Imagine you’re walking down a street, looking in the windows of all the stores. Some are exciting and make you want to go in. Some tell a story of what you might find inside the store. Some are dusty and neglected. Some have not changed their display for so long that the sunlight has bleached out the products and made the book covers curl up like dried leaves. Some of them make you laugh, some are gimmicky and cheesy, some make you smile, and some even make you think.
Every design tells a story
Websites are virtual store fronts. The best ones tell a story of who you are and why your business is unique. Why should people choose your product or service? What are your values?
Have a look at these two displays of cakes. The first one is all bright colours and shiny icing. The second one has more of a hipster vibe, with vintage crates and slate trays. The two displays are conveying quite different messages. The first one has an emphasis on cleanliness, the second one is more about character and atmosphere.
Now let’s imagine the websites that these two bakeries might have. The first one might have predominantly pink and pastel colours, with a bright, fresh look to it.
The second one would have more of a moody mocha colour scheme, to emphasize that this is a bakery where you can sit in a corner with a coffee and discuss medieval architecture for hours.
You might want to visit either of them, depending on mood, but notice how the style of the website gives you a hint of what to expect from the vibe of the bakery / café.
What story does your website tell?
When I was six years old, I wanted to be a window display designer. I loved walking along the street and looking at window displays. I still do. Because of my love of visual design, I think my motivation for building websites is secretly driven by this early ambition.
Your website should reflect the vibe you want to get across to your customers and clients. That’s why websites designed by a real human who can work with you to get across the messages and values you want to emphasize will win out over cookie cutter websites from templates, or the slightly eerie effect produced by AI tools.
When I build your website, I will work with you to develop user personas of your prospective customers, user stories to capture their unique journeys, and how we can craft your content to showcase your products and services in the best possible way.
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