The design and development of your website are the first things people will notice about you. If your website is professional and appealing, it will help people decide whether or not to do business with you. In this article, we’ll discuss a few frequently asked questions for a successful website design and development for your business.

Q: What is the difference between web design and web development?

A: Website design is a broad term that refers to everything involved with the visual aesthetics and usability of a website including information architecture, the color scheme, layout, and other visual aspects of functionality. It is concerned with how the user perceives and navigates your site on their computer screen or mobile device, and less about the mechanisms.

‍Website development, on the other hand, is all about the code that makes a website tick. There are two parts to it—the back-end and front-end. The front-end, also known as the client-end, is the code that determines how the website will actually display designs mocked by the designer. The back-end or server-side is responsible for managing data within the database and serving that data to the front-end.

A web designer is familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript which assist them in designing mock-ups of a web app when pitching ideas. Some of their skills include graphic design, logo design, and layout or format. They tend to work with services like WordPress which allows them to create websites using themes and widgets without coding.

A front-end developer's work often overlaps with the web designer. They are skilled in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Git, and Github among others.

A back-end developer uses the right technology to deliver the desired experience, look and feel for the final product. This is enabled with deep knowledge in UI/UX design.

Q: What are the steps to follow?

A: A great website design is a design that matches the overall strategy. You must offer more than just aesthetics. Take into consideration the business, product, and branding.

You can achieve a great design through the following simple steps:

• Identify your goal done through consulting the client.
• Understand the scope of work such as web pages, features.
• Sitemap and wireframe creation - define how the content and features will relate.
• Content creation keeping search engine optimization (SEO) in mind to help keep pages focused on a single topic.
• Once you have your content, identify the right visual elements to build on brand visibility.
• Test your site on a variety of browsers and devices, and guarantee that your site is user-friendly across all platforms.
• Launching your website is the final step. Once everything is working flawlessly, plan and execute your site launch.

Q: How do I create a professional eCommerce website?

A: Before the internet, starting a business was a difficult and time-consuming task. Now making your products available to consumers through e-commerce websites is so easy.The reason to sell your products on a website is before customers can purchase, they need a way to discover you. Plus, only selling from your store will limit the number of customers you get.

Other reasons include:

• People really do spend online.
• An eCommerce website is easier to build than a store.
• Convenience and safety.
• Your products will be discovered on search.
• People can buy anywhere using mobile.

Before building an eCommerce website you should ensure you have a domain and a website hosting plan. To get this service, contact us for more information. To begin with, choose your eCommerce website platform. Options to consider include WordPress, Magento, or website builders.

Then identify elements that will go into your website. Think of the functionality and organization best suited for you. Here are a few to guide you.

• Look at how your customers' shop.
• Include a search bar.
• A reviews section.
• A shopping cart.
• Wishlist functionality.

Different eCommerce website builders will have different final results, but you should always optimize your site. Finally, after your website is ready, it’s time to launch it. Check every page on your site for typos, broken links, or other errors. You can also run a few sample purchases to make sure the checkout process is smooth.