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Design

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.

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!

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.

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

The Colour Psychology Lesson That Will Affect Your Marketing

By Design, MarketingNo Comments

Colours play a bigger role in influencing what we purchase more than you may have realised…

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

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.

7% of males claim red is their fave colour

9% of females claim red is their fave colour

Orange

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

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.

57% of males claim yellow is their fave colour

35% of females claim yellow is their fave colour

Green

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).

14% of males claim green is their fave colour

14% of females claim green is their fave colour

Blue

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!

57% of males claim blue is their fave colour

35% of females claim blue is their fave colour

Black

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

The 7 Things Your Website Should NOT do

By Business, DesignNo Comments

Could you be failing your business by having a complicated website design?

The answer is YES.

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!

The 7 most common (and irritating) website design don’ts:

Let’s kick things off with 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?

BUY NOW. CONTACT NOW. SHOP NOW = 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.

List all your products and services on ONE page

Sometimes less is more, and this certainly goes for products pages. If you sell many different products or offer multiple services – having one page with everything in one big list is a big no-no! Instead, break your products down into smaller categories. This helps customers go straight to what they want, instead of scrolling getting less and less patient.

Links that go nowhere – AKA Broken Links

When we are doing our research (noooo, 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.

Finally, and by no means least, 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.

Contact the team of Geeks today
Book your FREE consultation
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

You can’t afford to have a poorly designed logo on your vehicle.

By Design, MarketingNo Comments

Vehicle livery can bring you many benefits, but first, you need a high-quality logo.

A shocking 38.2 million cars drive on Britain’s roads (according to the Society Of Motor Manufacturers and Traders). Among the vast number of drivers, at least one potential customer is looking for your product or services. So, what better idea than to slap your brand on the side of your company vehicle and do some circling of your area?

The world may be becoming much more digitalised, but there will always be commuters and that way your transport should be used to its advantage. Whether you’re a floral service, own a small fleet of vans or a web design company that has a company car – a branded vehicle is an excellent form of direct marketing.

Logo design has always been a vital asset to your brand.

If you haven’t already got your logo, it’s highly advised that you seek a professional for the design plays an essential factor in how good it’s quality will be. Settling for a cheap, online logo generator over carefully executed logo development will leave you out of pocket and cheapen your business name.

However, professional designers will listen to your needs and digest the information regarding your brand guidelines. This way they can then construct ideas that will help generate the perfect result that encompasses your business. If you are Peterborough-based, then we can offer you help with designing and logo and applying this to your vehicle in due course; however, we understand some of you may be from afar.

Studies do show that vehicle wraps offer the lowest cost-per-impression in any form of marketing. As opposed to having to commit to a monthly fee, vehicle livery requires a one-off payment for years and years worth of advertising.

Achieve an abundance of impressions.

A branded vehicle can generate around 30,000 to 70,000 daily impressions, reaching more than billboards, radio and direct mail do. Not only will you be marketing your business on your journeys, but also when you’re stationary. Say for instance you visit Tesco, you can expect a densely populated area of customers who will notice your vehicle – and one of them may need your help.

Also, the inconvenience of being stuck in traffic will still be contributing to your brand awareness. If you think about it, what else do people have to do when held up by other cars? People will acknowledge your branded vehicle; they’ll memorise your logo and be interested in what you’re advertising. Display your business wherever you can on your car, whether a van or car. You need to ensure you cover the sides and rear view to capture as much interest as you possibly can while mobile.

The importance of logo placement.

Painting your logo on your vehicle to look as close as it possibly can to the original isn’t the way to go. Almost any part of your car can be adorned with your logo, whether you’re looking to cover your entire vehicle or install a sign atop your vehicle – it’s possible.

We need to consider the perspective of the people on the road; they’ll be concentrating on their driving. So, it’s the people behind you who need to be informed first. Applying a logo to your vehicle itself can be a risky task and costly for that matter if you get the application wrong. Luckily, if you’re in or near Peterborough, the Geeks here can ensure your brand is applied to your vehicle correctly.

Do you have a part-time business? Or maybe the company car is also your everyday family car? Well, that’s no problem at all you can also find magnetic vehicle signs. This way you can selectively choose when you’d like to advertise your brand or keep a low profile. Vehicle livery is a highly flexible marketing method.

The mobility of your logo

Most signs used to market businesses are limited to a geographical reach. Presenting your company via a billboard or banner is excellent, but it’s not going to reach a bigger audience. However, owning a branded vehicle will help you achieve a diverse audience of people. The mobility offered by holding a car or van with your logo will introduce potential customers to your business better than stationary marketing ever could.

Driving to work, we always see the same advertisements on the same billboard and don’t think twice about it. But instead with a branded vehicle, you can showcase your brand to new customers each day as you take the same path to work. A new set of eyes increases the probability of customer and brand awareness for that matter.

Branding your business

Your logo is the foundation of which you build your business on; it becomes the face of your company. Whether it’s McDonald’s, Coca-Cola or KFC we recognise these places just from their logo and colours. Driving your logo around saturates more awareness and visibility for your brand and drives (ha get it?) customers towards your business.

Without a branded vehicle, your business could lack professionalism, especially when you are called out to a meeting or someone’s home. A branded car or van appears much more trustworthy than a low profile vehicle.

A logo slapped onto the side and back of your company car is hard to ignore on the road. A high-quality logo goes the extra mile. From your local shop to the petrol station to your home, you can show off your new logo. You can market your business better than any paper and could do.

March 2, 2019

8 Funny and Clever 404 Pages

By Design, Development, featuredNo Comments

Is it a result of procrastination? Or pure genius? Take a look at some fabulous 404’s!

What’s the fun in perfection? I mean, we all strive for it, but we can’t really expect it every time.

The same situation occurs in the world of websites. But, as you will discover, many web designers have used their flaws to their advantage.

404 pages are our way of making light of server downtime or user error, however, this is also the perfect time for businesses to get creative.

    We’re all clued up on 404 pages, right?

In case you don’t understand the cryptic language, a 404 page is an HTTP error message. Let me rephrase that again, basically, it’s the page that shows up when the page you were trying to reach can’t be found on a server.

In most cases, this page usually shows its face when the owner has removed the page, changed the URL or the user has spelt the URL incorrectly.

However, we’ve come across some very interesting and comical 404 pages that we think you will enjoy. Let’s take off our serious faces for 3 minutes and admire these great 404 masterpieces.

1. NOUVELLER

Our first contestant is a website design and development company based near Bristol.

Now, I can definitely say that this 404 page is something beyond creative.

No doubt we’ve all seen Jurassic Park® at one point in our life (if not, how!?) But now, thanks to Nouveller’s 404 page, we get to experience some nostalgia.

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OK, eye’s too the left, let’s look at this script. This interactive 404 provides you with commands, which once selected, provide different conclusions.

But best of all, if you type in too many incorrect commands, Dennis himself will pop up with the infamous ‘HA HA HA’ accompanied by his wagging finger.

It’s pretty cool; you’ve got to admit.

2. Centresource

Next on our list is an agency dedicated to a comic 404 page with the oddest choice.

So you’re angry that you came across a 404? Why not punch a moose to show your anger? I mean, I’d recommend other remedies to de-stress but each to their own I guess!

Oh, and we can’t miss the typical tourist rep stating that the park is closed, you just can’t help but smirk – well-done CentreSource.

3. Blizzard Entertainment

What a capturing way to make someone who doesn’t understand 404 pages, panic.

Blizzard Entertainment decided to become a trickster by dramatically ‘breaking the screen’ when someone mistypes a URL.

There’s no re-direct, instead, the page is solely devoted to an innovative 404 which is sure to get a reaction. 

4. William Csete

404 pages are full of surprises, William Csete’s website is a prime example. Dare to misspell a URL on the site and you will come face to face with ‘the wrong file.’ 

Yikes indeed! This is a comical way to scare your users into clicking the re-directing call to action. 

Nonetheless, this frightful 404 will stick in one’s mind for the day. Effective marketing or nightmare stimulator?

5. RSPCA

The RSPCA has a funny way of covering up the inconvenience of a 404 page…by blaming their dogs!

This heartfelt company never fails to disappoint with all they do for both the dogs and us viewers. It’s quite clever to implement their purpose even in the broken link page.

It’s safe to say if that 404 didn’t pull some heartstrings, then it’s at least going to make you smile!

6. Bleugg

Bluegg has gotten ‘down’ with the younger generation by including the viral ‘screaming goat’ within their 404 pages. It makes sense, I mean we all tend to impersonate the goat perfectly when we misspell a URL and land on the 404. 

The informal yet charismatic landing page is sure to brighten up your day. It’s the most straightforward idea yet but gives such hilarity; I’d raise a hand at saying this was pure genius.

Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to be a little less creative, instead use general knowledge – it may just pay off better!

7. The Rolling Stones

For the finale, we give you The Rolling Stones! Back when the band were selling their tour tickets, the marketing team decided to get real cheeky yet cunning.

‘What could we make our 404 pages do?’ How about telling the users that they can’t always get what they want? Well, as cheeky as it is it’s advertising The Rolling Stones single and make the user smile.

I think the marketers behind this landing page really stole the show!

8. Carwow

It’s not just cars Carwow is astonishing us with. Their 404 page has even gone the extra mile, and this mileage isn’t something we question.

If you land on their 404 page you’ll be greeted with an interactive driving game where you’ll need to avoid everyday potholes and slow traffic.

Fail? Ah well, Carwow will even trust you enough to give you a real life test drive! Check it out.

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Have you come across any smart 404 pages?

These were only 7 of the many fantastic 404 pages you can find on the World Wide Web. We haven’t even mentioned the landing pages that let you play minigames and re-direct you to funny YouTube videos.

If these pages haven’t made you smile then I’m hoping that you will impress us all with your ideas!

Remember, there’s always a silver lining. Don’t let a broken link page become a bounce!

January 7, 2019
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