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digital agency

What Does A Digital Agency Do?

By Business, Design, MarketingNo Comments

What Is A Digital Agency?

The term ‘digital agency’, is a buzzword that’s too often thrown around and generally misunderstood. Although the term itself seems a reasonably simple concept, there’s still confusion as to what a digital agency actually is, and what it does.

We felt it important to clarify what a digital agency is, and what we do as one!

To put it simply, a digital agency encompasses all types of activity that promote your brand online. At Geek, we manage all aspects of a business’s online presence. There’s no denying that the world’s gone digitally mad. The problem with this is that traditional ways of marketing your business just aren’t sufficient anymore. So, it goes without saying that in this exciting and developing digital age, you need a digital agency to provide you with the vital services to market your business online.

From Web Design and Development to Search Engine Optimisation and everything in between, we’ve got you covered.

What Does A Digital Agency Do?

As a digital agency, design is extremely important to us. When your customers find you, you want to look good, stand out and be remembered. However, our focus goes beyond just the aesthetics of design. We consider the whole customer experience, concentrating on design functionality in order to deliver a seamless user journey across all channels.

Merging creativity with technicality, our innovative designers, savvy digital marketers and technical wizards work hand in hand to build your brand digitally. Whether you’re a start-up wanting to create a brand identity online or are an already established business looking to grow your presence…you’re in the right hands.

What Services Do We Offer?

Although offering similar services, no two digital agencies are the same. But here at Geek, we offer five main services to build your business online.

Web Design

As a business, if you want to have a digital presence, you need a website. Having a website is the very first step in building your business online. Nowadays, websites need to be visually attentive, as well as providing flawless user experience. Whether you’re after a simple brochure site, or an interactive website that perfectly demonstrates your brand personality, we can help. Our web designers and digital marketers collaborate to create a website that is entirely bespoke to you.

Web Development

Remember, as a digital agency, we don’t just focus on the aesthetics of design. It’s important not to forget functionality. We work with you to build digital tools that meet your business’s requirements. Our development services include web-based services, mobile apps, and desktop programmes. We’re able to create bespoke CRM systems, integrate software onto your site, and develop mobile-friendly apps that match your e-commerce site. We also take care of interactive elements and animations, aka the ‘cool stuff’ on your site!

Digital Marketing

I’m a digital marketer – so I may be biased – but marketing yourself online is one of THE most important things you can do as a business (or we can do for you). You’ve got your website as a starting point – excellent – now you need your own unique digital strategy in order to grow. We do everything, from Social Media posts to Paid Aids, to On and Offsite SEO. We’ll always tell you what we think is best for you. Simply give us your monthly budget, and from there, we can devise the most effective marketing plan to get you lead generation and brand awareness.

E-Commerce

Remember, user experience is key when creating an identity online. That’s why we offer businesses fully-functional e-commerce websites that provide visitors with a smooth shopping experience from the initial visit, through to the checkout process. Most e-commerce users (about 90%), use their mobile. We all know how frustrating online shopping can be, especially when the site is challenging to navigate, with lack of payment options. That’s why we build a mobile-friendly e-commerce site that doesn’t leave your customers annoyed, but instead wanting to return.

Design

Now, I know I said we look past just the aesthetics of design, but that’s not to say we don’t appreciate how important it is. In fact, our design team works with businesses to create unique logos through to branding packages. Again, when your customers find you, you want to stand out, and you want to be remembered. To aid your marketing efforts, we create consistency across your brand. We create design aspects that can be used across all platforms, and that work seamlessly with your new website.

Back To The Question…

We hope that this has cleared up the confusion surrounding what a digital agency is and answered your question of ‘what does a digital agency do?’. As mentioned, a digital agency does an abundance of things, and every agency is different. We can’t tell you what other digital agencies are specifically offering, but we can tell you what we do and how it will help your business.

So, if you’re looking for a digital agency for all your online needs, get in touch with a Geek!

Click now for a free consultation
March 30, 2020

Digital Agency vs Creative Agency: How do they differ?

By Business, Design, MarketingNo Comments

Can you be sure of the difference between a digital agency and a creative one?

The question every business owner has asked themselves – shall I hire a digital agency or a creative agency? In the beginning, we know (and so should you!) that every company needs a new website, social media accounts, branding, essentially all the building blocks to get your brand out into the big wide world. However, that’s where the age-old question is triggered. Is there one agency which better than another?

So, why the confusion between digital agencies and creative agencies?

Even before the creation of the internet, new and existing businesses have been using creative agencies. Using their artistic flair and creative imagination, it was their role to deliver all artwork, colours and branding needed. Essentially, what a creative agency would do is aid those who have a business idea but have no clue how to sell or brand it.

However, as time has changed and with the dramatic rise of the internet and a new game has entered the field. Marketing. Digital Marketing has become a distinctly technical activity. Not only does it incorporate branding, but also requires the understanding of the magical (and ever-changing) concept such as SEO – search engine optimisation!

Therefore, it is with no surprise that there has been total confusion! Business owners and directors not knowing who they should turn to. On the one hand, they could go to a creative agency who can provide them with graphic design services. But they could also go to a digital agency who could offer them social and search engine dominance. Sadly, it wasn’t and perhaps isn’t, as clear cut for everyone. Therefore, let us end this confusion once and for all!

What is a Digital Agency?

A Digital Agency helps business with elements such as PPC ads, website design, web development, e-Commerce and the minefield that is SEO. They will usually have an in-depth knowledge of the tools which are critical in ensuring success. From the little tweaks to an online advertising campaign to building websites that will display animations in the blink of an eye! As well as complex, multi-layered checkouts on an e-Commerce website, to anything in between!

  • Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
  • Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Content Creation
  • Lead Generation
  • Website Design and Development
  • Email Marketing
  • Mobile Campaigns
  • App Development

It goes without saying that digital agencies are a vital aspect for any business that is looking at excelling in this digital age. More often than not, companies will know to create an advertising campaign. Yet, lack the technical know-how to actually do it.

Overall, a digital agency can offer solutions to marketing efforts. Whether your businesses goals is to rank higher in Google search results (SEO), increase your ROI (PPC advertising) or capture your audience’s attention online (Web Design). Regardless, the job of a digital agency is to refine and optimise your existing marketing efforts tailored to your business.

What is a Creative Agency?

In simple terms, a creative agency will be the team of people responsible for the visual elements of a brand. Think of all the design that goes into marketing a product, service, or company – that will be the job of a creative agency.

  • Logos
  • Colour Schemes
  • Banners
  • Email Design
  • Infographics
  • Packaging Design
  • Videography
  • TV Ads

A creative agency is certainly a different beast. They are considered artsier, more imaginative based – what people know as the good old-fashioned design company. They would have no idea how to use software such as Google Analytics or Google AdWords. In fact, digital marketing is a foreign word.

Well, it may not be foreign, but it is certainly not the focus. Most of the time, creative agencies to do not see marketing efforts as a concern! Instead, by creating eye-catching designs, striking logos and beautiful branding, a company can attract customers.

Overall, a creative agency is full of brand experts who create all the graphic and visual design that is needed to define a service/product.

It’s safe to say, the definitions have become blurred. So, let’s combine the two!

So back to the question at hand. Shall I hire a digital agency or a creative agency? Well, as you can probably tell, there is a strong case that the two agencies should combine themselves. Businesses require that creative flair, yet also the know-how of the technical elements to be seen in front of the right audience. A company may go to one or the other, but does that have to be the case? Do you HAVE to choose between them both?

Well, no. It is clear that there no perfect definition of what agencies can or cannot do.

Here at Geek, it is safe to say we can offer both. Therefore, for all those business owners running around not knowing which one to go to still. Let us embrace your business, offer it that vital online presence and sell it to the world. We can provide you with creative designers that work hand-in-hand with our technical wizard digital marketing team in beautiful harmony. We will ensure that we keep your brand integrity consistent in every channel where you decide to dominate.

Therefore, if you’re looking for a digital AND creative agency, get in touch with Geek.

Click now for a free consultation
March 27, 2020

DJL UK: A Client Success Story

By Design, Marketing, Social mediaNo Comments

Want to hear a digital transformation success story? Well, sit tight, and let us tell you about our continuing work with DJL UK.

2015. The year when everyone fought over what colour THAT dress was, Adele’s number one album ‘25’ was released plus man-buns became a trend – what a time to be alive! (Also, side note: it was blue and black, FINAL).

But, additionally in that year, DJL UK, a little known home improvements business, came to us asking for help to expand their new business. So, we provided them with the answer – a digital transformation.

Fast-forward to 2019. With their dynamic website, effective digital marketing strategy,uniquely designed marketing materials and bespoke branding, DJL UK have been able to establish a thriving home improvements company that is continuing to evolve.

A success story? We think so (even if we are a little biased).

Bespoke website and logo design that reflects DJL UK brand.

We have worked closely with DJL UK over the years to help understand them as a business, ensuring we created a brand that was truly reflective of their requirements. But most importantly increased their sales. Therefore, our first step in transforming DJL’s brand awareness was designing their logo.

Something original and bold needed to be conjured up, but that was no problem for our team! A simplistic design and colour scheme were selected to attract customers and easily explain the purpose of the business.

With an easily identifiable logo in the bag, we moved onto bespoke website development. Geek designed and created a contemporary, UX responsive, seamless website which is visually-dependant.

Our designers developed the blue, white and grey colour scheme, maintaining consistency throughout the site to amplify its authenticity.

Moreover, the website highlights the core pushes of the company and appeals to their domestic client base. Additionally, we made sure we covered all our clients’ specifications. Tailoring the site to meet their preferences and portray the brand how they envisioned.

Establishing a digital presence to capture audiences

With a new, modern and sleek website – a digital marketing plan was needed! Therefore after identifying the company’s client base and where they wanted to progress – we could generate a strategy which would reach their target audience.

So, our digital marketers got to work. Daily social media management, monthly blogging, extensive SEO work and continuous creation of localised page content. All to rise through the ranks and become noticed.

Consequently, there have been 3 main aspects of our digital marketing plan over the past several years – all working together to generate leads and referrals.

Daily social media posting to build engagement

Three times a day. 5 days a week. We post a range of campaigns styles to retain the attention of existing customers on Facebook. In addition to taking advantage of social sharing.

Wondering what social sharing is? Let us explain. When one existing client of DJL UK likes a post, their friends then see this. If any of these then give it a thumbs up, their friends are visible to the campaign too, and so on, and so on! You get the idea.

Therefore, over the past 4 years, we have made sure to continually post regularly to build awareness and get DJL’s ‘foot in the door’ with multiple clients. A mix of highly visual images to inspire customers, promotion graphics presenting discounts and humorous captions post have meant we have successfully established a brand’s voice to communicate with customers.

DJL Facebook Page

From starting out posting to family and friends, DJL UK’s social media now reaches over 1000 customers and achieves significantly high engagement rates daily – not bad even if we do say ourselves!

Blogs on DJL's Website

Engaging and relevant monthly blogs

Each month, our content writers, draft, publish and design engaging blogs for DJL UK that carry the voice from social media over to the website. Covering a range of topics from ‘6 EASY TO TELL signs it’s time to replace your windows’ to ‘Why should I transform my conservatory? 8 Ideas and uses’.

Informative, as well as visual – blogs, are an essential aspect in retaining clients and ensuring new customers recognise you are active. Nobody wants to see a website that is never refreshed with new content!

Localised SEO Pages to reach the target audiences

DJL UK is based in Peterborough – even though this is a large area and can provide more than enough work, what about those customers that are considering a new composite door only 30 minutes away in Stamford? They’re not going to see your website! Well, that’s where we come in!

Monthly localised pages have allowed DJL UK’s website to appear in local search results. For example, ‘Composite doors in Corby’ and ‘Warm Roofs Stamford’. By adding new location each month, we have further extended the net of potential clients – growing the business.

  • DJL Brochure Design
  • DJL Business Card Design

Our work doesn’t just stop there!

Oh, no, no, no! Geek Designs also created contemporary off-line marketing materials to promote brand identity further. The off-line marketing visuals ensured branding flows throughout every aspect of DJL, from logo incorporated contracts, on brand folders and vibrant vehicle livery.

Business guidelines were considered throughout the graphic design process, allowing us to capture the brand’s character to develop a memorable offline existence.

Honestly, we’re not bragging…the statistics say it all!

We delivered long-term value to DJL UK by helping them to understand and engage their customers using database insights and smart optimisation frameworks. New and existing clients continue to provide work for the DJL UK team – pretty good results we reckon.

So, overall, we can safely say we have achieved a successful website that has grown and evolved due to the beneficial, bespoke digital marketing strategy we have implemented.

What!? Don’t believe us? Ask DJL UK for yourself!

“Several years ago, we came to Geek designs and instantly, they understood what we wanted! We wanted a thriving business, and we've got it! The whole team has contributed to the success of the company today - from our fantastic website to managing our social media account. We have full trust that Geek Designs knows our business inside out to deliver results continually. A massive thank you Geek Designs - we wouldn't be where we are today without your help!”

Dan WoodsOwner of DJL UK

See what we have done for DJL? We could do the same for you. From humble beginnings to the present day, we will forever grow your business, refresh content and make sure you are reaching customers, and enticing them onto your website.

Contact a Geek today. What’s the harm in dropping us an email or giving us a bell if you’re curious? Hint: there isn’t any!

Visit DJL UK Live Site
Contact a Geek today
June 27, 2019

Let’s talk about Mobile Usability

By Design, Development, featuredNo Comments

Technology, you’re either sick of it or excited by it. Mobiles have become one of the most infamous things about humanity. Since their invention has enabled the world to connect as one.

Mobile phones have shaped the digital world immensely and now, mobile responsive websites rule the Google search results.

However, what we thought we knew about mobile phones is completely wrong. In recent studies, researchers found an important factor that we always miss – how the user holds their phone. Yes, it’s all great creating a great user experience but do we really do it for everyone?

People have adapted to the mobile phone profusely, with users handling the device differently to maximise comfort and readability.

phone-users

In this blog, we’ll be discussing which audiences prefer which type of mobile responsive designs. Websites need a mobile view in order to rank effectively on Google and provide a seamless user journey to its users. Have you provided the best UX for the type of customer you sell to? Find out.

49% of mobile users operate the device one-handed.

That’s correct, the majority of mobile users today use their device, one-handed. However, what type of customers would you expect to find in this group?

Firstly, you can expect to find your teenagers and tweens in this quartile. The younger generation has adapted to the quick and effortless use of technology, as they’re the most common users of it today.

If your target customer is that of a younger persona, then it’s key that you research their behavioural patterns when it comes down to mobile responsive design.

Almost half of all mobile users result in using one hand to navigate Google and websites. If you or your web designers are optimising your website, it’s efficient for you to follow the diagram shown.

A large percentage of young users will only use a small section of the mobile screen to scroll; this forms from the bottom left-hand corner into the middle.

Mobile responsive websites are predominantly designed for one-handed users.

The green area is the section that is easiest to access. This area is where you should include your CTA (call to action) as it’ll be much easier for the user to reach them. Due to the ease of access, this will prompt them to take action.

Next, you have the orange area, which is the majority of the top of the mobile screen and a small section in the right-hand area. It would be most suitable to include your text or interactive elements here, as the user can still use these areas.

There is a small ‘unusable’ area of the phone at the very bottom of the phone. This is where you should keep other imagery, any elements that the users don’t have to interact with.

You can expect to find your 18-30-year-olds within this 49%. Therefore if you’re in the industry of technology, fashion or social media – you should definitely consider optimising your website for this particular type of mobile responsive design.

36% cradle their phone.

Within this gap, you can expect to find your 35-55-year-olds, most to which will commit to using one hand to support the phone and the other to navigate.

These mobile users have access to the majority of the mobile screen, especially the middle section. The top left hand and bottom right corners are the least accessible, however, you have most of the scene to work with.

In this demographic, you will find your adults and mature adults, therefore a lot of industries will need to consider this specific UX design.

You get the most of the screen by optimising your website for cradling phone users, thus accommodating the mature demographic.

Since the majority of the centre is easy to use, it would be easy for you to be innovative with your CTAs and scrolling interactions.

15% use two hands to scroll

A small percentage of mobile users result in using both hands to navigate their mobile phone. This is a small population, however, in this group, you will find over 55s and people who aren’t as familiar with touchscreen mobile phones.

In this category, the bottom half of the mobile phone is the easiest area to use, therefore you should put the most actionable elements in this section. It becomes increasingly difficult to use the site as we travel up the screen.

The older generation is much more patient with technology and therefore will use the majority of the bottom screen and navigate with both hands to ensure smooth movement throughout.

What about left-handers when it comes down to UX design?

All of these percentages apply to the right-handed population however, each of these diagrams is the opposite if they are left-handed. However since 5% of the world’s population is left-handed, it is more advised to optimise your site for right-handed customers.

As many of the people visiting your site will be right-handed, the left-handed population will improvise to navigate your site if they are certain they want the service or product you provide. UX design is all about appealing to the general population and providing seamless interactions online.

94% of people hold their phone portrait.

It’s important that if anything, you optimise your site for a portrait perspective rather than landscape. People will use their thumb to navigate most of their phone, remaining in the middle of the screen for the best comfort. It’s best to keep away from using the top and bottom half of the phone, as most mobile users will consider this poor user experience.

6% hold their phone landscape.

It’s rare but possible. Some mobile users access their phone for landscape view, using both of their thumbs to navigate. Businesses who are using apps, games or offering a read should consider optimising their site for a landscape perspective. It can be more costly and time-consuming however the end result will benefit your customer. A happy customer means a much more likely sale.

Sometimes people use the entire screen.

Every so often, you will find the minority of users who use a mobile, very precisely.  These people cradle the phone in one hand and use their forefinger to scroll and navigate.

These users use all areas of the touch screen, everything is within easy access. This allows for websites to implement elements freely without interactive content being in inaccessible areas. The more screen you have to work with, the easier the mobile responsive websites are to generate.

As you can see, there are many factors to create mobile responsive websites.

As a business owner, you know your preferred customer better than anyone; you know exactly what kind of person you want to walk through your door.

Using that knowledge, search this blog to find the age demographic you want to market towards. There are so many different mobile users, each of which uses their device differently from the other.

If anything, what we recommend as UX designers, is optimising your website predominantly for portrait users and centralising your actionable items.

I know that many people will consider mobile optimisation time consuming and pointless but that’s far from the case. You want to deliver a website that provides a clear and thorough customer journey and if you haven’t provided one, they may go elsewhere.

June 25, 2019
colour psychology

Colour Psychology

By Design, MarketingNo Comments

The Colour Psychology Lesson That Will Affect Your Marketing

We are back again for another psychology lesson – we know, we could start charging for these. But, this time we are back to discuss colour psychology, aka how colour influences us.

Me, you, the person sat next to you; humans are visual creatures. You may not think so, but it’s true. That’s why companies thoroughly test colours of advertisements, ads, buttons – you name it. For example software company HubSpot recently conducted a test that demonstrated that testing is vital.

By changing a CTA button from green to red, the conversion increased 21%! Without changing anything else on the page except the colour of the CTA. Interesting right? That is the power of colour psychology in marketing.

Ultimately, the choice of colour in branding is vital. It has a BIG impact on how the brand is perceived. Therefore, let us guide you through how colour psychology plays a role in marketing, exploring the most popular colours for big brands.

Red

Virgin, KFC, H&M
Nintendo, Pinterest, Netflix
Cola, Youtube, Levi's

The famous colour of those 99 balloons, that little Corvette and UB40’s favourite wine – red is a popular colour for big brands. From the likes of Coca-Cola, Netflix and Virgin, red one of the most used colours in marketing. But, power does it have in colour psychology?

Red triggers both positive and negative influential emotions. Positive feelings include power, passion, energy and excitement. However, negative emotions include anger, danger, warning, pain and defiance. Therefore, take caution when using red.

But, ever seen a large sale sign in shop windows? Ever noticed what colour it is? Red! This colour creates a sense of urgency, which is what makes it so effective in sales. Additionally, red encourages hunger and gets our appetite rumbling. Hence why we frequently see red within the fast-food sector, such as KFC, Five Guys and McDonalds.

This bold, daring and energetic colour features in a wide variety of brands, from food to sports, clothing to technology.

Male Symbol

7% of males claim red is their fave colour

9% of females claim red is their fave colour

Female Sign

Orange

Fanta, Amazon, Firefox
Timberland, Penguin, Mastercard
Easyjet, Nickelodeon, TNT

When you think of the colour orange, who else pictures an autumn day with leaves on the ground? An upcoming and popular colour within marketing, the colour features in the logos of many big brands such as EasyJet, Amazon and TNT. In regards to how this colour influences us – orange’s colour psychology is fascinating.

If the colour orange were to have a personality, it would be adventurous, competitive, but disaffected. See it as the teenage of the rainbow. Orange often generates a feeling of warmth, given its association with the sun, but is also considered bright, light and fun. Therefore orange may suit a non-corporate brand.

Additionally, remember us saying orange shades remind us of an autumn day? Well, this is no coincidence. “earthy” brands often use darker shades of orange.

However, 26% of people consider orange to be a “cheap” shade. This is not necessarily a bad thing. This could set you apart from high-end competitors and appeal in regards to affordability.

5% of males claim orange is their fave colour

5% of females claim orange is their fave colour

Yellow

Shell, Post-it, IMDb
Walkers, BIC, AA
Chupa Chups, McDonald's, Yell

From the famous golden arches to the Post-it notes we use daily at work or school, yellow evokes feelings of optimism, happiness, creativity and intellect.

Yellow represents all things positive due to its connotation to the sun and beach. Therefore, if you’re looking for a happy, fun and youthful brand, yellow is the go-to colour. However, the strong positive of yellow are offset with challenges. According to some consumers, shades of yellow look dirty, while some tints are off-putting to the eye.

But, this shouldn’t put people off. When used correctly, yellow is powerful, especially when paired with a darker colour. Nikon, Bic and IMDb incorporate this colour into their branding.

Male-Symbol-Yellow

57% of males claim yellow is their fave colour

35% of females claim yellow is their fave colour

Female-Sign-yellow

Green

Xbox, BP, Starbucks
Spotify, Android, Holiday Inn
Tic Tac, Lacoste, Land Rover

Well, what can we say about green? It’s the BEST colour for marketing 😉

But in all seriousness, green is a relaxing colour that is easy on the eye and synonymous with health, hope, freshness and prosperity. The colour psychology of green strikes a core with humans as green represents life.

Brands which green is associated with a range from pharmaceuticals and organic foods companies, to the military, banking and finance. With only 6% of people viewing green as a “cheap” colour – green is undoubtedly an excellent choice for marketing material (even if we are a little biased).

Male-Symbol-green

14% of males claim green is their fave colour

14% of females claim green is their fave colour

Female-Sign-green

Blue

HP, Skype, Volkswagen
Twitter, Samsung, PayPal
Facebook, Ford, Dell

The colour of those great suede shoes – people view blue as a loyal, respectful and social colour.

The colour psychology of blue reveals blue has a very calming effect on the mind. Yet, it is also the colour of strength, wisdom and trust. For these reasons, many big brands use it. From Facebook, Nokia, Ford and Dell – high-flying companies acknowledge blue’s traits. It is the colour of dependability, logic and security.

However, research also shows that blue is considered a safe choice, with many seeing it as an easy choice for a logo. However, by choosing blue you will be aiming at the masses with it being a favourite colour for both genders, plus only 1% view it as a cheap colour!

Male-Symbol-blue

57% of males claim blue is their fave colour

35% of females claim blue is their fave colour

Black

MTV, BOSS, Louis Vuitton
Chanelm Puma, Apple
Ralph Lauren, Nike, WWF

Finally, black. It is fair to say that black is suited for some businesses and not others. You don’t want to be a Health business with a black logo, do you? Black is synonymous with positives such as sophistication, authority and substance. But it also has its negative connotations – menace, mourning and evil.

But regardless of these negatives, the high street brands are renowned for their simple black and white palettes. With the additions of bright colours, black can add energy and make consumers think of high-class.

With multiple luxury brands – Ralph Lauren, Moet and Channel all incorporate black into their logos – and greatly influences people. A mere 1% of people view it as a cheap shade.

8% of males claim black is their fave colour

6% of females claim black is their fave colour

And there you have it – the psychology of some of the most used colours within marketing. But, of course, we haven’t revealed EVERYTHING there is to know! So, if you’re looking to begin marketing or create a new logo – contact a Geek today to gain the best for your business.

Class dismissed!

Contact the team of Geeks today
Book your FREE consultation
June 14, 2019

10 Website Design Trends of 2019

By DesignNo Comments

We are mid-way into 2019, and we have noticed some design trends popping up on websites.

Are we curious to know what they are? Of course, we are.

Without further ado…

1. Grids/Blocks

Having a visual web site is the key of catching someone’s attention, and one way of doing that is having a big block of images, layout in a way that people cannot avoid what it is you are selling to them.

Site design by La Negrita Estudio Creativo.

A grid layout can be done in such a way that forms the whole layout of the site. Above example, the menu bar will split off the top scroll along with you. And be part of the grid layout.

Site design by Ueno.

A style like this can be used with a colour plus image to bring together a bold and exciting website.

Grids/block website will be showing up more and more as the year comes along, it will be a user-friendly way to show blocks of information and easily made mobile friendly.

2. Scroll

Trends in 2019 are making websites as interactive as possible to engage the audience and for them to get really stuck into the site.

Site design by Pier-Luc Cossette.

The company kombu uses a scroll to show all their different flavours in a bright and colourful way. It is a quick way to get someone to see what they do because people will automatically start scrolling.

Site design by Advanced Group.

Another example is this promotion site for a small village near Kiev. The use of scrolling to reveal what they have in smooth transition is an excellent way to engage the viewer.

Knowing significant per cent of people will automatically scroll through a website should be taken advance of as these companies have. It’s definitely something to consider adding into the site, as it an element a lot of designers are applying into their work.

3. Hamburger Menu

With mobile being a massive part of everyday life, web sites must put the mobile site first, and a huge trend with this is using a hamburger menu on the desktop.

Site design by mozaik hospitality.

It can be a full screen menu that gives a full animation reveal. Showing the menu contents as well as more.

Site design by Fracture.

Or it can be a simple menu that pops up in a style that matches the style of the website.

Whatever the style hamburger menu will eventually replace the standard list on all website giving the full circle connection from mobile to desktop.

4. Big Typography

Typography is always a significant part of any designs; it is the core of how to what kind of business you are within the first word.

Site design by Jonas Pelzer.

Photographers & director BAM has a website with big bold text with the title of the project, a font that help gives the urban and edgy look of their work.

Site design by Locomotive.

On the other hand, the wording could take up the whole site making a big and bold statement to get across what the company is about.

Big typography must be done right, and in the right places; otherwise, it might look tacky or just trying to fill space where you don’t have any content to fill with.

5. Interactive

Everyone likes a little bit of fun, feel included and same time learn something along the way. Interacting with your audience is an excellent way to inducting yourself to them and a great way to showcase your product.

Site design by Sunny Side Up.

This site takes you on a journey of their product, showing how you would use the product and how beautiful it is.

Site design by Austin Mayer.

Simply it can just be a way to showcase the work you do, to give a taste of what you could provide them.

Giving some interaction to a website will bring a whole new level of interest for the user and further opportunities for your business.  

6. Horizontal Elements

We are all familiar with the website being mainly vertical, everything in a standard layout and we come to an end in one whole scroll. But what if a site was not like that, what if the menu was over the left side and text run along with images horizontally. Well, one thing we have noticed that has been cropping up recently is horizontal elements, be it menus, text or graphic elements.

Beauty website Mecca uses horizontal text on their products as little annotates. It is a small but elegant touch to the website that brings it all together.

Site design by Blend Digital.

A standard layout has the menu horizontally, it a great for hamburger menu as then the list can pull along horizontally and cover the whole front page.

Horizontal elements are a small difference to a site, but it can give a whole different perspective and make your website stand out.

7. Animation

Animation has always been a given in anything, but recently there has been a more intelligent and creative use of it in websites. Even used to explain a company’s story or just solely for fun.

Site design by iteo.

This company uses a little line animate to illustrate the different services they provide to give a personal touch to their site and be more inviting for the viewer.

Site design by inconito.

Alternative use of animation is to inform people, in this instead this little animated map shows museums of all over Paris so people can explore a whole different part of Paris. It is a great way to give an emotive feel to a map rather to a standalone one.

Animation always being a big part of any project you can think of but we feel it will be more of a big thing in website more than ever.

8. 3D

To add depth to a website, adding a 3D element will be the best approach. It helps your audience to feel involved in your company by adding that extra depth.

Site design by dogstudio.

This extra depth gives the viewer a feeling that they can reach out and touch whatever they see on the screen — providing a new engagement which otherwise would not be possible in a flat design.

Site design by BC Design.

It can simply just for visual pleasure, to show off a skill that a designer has.

Either way, this style of design has been big lately and something we all should consider adding to our websites for extra depth.

9. Gradients

Uses of gradients have always been an ever-present element in designs, but this year they are bigger and bolder than ever. They are a great way to make a statement, to be made into a pattern and big a burst of colour.

Site design by fleava.

They can be a part of identity; they are commonly used as such. From that will be the focal point of a website and a great way to draw in an audience.

Alternatively, it can be used as a pattern to make a dynamic background.

Gradients are an element that will keep becoming more and more common that even the most monotonous brands will be using it.

10. Illustrations

Sometimes a photo is not a thousand words, and sometimes a little something else needs to do the talking. And that when an illustration comes in. They can make an abstract concept easy to understand. Give an emotive content with ease and can, in general, be aesthetically pleasing.

Site design by Bounds.

An illustration can be used as a bright, colourful character that brings a personal touch to a company.

Site design by BeaversBrothers.

The use of illustration to make a somewhat dull subject seem like something extra ordinary.

Illustration is becoming more and more common in design. Its something everyone should consider adding, even a simple line drawing or a full-colour piece.

Web design trends 2019 – have you got some inspiration now?

Final thoughts:


All these design trends will be the start of what is to come for the rest of the year, although all these will make a site excited and engaging always remember: brand identity comes first and always use what is best for the company and not what looks good.

May 17, 2019
Things your website should not do

The Things Your Website Should NOT Do

By Business, DesignNo Comments

Where Am I Going Wrong With My Website? 

When designing a website – sometimes things can get a bit carried away with buttons here, there and everywhere! But, gone are the days where the more bells and whistles your site featured the more ‘cool’ it looked (why did we ever think bright, clashing colours were cool?)

Today, less is more. User experience is vital, and functionality should be your priority. But, we often see sites missing the mark in all 3 areas and making simple errors.

Website design is crucial to the success – or failure – of a business’s online presence. So, as we are generous here at Geek, we thought we’d explain some of the websites don’ts we see the most often, so you can check your site and see if it’s committing these sinful acts!

Bad Navigation

If you have been in a long queue (we live in Britain, of course, you’ve been in a line!) you’ll understand how much patience people have – not a lot. So when it comes to a website, there is very little forgiveness if it does not work. If your site has hard to find navigation, customers will not have the time to try and figure out where it is and how to progress through your website. Instead, they’ll leave and find what they are looking for elsewhere!

User experience and accessibility is key to a website’s success, so when designing your site, menus should be clear and distinct – don’t make it more difficult than it should be!

Hard To Read Text

Good website design will take into account the contrast between the background and the text colour. No sentence should take more a few seconds to read and hindering this could be costing you! Text colour and font style should be simplistic. Yes, those fancy, fun and quirky fonts do look good, BUT NOT FOR YOUR WEBSITE! Sorry, it’s a bugbear of ours. No more white text on a black background and no more Comic Sans MS – the text on your website is selling your services – wouldn’t you want everyone to read it?

Call To Actions

Don’t tell your customers how amazing and fabulous your services are but not tell them what to do next! Make it easy for them to get in touch. A simple ‘contact us’ call to action, or CTA shows customers you want them to call you. Psychologically, by telling people what you want them to do, means they are more likely to do it even if this is as simple as saying shop now. We know it may sound obvious, but it’s very effective – trust us, one of us has a psychology degree!

Poor Content – tut, tut, tut!

Yes, you may have a beautiful website, perfectly designed and looks just the part. But, if it doesn’t have relevant content, then this all becomes worthless. You don’t need to drone on about your years of experience in the trade or how big your clients are – write content for the person reading it, not your company.

Like we discussed earlier customers have very little patience when it comes to searching. If the information is not easy to find and you’re not describing the service you offer – you should consider a content refresh.

Links That Go Nowhere – AKA Broken Links

When we are doing our research (no, not scrolling through Amazon for the latest deal) we often find buttons that when clicked go nowhere. In the business, this is what we call a ‘broken link’. If your site is riddled with these, visitors will begin to believe your website is inactive and hasn’t been updated in a long time.

Broken links are easy to fix and make a big difference.

Not Including The Trusty Search Bar

Did you know that 40% of people agree that a search the most important feature on a website? Well, by not including one within your site design you could be turning potential customers away. A search bar is a simple, yet useful tool that allows customers to search for a product.

There you go, they were some (yes, just some) of the most common website design don’ts we are regularly horrified by. Of course, as with any website design, it is a process of trial and error. What once worked when you launched your site, may not be functional, user-friendly or ‘on trend’ in a year or two. But, have no fear the Geeks are here to help. So if you have any, and I mean ANY of these 7 website design don’ts, it would be best to call our team. We can help create a website that does scream cool – so get in touch with our forward thinkers.

April 12, 2019

Your Logo Is More Important Than You Think

By Design, MarketingNo Comments

Without your logo, your business would be no more. 

Being the first focus of our attention, a logo plays a powerful role in your company, (obviously). When we see someone’s logo, we will instantly make our own opinion of the business.

It takes 7 seconds for one person to make their first impression of someone; don’t let your logo be the reason why you don’t receive the interest.

A professionally designed logo generates trust, making your customers much more likely to do business with you. Your logo reflects your professionalism, capability and dedication to your services. With a poorly designed logo, consumers won’t believe in you.

When someone views your website, they will be welcomed by your logo, so it should incorporate a friendly ambience. The logo also embraces your products and services; it sums you up in a figure. Whether you want to express boldness, friendliness or independence, your logo can help shape the image.

Investing in a high-quality logo design that encompasses the talent of your company is more valuable than a poor brand identity that looks like it was drafted on Paint (we still love you Paint).

Your logo reflects you

How do you want your customers to see your business? I’m talking about your perfect client, what do you want them to think of you? Are you a plumber who wants to demonstrate reliability? Or are you a coffee shop who wants to get thirsty customers through the door with a captivating logo? Your logo needs to capture the persona of your brand yet stand out from the sea of competitors that follow.

Consumer loyalty

Two words we pay very close attention too when we’re a business owner. Developing a memorable logo should be the aim of every brand, as it saves you a massive amount of marketing. If you create a distinguishable logo, then your customers will remember you, just like kids do when they drive past McDonald’s big M.

Achieve the right logo and soon enough you’ll become recognisable in a glimpse. If your logo shows that you’ve taken the time and money to create a good design, then people will trust in your brand.

Develop ownership

Your logo proves your legal ownership, acting as a safeguard against forgeries. You can sue the companies who sell cheaper versions of your product using your unique logo. Third-world countries are notorious for replicating logos of overseas business. A logo can be easily duplicated and used to another’s advantage.

Plan carefully

 

You can have your logo developed cheaply, however, you have to prepare for low-quality graphics, a damaged reputation and loss of customer interest. Paying more for a logo that will be with you for life, not only looks good on you but express your company’s message and values.

The more simple, the better. A logo doesn’t have to feature every single thing related to your industry, instead take a look at Coca-Cola, you couldn’t get any more obvious with that logo.

It’s also important to decide on the colours you want to be implemented into your logo. It’s crucial for your website, logo and graphics to incorporate the same colours, fonts and styles all the way through so customers know it’s you.

Stick to your opinion

Asking your friends and family of their opinion on your logo is okay, to an extent. Everyone looks at things differently and not everyone has the same preferences. For instance, logo designers will often show you what logo would work best and you may agree, but asking your spouse who likes the colour green over red won’t think so.

Varied opinions can lead to complications and a waste of time and money. It’s so important that you, the business owner decides on the logo since it’ll be supporting your growing business.

Be creative and open to ideas

It’s always good to have an idea for your logo before you contact a designer, however, it’s not compulsory. We often recommend that our client has a design brief for what they want their logo to look like or feature, this way we can generate something we know they’re looking for.

However, if you haven’t the time or are feeling trusting of your designers, they can come up with several ideas for you to adapt on or accept. Your logo is important to you, therefore it’s important to us.

If anything, you want to have the best logo out for your competitors, so with our research and your enthusiasm we can achieve just that. The logo design process should not be rushed, it is important that you are 100% happy with the logo before you publicise it to your customers.

Have no idea where to start? That’s no problem at all!

The good thing about logo designers is that they understand a new business owner’s struggles and are here to help. At Geek we understand the stress of coming up with a logo, that’s why we offer a free consultation to help you find your brand.

Whether you’re new to the business or looking to freshen up your logo, it’s never too late or too early. However, when you finally find the logo that works to you, you’ll know it. Eventually, the perfect logo will have your customers remembering who you are, thus leading to more conversions and sales.

Trust us when we say that your logo is more important thank you think. 

March 5, 2019

5 Tips For A Better Mobile Experience On Your Site

By Design, DevelopmentNo Comments

The mobile phone should be everyone’s biggest target market.

Your average individual picks up their mobile 80 times a day, statistics show. A third of a person’s walking is spent looking down at their phone screen. Think about your routine, do you switch on your phone as soon as you wake? Eating breakfast, there’s the likelihood that you will be scrolling through the news.

As more and more people start to introduce mobile phones into their day to day tasks, it’s important that your website remains UX responsive. An incomprehensible article that isn’t designed for a small screen isn’t going to be of interest in comparison to a mobile-optimised site.

We all may love a book now and then, but it’s undeniable how accessible and easy-to-use a mobile phone can be. From flipping through pages to scrolling down an article – each will offer different experiences. The font, layout and design play an essential role in how compelling your content is. However, there are specific rules and regulations with mobile sites, unlike the desktop view. Throughout this blog, you can find the most useful tips on ensuring your website can be as successful as it can be in 2019.

Make sure your font-size is distinguishable

An essential factor to the performance of your web pages is the font you present to your customer. If your text is too small, this can cause an eye-straining experience for your users. However, if your text is too big, this will be just as annoying.

You need to ensure that your audience’s read is comfortable and effortless. Challenge your competitors by making your blog the easiest to navigate through while offering the most engagement and information. The best way to steal customers from your competition is to provide the same thing, but 10x the quality.

Google Developers recommend that your website has a base font of 16 CSS pixels. The font that you’re using and the device that is being used at that time determine the best font size for your site. In this case, we are discussing mobile phone users, and we already know that your web pages will need to fit onto that minimalistic screen. You’ll need to be considerate of your mobile users when you come to choose the content size, as they’ll need more assistance than desktop users.

Consider the style of your text too

It’s all good having the perfect size font, but what good is it if you’ve gone over the top in italics? The content should be easy to interpret and read from first glance. On a mobile screen, people are already straining their eyes; however, your hard-to-read font could be contributing to that even more.

Bright blue text that blends in with a white background isn’t ideal, especially if your audience is viewing your website from their sunny garden patio. If you aren’t providing an excellent mobile-viewing experience, then your competitors will come out above you. Realise the significance of a font can have on different devices, choose a font that fits your brand yet can be easily distinguished.

Choose a suitable background

Your website’s background should support your font rather than distract from it. Fancy imagery, designs and elusive colours may look amazing on a desktop but can turn into a nightmare experience for mobile users. People won’t read your content if it’s bothersome. Fight the temptation to fit as much as you can on your website, instead of spread the images and content out equally; we don’t want to confuse our customers.

White space is something to be careful with also. It’s always good to ensure you leave the right amount of space between your paragraphs. However, it can be quite mundane to leave too many areas blank on your website. When it comes to mobile-optimisation, it’s important to think about how small that screen will be. Also, you need to think about how easy it is to fit your content on there.

Paragraphing has always been an essential tool for copywriters; it helps customers to take a ‘breather’ while moving through the text. White space eliminates distraction, which will lead the user to interact with what you have to say before anything else. A neat site is an impressive sit, a lot of images and pretty backgrounds won’t make you any better than other websites. 

Make sure your website is UX responsive

Does your website look identical on a desktop, mobile and tablet? Well, it shouldn’t. Since Google announced it’s mobile-friendly update, your site must be mobile ready for it to rank anywhere. Your website should prepare to adapt to any device and ensure that it’s easy to navigate whether the user is on their laptop or smartphone. If people have a problem or need something, nowadays all we do is search Google for a solution from our mobile device.

Lights not working? You pick up your mobile and look for an electrician. Make sure your website stands out by offering the best mobile experience. Using a web design company is one of the most efficient ways to ensure that your site includes a seamless mobile responsive design. Web designers have the right tools and experience to carry out such complexities whereas doing this yourself could be fairly tricky and risky. It’s also a cost-effective solution to sort your website out for mobile optimisation professionally than to lose customers through poor mobile design.

Unclutter your website

Busy web pages can create a dire reading experience for online users, especially the mobile audience. Attempting to read an article on a page littered with opt-informs and advertisements makes for a difficult read. However, if you carefully position your content and images in a way that appears to go together, your visitors will be more likely to stay.

If visitors keep leaving your page after landing on it, this can create a bounce, and the more bounces your website gets, the lower your site will rank on Google. Although the busy website works well from a desktop point of view, the experience won’t be the same on a screen 10x as small. Have you ever had it where you accidentally clicked on an ad while scrolling because it got in the way? Yeah, we don’t want to be that website as we’ll scare our customers off.

Now it’s your turn:

Does your website look the best it could be from a mobile device? Can you easily read your content? Do the images align correctly? Well, use our top tips and watch your bounce rate start to drop. Don’t waste your time and money on a stunning new website if you haven’t the UX design to match.

March 3, 2019
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COVID-19

As a result of the developments of the Coronavirus and the Prime Minister’s statement, Geek Designs will be following the advice and all staff will be working remotely. The business will open as usual, but for the safety and well-being of our team, their families and of course, our clients, like many other businesses in these unprecedented circumstances, Geek Designs will operate remotely until further notice.

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