Aartek Systems

I’m occasionally approached by someone who is interested in a career in web site design and wants to know where to begin. My approach to answering the question usually involves first defining different areas of specialty in web site development. These areas of specialization, and explanations, are as follows:

• Web development - many beginners use the terms “web design” and “web development” interchangeably. In fact, building a web site from scratch is a lot like building a house from scratch. Many subcontractors are needed to build the house, from plumbers to electricians to carpenters. Likewise, the construction of a web site, particularly a complex site, often requires many different specialists in a variety of programming or coding fields. The term “web development” is an all-encompassing term similar to “real estate development.” It includes every aspect of the web site construction process, from design through completion.
• Web design - this phrase refers specifically to the design aspect of building a web site. Again, using the home construction analogy, a “web designer” is technically like the architect of a building. He or she decides what the site will look like and how the various pieces, such as navigation bars, will function together. The designer may or may not be involved in actually writing the code that puts flesh on the design skeleton.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) - this is a part of the development process that few web designers are truly familiar with. It involves writing the code and content of the site in such a way as to make it more “authoritative” on a particular topic in the eyes of the various search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN.
• Search engine marketing - getting a site to rank well in the search engines is not accomplished solely by optimization. Other factors, such as link popularity, come into play. The phrase “search engine marketing” encompasses all of these and includes search engine optimization.
• HTML - the fundamental language of web pages. All novices MUST learn HTML if they are to ever be truly proficient at ANY of the web development specialties.
• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) - like HTML, this is a fundamental language of web pages. The difference is that HTML is focused primarily on organizing your content, while the primary purpose of CSS is to make your content visually appealing.

Any prospective student of web design or development should begin by learning the disciplines listed above, then proceed to more advanced specialties as needed.

Many business owners want their website to be eye-catching, but they often overlook other, equally important factors which determine not only the amount of traffic to your website, but the quality of that traffic and, ultimately, your conversion rate. Here are a few of those factors:

1. Your site is confusing. Eye-catching is one thing, but is it clear to a visitor where important information about your business is located? I frequently come across sites which fail to provide easy navigation schemes, thereby hindering my quest to find the information I’m looking for. Make sure your site makes sense and that everything is easy to find and follow.
2. You still have a site that plays background music. Newsflash: this was cool, oh, about fifteen years ago, back in the days when everything about the ‘net was new and exciting. In this day and age, with sites like Youtube, ESPN, etc. sound is no big deal. Visitors want sound when they want it; they don’t want it shoved in their faces when they visit your site.
3. Your text is illegible. I’m frequently amazed at the sites that feature text that is too small, light against a light background, or dark against a dark background. What are these people thinking? Sometimes, in our quest to get “design cute”, we can go overboard. Make sure visitors can read your text.
4. Your site opens with a flash intro. See item #2, above. Like background music, flash doesn’t “wow” anyone anymore; I personally find it to be more of a nuisance to get through than anything. As a matter of fact, it can hurt your search engine rankings. Lose it.

Allways remember: an ugly, but well-structured, easy-to-read website with few hindrances is better than a beautiful, flash-heavy, hard-to-navigate site. Fortunately you can have the best of both worlds. And after all, aren’t sales/conversions really what you’re after?

Aartek is pleased to announce a new partnership with Aaron Computers, based in Anderson, South Carolina. Aaron Computers is opening a branch service center at 111 Ashmore Bridge Road in Mauldin, South Carolina and will be handling all IT-related service requests formerly handled by Aartek. We are Aartek are focusing our efforts on web design and search engine optimization services, and Aaron Computers will be referring all such requests to us.

Aaron Computers has been in the IT service business since 1993 and has established a loyal following in Anderson County. After 15 years of excellence, they have decided to expand into the Greenville, Mauldin, and Simpsonville market. We welcome the move and look forward to working together.