First of all I think I should start this article by defining what I mean by an effective website design. I view an effective website design to be a website that has:

• Achieved a targeted level of traffic
• Achieved a targeted quality of traffic i.e. visitors are arriving on the website with intent
• A website that has the power to convert, to make the visitors do what the website owner wants them to do it

1st element – Quality design work

This is the element that is most important in giving your website the power to convert, to convince visitors to your website to take the action that you would like them to take.

An effective website design should first of all have clear and simple navigation, wherever on the website the visitor is it should be easy for them to get where they would like to go next. So plan the website map carefully and think through what information your website needs to convey and then break this down into sections off the main menu and finally into individual pages.

Develop a design style that is visually enticing and interesting, make a visit to your website as enjoyable as possible but don’t make your website so complex that it takes to long to download. This will typically be the case if you include too much flash work.

Keep your copy clear and concise and keep each page ‘copy light’, don’t over-face visitors with to much information, give them enough to know what you do and what you offer. Tell them why they should deal with you and give them a call to action to prompt them to do what you would like them to do next.

2nd element – Quality Content

You will often see SEO experts write that ‘content is king’ and for sure it is probably the most important factor in developing a successful website presence, an effective website design. Getting content correct really starts with your choice of keywords. Keywords are the phrases that you believe people who wish to find websites such as yours will type into the search engines.

It is important to decide what these keywords are so run searches across several main search engines for the words and phrases you think are correct and see what comes up. Also use Google Adwords for a while and run campaigns on the keywords you think are correct for you, see how many clicks and page impressions you get. If a keyword is too popular you may not be able to get to the top of the search engines for that keyword, on the other hand there is no point in being top of the search engines for a keyword no one ever uses. Get the balance right between these two factors.

When writing copy particularly for your Home Page it is important to think about keyword density. Use your main keyword on your Home Page as it will be your landing page and is as such the page you would most benefit from being at the top of the search engines. Type in your desired keyword to the search engines and see which websites come up, check out how many times these websites feature the keyword on their landing page and try to pitch yours at about that level. However it is important that getting your keyword density correct doesn’t affect the flow of your copy.

Have a latest news, information or blogs section on your website. Keep it up to date and fill it with interesting, useful content, the kind of information that will be of interest to your target market. Upload links to your updates to social networking websites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, you’ll be amazed now much quality traffic it will bring.

3rd – Build quality links

Good quality links can not only bring quality traffic to your website directly, they will also have a beneficial effect on your search engine rankings. The search engines view a link to your website as a vote of confidence in it.

There are several ways to build quality links. You can join a few link exchange websites and look for link exchange partners. Try to exchange links with websites that have content relevant to your own and also ideally those which have a good Google Page Ranking.

List your website in free directories where possible but focus your efforts on those with a Google Page Ranking 3 or better which do not require a reciprocal link. One way links are better for search engine position than link exchanges.

In the last section I mentioned the value of writing articles that will be of interest to your target market. You should also upload these articles to as many article directories as possible as these directories will offer a link to your website with every article published.

Written by Carl Roughsedge a Director of e-Moonlighting and an EzineArticles.com Platinum Expert Author. Visit http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

Effective logo design is an important element in the development of any business, company or brand. A logo is a graphic symbol or icon that is central to the identity of the owner and will often consist of four key elements:

• A symbol or icon
• Colours
• Wording
• Typeface

These four elements combine to create effective logo design which will embodies the very essence of the company, business or brand. The logo becomes a symbol that represents the core values of its owner. The logo reflects the owners function, service or product and what the customer or client can expect in terms of quality, service, reliability and satisfaction from the owner. As such an effective logo design is at the very core of any business.

When the consumer sees the logo of a major brand they know exactly what to expect, they know exactly why they have decided to do business with that brand – be it cost, quality of service, reliability, product quality, product or service uniqueness, etc. The logo acts to build trust between the business or brand and the client or customer. As a result a logo actually adds value to a business.

An unprofessional logo or badly designed logo, or worse still no logo at all will add no value to your business and tell your potential customers nothing about your business – except perhaps that you did not realise the importance of presenting your business in a professional way!

An effective logo design should have the following attributes:

• Distinctive
• It should adhere to accepted design principles.
• It should be representative of the company or brand.
• Easy to use in all required circumstances e.g. large or small, black/white or colour, against various backgrounds, online of offline.

The creative process to develop an effective logo design can be very complex. It is important to consider the positioning of the business or brand in its market, its core values and its points of difference. Factors such as the industry the business or brand operates in, its geographical location and the target market will also be factors.

Considering the four elements of the logo itself, the shape and design of the icon will be key in conveying the core brand message. It is also important that this shape can be used alone without the other elements of the logo in certain instances. Colour plays an important part in visual reference and combinations of colours provide greater scope for positioning.

Typeface is important as well because different typefaces can be used to create different feelings, to plant different ideas in the minds of the target market. For example a typeface such as sans serif is usually perceived as being strong or modern on the other hand serif would be perceived as being traditional or elegant.

The fourth element, the wording, is usually in the form of a logo descriptor. The logo descriptor is a phrase that encapsulates everything that the company or brand does or stands for.

The four elements must be successfully combined and balanced to create the most effective logo design for the business or brand. Typeface, shapes and colours must be compatible and complementary for it to succeed. When possible it is always better to finalise two to three designs and then put them to market research groups. The findings of those groups can then be instrumental in then developing the final version of the logo.

When the final logo is developed it should be used in a clearly defined way across all communication channels for the business or brand including stationery, advertising, brochures, direct mail and online. Often a design bible is developed to dictate all elements of usage.

So to summarise, why will your business benefit from a professional, effective logo design?

• Professionalism
• Trust
• Added value
• Brand building

An effective logo design is a great sales tool. It is something that will help bring new clients or customers to your business and as such is an investment for the long term development of your business or brand.

Written by Carl Roughsedge a Director of e-Moonlighting and an EzineArticles.com Platinum Expert Author. Visit http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

Even in the best of times business failure rates amongst small and medium sized businesses are high. The terrible shame about that statement is that it simply does not need to be that way, if businesses only got their marketing correct so many of those businesses that fail could have gone on to be a success earning their owners and shareholders a return on their investment.

So how does a business go about getting its marketing effort right?

1. Define your target market – First of all it is important to convey a consistent message to your target market. So consider what your target market is, you’d be surprised how many businesses don’t! The factors to consider for consumer targeted businesses and services include geographical location, age, sex, income level and interest groups. For business to business products and services factors would be geographical location, business sector and size turnover. Write down a definition of your target market.

2. Unique Sales Points/Major Sales Points – Once you have your target market clearly defined you need to start thinking about your unique sales points or major sales points. Why should potential clients or customers choose to deal with your business rather than your competitors? The answer could be price, location, quality of service or product, knowledge, experience, uniqueness of product, etc. Think this through, define it and write it down.

3. Marketing Tactics and Media – Once you know your target market and your unique sales points you need to identify the correct marketing tactics and media to get your message across. Options on marketing tactics will include online marketing, direct marketing, sales promotion, advertising, public relations or telesales. Most likely a combination of several of these options will be correct depending on your location, business type and target market. Most of all it is vital to maintain your consistent marketing message and design style across all the media channels you decide to employ. By doing so you will start to build your brand.

4. Convey a consistent message/build trust – Everything your potential customers or clients see or hear must convince them that yours is a business that can deliver on its promises. This starts with your core corporate identity and your logo. A professionally developed and designed logo is a must, your logo must be relevant in terms of colour, shape, typeface, symbolism and usage. Once you have the right logo for your business have your stationery professionally designed also. It is also worth considering developing a logo descriptor, which is a phrase that accompanies your logo and encapsulates your offering – like our own ‘Access to BIG agency talent for small and medium companies’.

5. Make the most of your online presence – For many businesses a website is a key element of the marketing strategy, so it is important that your website is well thought through. The biggest single question to answer is what is the purpose of your website, is it a means of recruiting new clients and customers or is it a place to refer existing contacts to showcase your services or products. If it is the former the website must be designed to make it ‘search engine friendly’ which may for instance mean avoiding lots of flash work. In general you need a clear and concise website which is easy to navigate and reasonably quick to download and provides reassurance to your target market that you can deliver on your promises.

6. Professional marketing help – Marketing your business is a very complex task and one that is vital to the success of your business so it is important that you obtain professional advice. The internet is now an excellent place to source the help that you need and the place where you are most likely to get the best deal. Look for marketing and design professionals who understand the importance of giving you return on your investment and make sure that the people you commission have the experience, track record and knowledge to deliver. Hiring the wrong people could be an expensive mistake!

Written by Carl Roughsedge a Director of e-Moonlighting and an EzineArticles.com Platinum Expert Author. Visit http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

Major European biofuels supplier Trinity Research have re-launched their online presence with an ecommerce website design from e-Moonlighting.com. The new website http://www.trinity-research.co.uk, provides online sales of chemicals for biofuel production, related equipment and an option to receive advice from experienced bio-chemists.

Supported by a package of search engine optimisation measures the new website design features a Word Press blogs and strong ‘motion’ visual effect. The new website is already achieving significant sales increases for Trinity and has improved the companies online rating with alexa.com by several million places.

Visuals of the new Trinity Research website design can be found on http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

e-Moonlighting.com is a new concept, a marketing and design agency which provides effective marketing, website design, logo and graphic design at a fraction of the cost of a traditional offline agency. The agency has a unique, virtual, low cost structure with a central resource supported by specialist expert freelance staff. This significantly reduces the overheads for the business and lowers costs for clients.

Visit http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

e-Moonlighting.com has developed the corporate ID for new hygiene products supply company Horizon Hygiene. The effective new logo design which forms the centrepiece of the new corporate ID reflects the environmental core brand values of the business. Versions of the logo have also been produced for use on van sides, stationery and the website.
Full details of e-Moonlighting’s effective logo design service can be found on the website e-Moonlighting.com

e-Moonlighting has completed the logo design for UK based football team Ciren & Northleach Rams FC. It is the first football club logo design produced by e-Moonlighting and has been very well received by the club Directors. Other examples of logos designed by the agency can be found on the website http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

e-Moonlighting operates with a unique virtual structure which enables the agency to operate on fees that are a fraction of those charged by traditional agencies. The agency also offers services in website design, graphic design, marketing IT and marketing.

e-Moonlighting is pleased to announce the launch of our Marketing IT service. We have designed, built and programmed many succcessful ecommerce websites and our technical team has skills and experience in all the following areas.

Web development with php/asp
HTML/CSS coding from design
CMS integration (Joomla, Modx, osCommerce, etc)
Database (MySQL, MSSQL, Oracle)
Flash/actionscript development
Gis (google maps, UMN mapserver)
Unix/Linux and Windows administration
Desktop software development with Delphi
Client Server Development based on Terminal Server and Citrix Metaframe
Mobile Development (WAP/WML,MOBI)

We hope we will be albe to help you in at least one of these areas. For more information please visit http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Hattie Wang as our new China sales agent. Hattie will be developing our client base for our range of services including website design, marketing, logo and graphic design in the country. For full contact details for Hattie please visit our Contact Us page of our website http://www.e-Moonlighting.com

e-Moonlighting launch to provide cost effective marketing and website design

e-Moonlighting.com is a new concept. A marketing and design agency which provides effective marketing, website design and graphic design at a fraction of the cost of a traditional offline agency. The agency has a unique, virtual, low cost structure with a central resource supported by specialist expert freelance staff. This significantly reduces the overheads faced by the business and lower costs for clients.

The website itself, www.e-Moonlighting.com acts not only as the main business development tool for the agency but also as the office and a point of client contact. The clients can brief projects via the website and all projects are completed using email and telephone without any requirement for face to face meetings. This results in a significant reduction in costs for clients.

e-Moonlighting already has a portfolio of clients across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Far East and the Middle East with major projects in marketing, website design, online marketing, logo design, advertising and graphic design. The website contains several full case studies an examples of the agencies work.

Another unique offering from e-Moonlighting is the Marketing Action Plan. The Marketing Action Plan is an analysis of a business or brand from a marketing perspective and a series of very proactive and practical marketing recommendations of how the business can achieve its objectives. e-Moonlighting can then fulfil all recommended activity as required.
Director Carl Roughsedge said ‘e-Moonlighting is all about achieving effective results for our clients. Our structure and means of operation enables us to provide marketing, website design and graphic design of a quality on a par with the top agencies around but at a fraction of the cost. We can work with clients of any size, anywhere in the world. For forward thinking businesses looking to grow e-Moonlighting is the answer’.