A Brief Overview of “Wix” as Business Website Builder

If building an attractive website without knowing how to code this a priority for you then you should consider using Wix for your everyday business website needs. Wix is among the top contenders as a business website builder that can help you create websites that boast both form and functionality. The following text discusses Wix as a business website builder with a brief look at its advantages and disadvantages when compared to other website builders.

 Overview:-

Wix was created for catering all kinds of businesses such as photography, restaurants, designers and even musicians. Wix has tools integrated to help these businesses grow, something that other business website builders might not be able accomplish. Wix allows users to create advanced designs without ever needing to code.

Wix Advantages:-

-          Wix has over 500 pre-designed website templates to choose from. Even if you don’t find one that you like, you can very easily create your own.

-          Wix has a very easy to use drag and drop interface that most users get the hand of fairly quickly. You simply select what you want (images, text, slideshows, etc) and drop it on your web page where you want to.

-          The help and support buttons are so easy to find. They are visible on multiple places on the interface due to which finding help is never difficult.

Wix Disadvantages:-

-          If you happen to use the free version of Wix, you might get a little annoyed by advertisement logos that will be visible on the website you publish.

-          There is a no doubt that you have a lot of options to choose from when deciding on a template. However, once you start making your website on that template, you will not be able to change your template half way.

-          Wix is a business website builder, but it has very limited e-commerce features. For example, Wix generated websites may not be able to send emails automatically.

If you are confused on what Business Website Builder to use, get in touch with our experts at Direct Solutions on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.

Stop Making these Mistakes in You Small Business Websites

Owners of small business websites don’t intend to make a bad online presence, however their mistakes leave them with one irrespectively. There are countless websites that lack the basic elements of a well-crafted website such as responsiveness, mobile capabilities and up to date design. The following text highlights the biggest mistakes that small businesses are still making today.

Not Having a Responsive Design:-

This is the most critical of small business website mistakes, as Google made it very clear on 21 April 2015 that you must have a mobile friendly website to be able to get goof online ranking. Your website should be able to perform on all platforms and screen sizes.

Not Proof Reading Content:-

Spelling and grammar mistakes may seem innocent at first, but the capabilities of small business websites are judged based on these errors. Most small businesses make the mistake of publishing content without proof reading it first. You should have your content reviewed by professionals so that these small embarrassing mistakes can be avoided.

Hiding Contact Information:-

Another example of a common error in small businesses make is not displaying contact information. It is astonishing how common this mistake is, AS WHY WOULD A BUSINESS NOT WANT TO DISPLAY THEY CONTACT INFORMATION???

Not Hiring a Professional:-

It is understandable that a small business might want to keep costs low by not hiring a professional. However, often such sacrifices may lead to very costly mistakes. Small Business Websites should be given a professional touch at some level.

If you need quality services at economical rates, get in touch with Direct Solutions, by phone on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.

Important Questions to ask while Gathering Requirement for effective Website Design in Manchester

Requirement Gathering is the most important phase of Website Design as this is where the purpose of website is defined. Most website development project fail due a partial or complete lack of understanding of the required end-product. Furthermore, it is also possible that the clients themselves are not aware of what they want and by asking a series of focused questions may help create a better understanding. The following text elaborates on some of the most important questions that should be asked whilst Requirement Gathering for Website Design in Manchester.

Why Do You Want a Website or Want your Current Website to be redesigned?

It is important to understand the viewpoint of the client. Some Businesses come to web masters with unrealistic goals in mind for example they might think that the website will somehow magically fix all their problems. Other businesses might want a website just because everyone else has one. Clients are known to be very bad at communicating what they want and it is up to the web design firm to create a better understanding.

What are Your Business Goals?

Getting an idea of business goals and brand philosophy will give you a better idea of the required website design in Manchester.

Who are your prospective Customers and Visitors?

Is your website aimed at professionals, students, ladies or retirees? Having an idea of the prospective visitors will give you a better direction in terms of website layout and necessary features.

For more information regarding requirement gathering for an expert Website Design in Manchester, get in touch with Direct Solutions, by phone on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.

Why Magento is the Best Tool for Ecommerce Web Design

The following text contains a very convincing argument of why Magento is considered as the Best Choice for Ecommerce Web Design

Open Source:-

Magento is Open Source which means that it is free to install. If you have the technical knowledge of Magento then you can add multiple extensions as well as functionalities in your Ecommerce Web Design

Ecommerce Specific Platform:-

Magento has all the necessary features which are required by an ecommerce website. Magento websites have better features and extensions for an Ecommerce website compared to Drupal and other counterparts.

SEO Friendly:-

Magento provides an SEO friendly platform in which you can easily customise URLs, Meta Tags for products and categories, sitemap, blogs and many more.

 Payment Options:-

Magento allows for the integration of various payment methods as part of your Ecommerce Web Design, including:-

-          PayPal.

-          Google Check Out.

-          Virtual Gift Certificates.

-          Cheques and Money Orders.

 Customer Accounts:-

Customer Accounts are capable of featuring the following:-

-          Order Status.

-          History.

-          Re Orders.

-          Recently Booked Items.

-          Address Books.

-          Billing and Shipping Addresses.

-          Wish List, etc.

Order Management:-

With Magento you can very easily:-

-          View

-          Edit

-          Create

-          Complete Orders.

You are also capable of creating:-

-          Invoices.

-          Send a notification of orders via email.

-          Track order status.

For an expert Ecommerce Web Design, get in contact  with Direct Solutions, on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.

What to Test in an Ecommerce Web Design

Testing an Ecommerce website requires experience and knowledge. Most ecommerce websites consist of the following major components:-

-          Home Page

-          Search and Results Page.

-          Products Page.

-          Shopping Cart / Checkout Page

-          User Login and Customer Information Page.

Of course Ecommerce Web Design is not limited to just these pages; however when performing testing on an ecommerce websites, a special emphasis is placed on them. The following text mentions the areas of an ecommerce website that require special attention when performing testing.

Testing the Shopping Cart:-

Today, a shopping cart serves as one of the most important aspects of a secure and successful ecommerce website. The Ideal shopping cart should allow customers to very conveniently add and remove items. It should also present all necessary details surrounding the transaction. Furthermore, today’s shopping carts are “intelligent”, in the sense that they remember what you purchased in the past. You should be able to conveniently add and remove products from the shopping cart.

Testing the Searching, Sorting and Filtering Capabilities:-

Visitors should be able to search products using different criteria, including:-

-          By Product.

-          By Brand

-          By Price.

-          By Features, etc.

Creating User Accounts and Logins:-

Forcing customers to create accounts before a proceeding with a purchase is often disliked and widely discouraged. A successful Ecommerce Web Design should allow customers to make purchases without creating logins. And customers who DO create logins should be treated with a smooth, effortless and secure login experience.

Payments:-

Your ecommerce website should offer different payment modes, including:-

-          Credit card.

-          Pay Pal.

-          Bank transfers.

-          Cheque, cash, etc.

Users should be able to submit their credit card information knowing that their information is in safe hands. 

For more information, get in touch with our Ecommerce Web Design experts at Direct Solutions on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.

The Different Phases of Website Design in Manchester

Creating a website with maximum customer satisfactions is easier said than done. A lot of effort goes into planning and implementing the customer’s requirements whilst keeping within time and budget. The key to a successful website design in Manchester is a solid model upon which it is executed. The following text elaborates on the most commonly used model in the web development industry today.

What is SDLC?

The Software Development Life Cycle is a model that contains a series of steps or phases that provide the guidelines for developing a software or website. The SDLC Model Consists of the following steps:-

-          Analysis.

o   In this phase, requirements surrounding the use, design and goal of the website are gathered. Based on these requirements various aspects such as project cost, time frame and practicality are determined and negotiated with the client. 

-          Design.

o   In this phase of the website design in Manchester, details such as the website layout, documentation and processing are finalised. 

-          Implementation.

o   The actual coding and development takes place in this phase.

-          Testing:-

o   Extensive testing is conducted on the finished product to identify and remove possible errors. 

-          Deployment:

o   The finalised version of the website is launched after being approved by the client.

-          Maintenance:-

o   The web development team is also responsible for providing upgrades and maintenance for some time (as per contract) if needed.

 For more information regarding website design in Manchester contact us on 01204 263000 or email info@directsolutionsltd.co.uk.