there?) and use a company that has their aims in mind.

 

Think of it all from a client perspective - if the site is not doing anything, then why have it there in the first place?

 

Happy clients, with sites that convert, frequently come back for more work

 

Spot on.

One my client said recently: "I think its all about how comfortable visitors will feel himself on site". I mean comfortable colors, usability etc for creating good mood. Its like shopping One shop can be like VIP but you want to go out. Another shop can be less modern but you want to stay inside for long time. Designer should create good feelings for visitors and shopping via site should be in "one click" - easy. Visitors want to find information in a few seconds and do it in easy way. They don't want to find mess with lots of creative details:)

 

By the way - why www.chevrolet.com has a mess?

I think its pretty good. Modern flat below, big car at the top. When i want to buy car i want at first to see my lovely car. Its like a big poster on the street. Its ad:)

 

Really mess here https://www.mercedes-amg.com/home.php?lang=eng

This site has a huge gap below! And front-end-developer doesn't care about it.

Edited December 12, 201411 yr by fleur