Playing the Match-Up Game
Web site designs these days are more diverse and individual than ever before, often incorporating animated Flash elements, professional photography and customized graphics to achieve a look and feel that is unique to a company. But there’s one particular design aspect that Web designers rarely maximize, and that is creating a solid graphical representation of a client’s facilities.
If your brick-and-mortar business looks distinctive and unique, your company could benefit from working key architectural or interior design elements into your Web site. After all, if your customers already associate your products or services with your physical location, why not reinforce that recognition with a Web site design that reflects it?
Designers who take the time to really understand your business will try to weave elements of your physical business into your virtual presence. Do you own a restaurant with a signature collection of antique plates adorning beautifully stuccoed walls? An observant designer will incorporate photos of the plates and the texture of the walls into the site to reflect the aesthetics of the restaurant itself.
Why is this so important? A great site design can make a person feel like they’ve been to your place of business before taking their first step through the door. They’ll pick up on the design cues on your site. Textures on your walls, marble floors, paintings hanging on the wall — if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Defining elements like this are easy to overlook in a Web site design, but are very important. Especially in terms of differentiating your company from competitors online.
This approach to design isn’t always appropriate, however. Take manufacturers, for example, or other businesses that create high-end products but run shop out of an expensive but unsightly factory. In those cases, your site should reflect your products or your industry. If you provide bottled water to offices in your area, your site should have fluid water effects built into it. One of our clients, Arkansas Urban Wildlife, who removes nuisance wild animals from urban homes, needed a Web site that would instantly remind users of the outdoors. So, we designed the site with an array of earthy tones accented by hints of bark, grass, and other natural elements. The site has been very successful and has helped AUWC become a highly visible local leader in its field.
If you’ve made an investment in the design of your physical location, consider carrying over the look to the site itself. The textures and décor that make your offices or restaurant or building so memorable can help make your Web site unforgettable as well.
