Web Development Services
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Design & Development
At Techarana we work with businesses and organizations of all sizes to either create their first website or overhaul an existing site. Our team of developers and designers can incorporate your needs into a highly engaging website that’s both dynamic in performance and visually appealing to your visitors. Websites developed by Techarana are also mobile friendly and secure to provide the best experience to your visitors.
Our Process:
We start by listening to your needs and learning about your organization or business. We take into account all of the things you offer and do a deep dive into researching things like your target audience, your competitors, and ways to provide solutions for efficient workflows.
After compiling a detailed ‘wish list’ of items and features you would like to include on your site, we typically provide several package options. The goal at this stage is to provide you with a range of solutions at different budget levels, or to create a long term plan to add more features on a timeline that mirrors your growth projections.
Every business is unique and because most business leaders would prefer to have a custom website over a cookie cutter template, no two projects like this will be the same. So while the end results will be vastly different, there are some site structures and features which many of our clients find appealing in the early planning stages.
Popular Website Packages:
The 5 page informational website:
These types of websites are popular for a few reasons. They are a simple, yet effective way to create a foundation on the web while working with a relatively low starting budget. When configured correctly from the beginning, they can be easily upgraded with additional content and features over time.
A Typical 5 Page Website Might Look Something Like This:
The Home Page:
The Home Page serves as an overview of your organization at a glance. Because this is the first page that most visitors will see, an effort is made to make a great first impression. Each section of the Home Page serves as a preview of the other pages to entice users to click through to those pages based on what interests them. The result is partly a table of contents and an appetizer of more content.
About Page:
Sometimes called the “Who We Are” page, an About Page may focus on things like the founder and team members, a mission statement or philosophy. The About Page can also talk about how things got started or the journey of forming the business, or simply a brief outline of your offerings and who you serve. This page is a great way to showcase your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) so you can set yourself apart from potential competitors or offer a secondary reason for the visitor to engage with you.
Services / Products Page:
Sometimes called “What We Do”, this is really the heart of your business and essential to your conversion rate (converting traffic into action). Here is where we present your services, products, or reason to donate in the case of non-profits.
Depending on what you do and what your goals are, this page will be tailored specifically to showcase your offerings with popular items usually taking a prominent place at the top, followed by secondary and tertiary items listed further down the page. To ensure the less prominent sections of the page will still get views, we embed link anchors which can open the page directly to these sections and also link these to other parts of the website to ensure they get adequate exposure.
Example of a Services Page.
(In this case an insurance brokerage)
Gallery / Testimonial Page:
The actual title of this page will also vary from site to site, but some popular examples are “Why Choose Us”, “Work With Us”, “Our Projects”, “Examples” or it might simply be titled “Gallery”. A common goal of a page like this is to show examples of what you do in an effort to back up your claims. For example a construction company can talk about their ability to build or remodel houses in the Services page, but here they can show specific examples of previous projects. A Dentist might list the different types of veneers they offer, but this page would include before and after photos of people’s smiles.
This type of page is also a great place to feature some positive reviews and testimonials with links to your listing on platforms such as Yelp, Google, or even Facebook. This serves to bolster your claims with verifiable accounts of other’s experience with you. It’s a modern day equivalent to word of mouth advertising.
Contact / ‘Book Now’ Page:
These types of pages are so common that users will expect this to be part of the standard navigation menu. A basic function of a Contact page will typically list a phone number, email address, and mailing address. Contact forms are often found on a contact page as well as the option to book a meeting or appointment. Depending on your specific needs, other forms can be incorporated into several pages of the site as well. For example, if you offer services that differ in price based on several variables, a form to “Get A Quote” can be created to ask your visitors for more information upfront. These types of forms are a great way to get the process started before your first direct interaction with a new lead.
The 5-10 Page Website:
Let’s face it, people want answers and information quickly when they’re searching the web and our attention span is much shorter compared to previous generations. This effectively means that few people are willing to scroll down a website very far before they’re looking for somewhere else to click.
For this reason we caution against trying to make 5 long pages when breaking things up into 8-10 shorter pages might serve you better. There are several strategies we can utilize when doing this.
Using ‘Parent’ and ‘Child’ Pages For Quicker Access To Sub-Categories
Services / Products Subcategories:
Let’s say you have an online store E-commerce website that sells a range of products. There’s undoubtedly ways to group the items you sell and divide these up into different pages. This would allow users to more quickly find the products they might be interested in.
Earlier we used the example of a Insurance Broker’s website. Here too it might be advantageous to have services subcategorized into services like Auto, Home Owners, Marine, Motorcycle, Motorhome, etc. Of course this can be applied to many different types of organizations and businesses. Structurally, the way this is typically applied in the website’s header navigation is to have a “Parent” page (IE Services), and then the subcategory, “Child” (IE Service 1, Service 2, etc) pages are nestled below and become visible when the cursor is hovering on the Parent title. Additionally, these Child pages will have links from the Home page and the Parent page. Most people are already familiar with this type of site structure and will find this intuitive.
Membership Websites:
Providing users with the opportunity to create an account is a great way to extend exclusive content and build brand loyalty. Depending on what it is you are offering, this can include things like a members only area with proprietary information, webinars, or user specific details related to billing and the products/services they’ve signed up for. User account pages are also a handy way to show a client any updates to a long term project.
Let’s look at a few examples of sites with a Membership Area.
Coaching & Mentoring providers can incorporate members only exclusive content which is either placed on a separate page, or interlaced with other pages. One way to entice visitors into joining the ranks of members is to show previews of the exclusive content, but hold back the full delivery of content with a “pay-wall” which requires a user to sign in to view the full content. This can also be enhanced with different membership levels such as “Standard, Advanced, and Premium”. Appointments to speak with the coach one-on-one can also be restricted to members in general or reserved for higher level members.
Real Estate Websites are another example where membership might provide exclusive privileges. In this case, the Real Estate Agent or Broker could announce new properties that are available anywhere from 24-72 hours before their site shows the listing to the average user. In this scenario, exclusive showings can be arranged before the general public is invited to a general open house event.
Online shops and E-commerce websites will usually require an account before any transaction can be completed. So while this may not be seen as a ‘Membership’ type of website as the previous examples, much of the structure is handled in the same way from a technical standpoint. By requiring users of the site to sign up and confirm their details, we can create a secure portal for people to provide details like their shipping address and personal preferences. At the same time, their order history will be available for them to view. Suggestions for other products can also be served up to each user based on items they have viewed, purchased, or are related to their history.
FAQ page
People are naturally curious and come to a website looking for answers and information. At the same time, visitors to a site are often reluctant to make initial contact to ask a question if they don’t find the answers they were looking for. The solution to this of course, is to create an FAQ page. In some cases, an FAQ section can be added to another page if it isn’t too long already. Overall page size can also be shortened by using an expandable accordion format. This way the questions are visible, and the answers are minimized until the user taps on a question that relates to them.
Blog / Resource page
By creating articles related to your industry, you provide answers to questions people may have and distinguish yourself as an expert in your field. The term “blog” gets used to refer to many things. When the idea of blogs were first introduced, they were most often used as a newsletter full of updates, or for some it was a journal that others could read. In the business arena, we tend to use these articles to inform, but also to add many keywords that people search for on google. When done correctly and consistently, these articles will be a huge boost to your website's SEO scores to drive more traffic to your site.
The structure of a page like this is to create a listing grid that showcases all of your articles at a glance. Then each article is created as a post with its own page and links to related articles. These can be designed with a template, or customized individually depending on your preferences.
The structure of a page like this is to create a listing grid that showcases all of your articles at a glance. Then each article is created as a post with its own page and links to related articles. These can be designed with a template, or customized individually depending on your preferences.
Location Pages:
Enterprises with more than one location may choose to create a separate landing page for each of their offices, and then nestle them as child pages under one parent category in the navigation bar. These landing pages have the advantage of serving as a mini website for each location which allows the local team to use it as a link in their outreach and marketing efforts. Visitors who follow their link will also see the larger website as well.
Popular Features and Elements.
If you have spent any time looking at websites, you will probably be familiar with different elements used in modern web design. Some things are used so frequently that they have become a staple of web developers, but trends change and what was once considered “cool”, feels more like “cringe” a few years later. Do you remember the early websites of the early 2000’s with all those animated GIF’s? Pretty funny by today’s standards, right?
Here are a few examples of some features we get asked for or find useful:
Popups:
Before you roll your eyes, we are not suggesting those annoying popups that bombard you when you land on a site or hover over the back button. Those types of unsolicited popups may possibly improve conversion rate, but it’s at the cost of the user experience in our opinion. Therefore we suggest the use of selective popups that are triggered by a user action such as clicking a button. This type of popup can save on overall page length and focus the visitors attention by darkening the rest of the screen. This is perfect for something like a Contact or Quote form, or Promotion details.
CRM Integration:
Customer Relationship Management comes in many forms with countless options from 3rd party platforms. Most of the CRM software available will be subscription based with different tiers of amenities. If you’re already working with a premium CRM software, it’s very likely that they offer some type of integration for your website or domain. In this case, we can embed that into your site or sync the results from a form with your CRM database.
For businesses without the need for a formal CRM or those looking to avoid the extra overhead of a monthly fee, we can provide several options with no or very low additional subscription fees. What this looks like for specific organizations will vary greatly from case to case, but we’re happy to provide you with a few options to find a solution that fits your needs.
Appointment Scheduling Tools & Booking Forms:
Scheduling Appointments
Finding a time to meet that works for 2 or more parties can be time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. If you offer consultations, appointments, or just need to schedule follow up meetings, an appointment scheduling tool integrated with your website is a great feature to offer your visitors and clients. You simply list the normal hours that you’re available and when someone wants to schedule a meeting, they can choose the date and time that works for them.
Additionally, if you charge a fee for your time, users of your site can be required to pay in advance before their appointment is confirmed. If you maintain a calendar with something like Outlook or Google, these can also be synced to prevent yourself from becoming double booked for a given time slot.
Booking tools work similarly to appointment setting systems.
However Booking systems are usually geared towards something with a longer duration. This might apply to booking a rental, professional sessions that last a half / full day, or events. There are many businesses which are often interested in a booking system. Some of them include, but are certainly not limited to: Hotels, Vacation rentals, Charter Boats/Busses, Event and Party rentals, Conference/Convention spaces, etc.
Much like an appointment setting system, booking systems can be configured to take payments or deposits when the booking is made. This automation streamlines the process for the customer and saves time from staff members having to handle this interaction manually.
Visitor Databases & Subscribers:
Although this might be combined with a larger CRM system, keeping a list of visitor data is another productive feature to include in a website. Because privacy laws prevent anyone from collecting specific user data without their consent, the options for collecting visitor data generally takes two paths:
User Supplied data and general Visitor Statistics:
User supplied data can be stored anytime a visitor leaves a comment, sends a message, becomes a member, or signs up for updates. This will often include some type of contact details such as a phone number or email and is a great marketing tool for promotions and campaigns.
Visitor Statistics can be delivered in a report as well as stored in a database. While this won’t identify a person by name, address, or provide contact details, it’s incredibly useful when analyzing the effectiveness of marketing aimed at a certain location or demographic. This data can also show the behavior of visitors such as the click through rate, pages visited, how someone found your page, or the overall conversion rate of traffic to sales / contact / donations, etc.
Live Chat Windows:
When done tastefully, a live chat window can be a great way for visitors to make contact or ask a question. In many cases, an automated chatbot can start the conversation and handle some of the Frequently Asked Questions. The option to speak to a real person is something that most people will appreciate though. These instant message windows can assign the conversation to select members of the team or to a 3rd party call center depending on your needs and budget.
At the same time, too many websites rely upon aggressive popup chat windows trying to connect you to a chatbot. Users of your site won’t be fooled into thinking this is a real person (even if it shows a human profile photo and a name). Most of us understand that AI will start the chat, but we expect that eventually a real person will jump into the ‘call’ and give us specific answers to our questions. If you’re going to offer a chat window at all, we highly suggest transparency and the ability to eventually connect to another live person.
Countdown timers:
Promoting an event? Offering a special deal? These are just two examples of when a countdown timer might be beneficial on your website. By letting people know that there is a limited time to act, you create a sense of urgency and appeal to visitors FOMO. This tactic has been proven to increase conversion rates even when used often and repeatedly.
CALL To Action:
By adding a few Call To Action buttons, you’re providing a way to cut to the chase for visitors that are ready to proceed. CTAs such as Call Now, Sign Up, Book Now, and Get A Quote are a simple but effective way to boost conversion rates because there’s nothing more frustrating for users of a website than not getting what they want immediately.
Trust Badges & Icons:
The Better Business Bureau is a classic sign of a reputable business and instantly recognizable to visitors of a website. Other common trust badges include Yelp, Google Business Listing, AAA, Trust Pilot, Paypal verified, and the Chamber of Commerce for local businesses. Beyond these general organizations, showing a list of logos that are industry specific or are trusted local establishments can ensure people know about your organization's partnerships at a glance. Likewise, any awards or certifications that apply to your business can be showcased in a trust badge area with links to the associated website in general or your company's profile on that platform. For example, if you display the BBB, Yelp, or Google icon on your site, we suggest that icon is also a link to your profile with corresponding reviews. People are naturally wary of online retailers and unverified websites, so this feature is an effort to show that if others have entrusted you, they can as well.
Website Security:
As Cybersecurity professionals, you can be sure we add security features to both websites we develop as well as the existing websites of our clients. We do this by installing things like an SSL certificate, utilizing proprietary code to prevent hacking, and employing monitoring software to send alerts if any red flags are triggered. Additionally, we create your admin access and email logins with strong credentials. Of course we have a few other tricks up our sleeves, but we’re not going to list them publicly.
Mobile Compatibility and Accessibility:
Mobile use of the web now exceeds desktop/laptop views overall. Furthermore, Google analyzes sites on a mobile first basis when assigning SEO scores. So it’s really important that your website functions in a mobile layout as well as it would on a full size screen. This means that some aspects of the website design might need to be simplified, restructured, or configured to be optimized for a mobile layout. When Techarana develops your website, this is planned from the start and we test the compatibility of the site on several mobile devices to confirm everything looks and performs as it should.
Websites also need to be accessible for people with disabilities. Typically this refers to the visually impaired, but can also apply to important sections with mixed media which may need closed captions for the hearing impaired as well. Our process includes adding Alt Text to images which don’t normally display, but are available for devices that have been configured for users with disabilities.
Are you ready to get started?
Web Design and Development is a large and extensive topic.
We’ve covered some of the popular site designs and layouts here. Of course there are always many more options when it comes to developing a website that appeals to your target audience with features and options which work to enhance your sales or conversion rates.
At Techarana, we are committed to giving you something truly unique that will connect with your visitors as well as rank highly in terms of SEO. We look forward to hearing about your organization or brand so we can incorporate your vision into a home on the web that will engage your users and create even more brand loyalty.