“LOOK AND FEEL” OF THE WEBSITE
“Look and Feel” of a Website
This month, we finished the development of another of our clients’ website, this time a great law firm in New Zealand, Lowndeslaw.com. A lot of thought and ideation goes on behind the scenes before we can achieve something as beautiful as this website. One area of this includes – the “look and feel” design stage.
But what is the “look and feel”? And how do we as a team, successfully accomplish this phase?
Let us break it down for you:
What is the “Look and Feel” of a Website?
In layman’s terms, the “look and feel” of a website is the initial design (not development) of a website which give you, the client a visual of how the entire website will look before it is developed.
The “look” is defined by the following components of your website:
- Colour palette
- Imagery
- Layout
- Font styles and choices
- Overall styling & spacing
The “feel” is determined by these characteristics:
- The movement and dynamic components like dropdown menus, buttons, forms, portfolios, galleries, testimonials,
- Video
- Responsiveness (for media devices including Ipad + tablet)
Why is the Look and Feel phase of a Website Important?
Your website’s overall look and feel is important because it instantly draws a picture of you to your clients before they even start reading the content of the site.
Before you begin a website design, check your goals against your competitors’ websites (this is called research). A lawyers website should look trustworthy, organised, well versed and offer a list of services, advice and clear contact details. Whereas a website for a fashion designer can be more creative with bright colours, texture and use emotive images.
Your website’s personality should match the attitude of your business / company and your objectives while still fitting in with your client’s expectations of the business and industry you’re in.
Having a “look and feel” done before any development starts, allows you to make multiple changes to the website until you are happy with the entirety of the website and it components “look and feel” before the build.
When working with a web design company, take some time to clearly define your business objectives regarding the “look and feel” of your website to ensure that everyone is on the same page before web developments / build work begins.