Our latest RSM U webinar was all about YOU. Marketing Director and Senior Creative Lead Andrew Bayless and Web Designer/Developer Kyle Altenderfer answered questions generated by our audience about all things web.
This blog summarizes what they shared, so you don’t have to worry about missing this valuable web design and development information.
Q: What Is The Difference Between Web Design and Development?
Web design focuses on the front-end visuals of the site. It goes further than that to the site’s structure as well as the path that the website flows through. At RSM, we focus on creating lead funnels for our client’s websites that guide potential buyers along that path.
When you think about larger companies and their brands, your mind often goes to their website. Web design communicates your brand to your users.
Web development focuses on small details that have to do with coding in order to ensure the success of the features on your website. The development brings design ideas to life to ensure they function properly.
Web development focuses on more detailed aspects of user interaction to ensure that whatever visual elements that are incorporated into the site serve their proper purpose. For example, changing the size of a button is a “small detail” that could affect whether or not users engage with it in a meaningful way.
Q: What is a Website Builder?
It is an online platform that enables you to create a website without using code or spending money to invest into web development. Prices range from $10 to $300 a month, depending on whether it is a regular website or a website for e-commerce purposes.
Some of these platforms are more open-ended than others, while some offer users a template style format to guide them through the design process which serves to be incredibly user-friendly.
Q: How Important is Web Design?
Web design is an important component of your website. As previously mentioned, web design reinforces what you want people to associate with your brand. In addition to this, web design can play a key role in guiding users through your buying process.
When users visit your website, you are in control of what they do next. By focusing on design that moves people along the buying journey, users don’t need to wonder what the next step is.
Q: What Is RSM’s Approach To The User Experience?
RSM focuses on lead generation, meaning that our goal is to ensure our client’s websites are as efficient as possible. In a day and age where people are utilizing their phones to quickly find the best product or service, there is little time to waste when users visit your site.
Prompting them to take the next step within your website is critical to your website’s success and something we aim for in all of our client’s web projects.
Q: What Would Be The Purpose of Using An eCommerce Website Builder?
In order to understand why people would utilize an e-commerce website builder, you must first understand what details go into an eCommerce website.
One of the main differences between a regular website like a blog and an eCommerce website is the amount of pages eCommerce sites usually require. If you own a clothing company and offer 300 products, each of those products will likely require its own page.
With this being said, there are certain websites that offer eCommerce-style templates that will accommodate this need for a larger number of pages. If a business wants to create a more unique shopping experience or customize it in a specific way, that is when it might be time to hire an e-commerce web developer/designer.
Q: What Is Responsive Web Design? How Important Is It?
Also known as mobile-ready design, this focus ensures that your website is compatible and seamless with mobile devices. Mobile is a growing format in which users are viewing content, so tailoring your website to be compatible with mobile phones is just another way to ensure you’re delivering your content in a conveniently accessible way for your users.
Q: What Is a CMS?
A Content Management System (CMS) is designed to offer insight into your web content. As a publishing platform, these systems will often also allow you to view analytics about your content. The CMS we use at RSM is WordPress, which allows us a back-end view of our content, where we can edit content and review content’s performance.
I Want Help With My Site!
If this information sparked your interest in improving your current website or building a new one, we have the crew to help you out. Contact us today to learn more about what your website could look like with our help.
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The knowledge doesn’t stop here. RSM University provides access to free information and education that can add value to your business. To learn about future events and sign-up to attend, visit our registration page.
