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The Internet is a valuable marketing tool for your business.  After five years of professionally designing websites I have come to the conclusion that there are certain elements that can make or break a website’s design, appearance, and performance.  I plan to discuss these elements in a series of articles.

1. Logo
The first important design element of your website is your logo, or branding. The logo represents your company to the utmost, since in addition to your website, it should be seen on signs, business cards, letterheads, etc. A good logo should communicate the entire feel of your company to your viewers at first glance.  A poor logo design can misrepresent your business as outdated, cheap, or illegitimate, while a well designed logo can make your business appear more professional, and established.  Logo design is a critical key to an aesthetic and professional website. Many graphic designers, including myself, offer logo creation and updating services at reasonable cost which will be well worth the investment. 

2. Photos
The second important element to take into consideration is photography.  Being experienced in the hospitality industry, I see the difference quality photographs make for websites.  Your photographs show what you have to offer, and poor quality photographs can reflect poorly on your goods and services. Good photographs share a couple of components—high resolution, and interesting subject.  Resolution deals with the quality of the photograph as it is enlarged; meaning higher resolution allows the photograph to be enlarged to greater extent without blurring or pixilation.  The photographs should also be well staged, well lit, and clean of clutter. While professional photography is ideal for maximizing website appearance, it can be an expensive service. If a professional photographer is not the solution for you, there are other options. 

If you plan to take your own photographs, I strongly recommend using a digital camera with a minimum of 5 megapixels on the highest setting. So many times, I have had clients come in with photos taken at the lowest resolutions and smallest size settings and I cannot use them. I have also gathered some articles that offer guidance on taking quality photographs.

Tips for taking better photos:
Photography rule of thirds
HP Photography Tips

Part 2 coming soon!