reynoldswriting.com Blog

From time to time I’ll be running interviews or guest blogs featuring a colleague’s perspective on the world of marketing, writing, or general business practice. To launch this (hopefully) recurring segment, here are excerpts from a talk with my friend Mark Roma, web designer for Webii in Austin, TX:

WR: Mark, What are some common misconceptions about web design?

MR: First, Many people think that if something looks “good” it is well designed. But there is a profound difference between an image that is aesthetically pleasing and something that functions as complex visual communication. The term “graphic design” has come to denote visual imagery that is not only appealing on some level, but also crafted to communicate a specific message to a particular audience.

The second misconception is that any person with an aesthetic sense can execute design. True design requires an understanding of very specific terminology and techniques. Without this understanding, a designer is likely to confuse and alienate his target audience.

Finally, some amateur designers think that a good static or “flat image” type of design will work well as a web page. A well-composed graphic may appeal to a viewer’s sense of aesthetic, and might even function as a piece of printed material, but there are dozens of technical considerations before any graphic can function as electronic media.

WR: What should we look for when shopping for a web designer?

MR: It is important to learn about a designer’s training, past clients, and design process. All good design is a collaborative undertaking, and if a designer is unwilling to communicate with the client during the design stage, he will be unable to learn enough about his client to communicate the client’s ideals visually.

WR: in this age of templates, you do a great deal of hand-crafted work. Why is this important?

MR: Hand crafting is part of my personal creative process. Unless I begin with pencil and paper, the inspiring part of a client’s visual message can be lost. The “hands on” stage allows me to tap into the well of inspiration that all artistic people have, and to create visual innovations that will communicate my client’s message in a unique way. I learned this process at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and it remains the standard process for the best designers in the world.

WR: Where does social media fit into the plan, once we have a website?

MR: Regularly added content will inspire your clients to become a regular audience. Their consistent traffic to your site to read updates and postings will boost your site’s ratings on various search engines and make your audience more receptive to your marketing messages and promotions. They feel involved when they can follow your company’s regularly updated blogs and postings on various services like Twitter and Facebook. And posting information about your business on various social media outlets can help establish your credibility as a trustworthy and expert member of your field.