neriKdesign
neriKdesign

Designing My New Website - Where Do I Start?

Thinking about your new website can be daunting. Some days you feel ready to launch yourself publicly, opening your very being to the welcome (or scrutiny) of others, other days - not so much.
website designing It's very important to take it all one step at a time, and to understand it is ok to change your mind along the way. Your website will grow and change as you do, it's an ongoing process.

I often tell clients to think about themselves as an author, and the website as their autobiography. Therefore, it needs a cover (design-page layout), index with chapter titles (clear navigational links), interesting content (the pages), some images here and there (visual effects), culminating in a presentation and story that is moving, enjoyable, thought provoking and allows people to connect emotionally with you and what you do.

If you don't have everything ready, no matter, I can help you along and simplify the process, giving you the head and heart space to focus on what you need to. One of the wonderful aspects of partnering with Sacred Spaces, is that you get to do what you do best, and so do I.

The Basics

Logo/Banner - if you have something already it may need adjusting for online/screen application. 95% of the time, we design your logo or banner together. Generally you give me as much information as you can regarding what you would like, and I search for images to work with to bring that design to life. There can be weeks of back and forth, and you may find your original ideas change radically as we look at options and explore how you want to present yourself. Sometimes it can take a few days, particularly if you are fairly present with yourself at this time.

Visual aspects, colour, design, layout, font styles for content - Once we have the banner complete, we can move onto designing the actual page layout. The placement of the main links, complementary colours and other little design aspects that make your page unique, and you.

Once we have the page layout right, we can start adding content (text, content related images, videos etc). The most common pages are: Home, About, Contact, Services, Classes, Gallery, FAQ, Terms and Conditions, Qualifications, Fees, Payments, Testimonials, Courses etc. More about website pages, including how many you need can be found here.

If you have having trouble feeling your way with design, find some websites you like or dislike; ask yourself do certain colours, angels, flowers or animals resonate with your passion and work; what kind of feeling do you want the site to have, what kind of effect on visitors; think about your personality, your style; ask your friends what comes to mind for them.

New websites can be divided into two parts... the design: layout, colours, fonts and images (your banner and logo); and the content added to the pages once up online. It's no longer surprising to me how long web design can take. You have an idea, what you like, what you don't like, and I start sending you images which fit your ideas... but then you realise these ideas are not really you... not at all... you thought you were ready... who are you then? You thought you were pink, angels, flowers, or not... you thought you were straight lines, but you are curly and fun... wow.. a new you. Scary.

What I love about my work is I take this journey of self discovery with you. The re-thinking, re-assessing, soul searching part of your web and design. Your website is you. Your soul. Your Self! No wonder it can be back and forth, up and down, high and low, in and out. But at some stage, a breakthrough, a taste on the tip of your tongue, a remembered smell or sound from childhood, when you had hopes for an amazing life, free from what others said you were supposed to be, what you were supposed to like and not like, accept and not accept. Be a lady, be a man, be successful!

It can be tiring for me and for you, but it's so, so worth it. Keep on with your digging - at the bottom of the well that is YOU, is a diamond... cut from dirty, stinky coal, that is not you anymore. Polished over time through love, hate, pain, suffering, laughter, fear and joy. I like to think my clients find their diamonds through this process, face their fears, and stand on their own. Crying is allowed. Fear is allowed. This is You, if we do it with love, sometimes tough love, it's always the real You in the end. Maybe the You you never knew was there, deep down, inside.

My goal is to give you a mirror, a reflection online, to show the world what is meaningful, what is real, what is of value in your life, in your heart. My goal is for you to be happy with what you have created. With what we create, over and over and over.

I use depositphotos.com for online image searches and purchases. If you search here using keywords that make sense to you, it can narrow down design time, and help you focus on the type of imagery and colour palette for the website.

You do not need everything to be perfect before you send it to me, things will always be changing on a healthy website and sometimes it needs to be seen on screen to know what to do next.
Let's get started with what you do have, and the rest will flow.




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