What makes a website great?

 

At Off-Center, we start with strategy.

We deliver websites that connect, designs that complement, and marketing that works.

Great! But… how?

First things first, we’ve got to clear up your messaging. Whether you’re new to the game or you’ve been in business for half a century, discovering exactly who your target customer is and what problem you can specifically solve for them is the key to any successful marketing campaign.

And… action!

Once you unlock the key to success, we have to put it into action. We’ll start by wireframing out your website. Ahem, jargon much? Sorry… here:

wire•frame

/ˈwī(ə)rˌfrām/ • noun
a set of images which displays the functional elements of a website or page, typically used for planning a site’s structure and functionality

Right, so we start with a wireframe, and boldly declare all of the text elements and design features that will go on your website.

Implementation

After we’re happy with the messaging and the strategy (aka wireframe), you get to sit back and relax while the OCD team brings it all to life online.

SEO

Google makes over 500 changes every year to its algorithm to adjust for changes in technology, user trends, scammers, those trying to game the system, and more. Off-Center Design stays on top of updates, but none of them change the approach. Why? Because her approach is to use only the best white-hat practices to build your website so it will receive the best rank organically possible. Her approach is timeless.

Do you need a website?

Still on the fence about whether or not your business really needs a website? Or maybe you’re wondering if it’s time for a new website? Ask yourself:

• Are you on the internet?
• Is your website mobile responsive?
• Does your website clearly identify how you can solve your customers’ problems?
• Is your website SEO (search engine optimization) friendly?
• Is your website costing your money, or raking in sales?

If you’re not sure of the answer to any of these questions, then it’s time to talk to Annie. If your website is not performing for you, the Off-Center Design team can help.

If your business is not online yet, it’s time. Putting your business online is many times the only way local customers will find you. It’s like listing your business in the phone book, but with a much better chance of connecting with a customer than a simple listing. If you have a business that serves customers across the country or around the globe, then it is vital to create an online storefront for your business. A website is a living, breathing representation of your business.

If you do not have a web presence for your business, and your competition does, who do you think potential customers are going to call? Your online competitor. And why is that? Because most people these days turn to Google, Duck Duck Go, Yahoo!, and Bing to look up phone numbers and company information. That’s why phone books are obsolete—very few people use them!

WordPress with Genesis Framework

WordPress websites are the industry standard. Why? Because if built properly, the finished product is SEO-friendly, easy to use, easy to update, mobile responsive, cleanly coded, and as customized and unique as you’d like.

Any possible feature you can think of that you’d like on your website has most likely been thought of and created using what’s called a plugin. Each plugin is created to provide very specific functionality, and true to its name, it can be plugged in to a WordPress website and set up to deliver the specific functionality you were looking for.

Because industry-standard isn’t enough for Off-Center Design, they build on the Genesis Framework. It’s a step above, and it allows them to completely manipulate a site to deliver exactly what the customer needs, including a great user experience.

Focusing on What is Important

UX Designer

Annie is a UX (user experience) designer. She firmly believes that no matter how functional or technical a website is, it is a failure if the website visitor doesn’t have an easy or enjoyable experience. She brings 10 years of design experience to the table when it comes to building, arranging, and displaying information. Using design psychology, Annie designs with a strategy to lead the user through the site in a way that makes the most impact and provides you with the greatest opportunity to connect.

Additionally, she makes things look “pretty.” Because of her extensive design background, arranging information, graphics, and photos to be most pleasing to the eye is second nature to Annie. This adds to the user experience and helps the entire site flow together.

Content is King

All of Off-Center’s websites are built to be as SEO friendly as possible. This includes working with content writer and marketing strategist, Karen from KE Butterfield, on nearly all websites. Karen writes in a way that connects the dots between ideas and words, information and connection. She writes for humans and Google’s robots, helping each site to rank.

More importantly, she helps businesses make a connection with people through their content. Keyword stuffing is a thing of the past. Authenticity is what matters now. Show those search engines that you have valuable information for your clients, and you’ll move closer and closer to the top of that search engine list.

Photography

Photos make a website. They bring together the words, the layout, the graphics, the logo, and more. They put a face to you, your business, or your customers. Off-Center Design works with photographers in both Franklin County and St. Louis County, each with their own unique abilities to capture your business in just the right light. Having high-quality, professional photography completed for your site adds a polish that you have to see to believe.