As the Internet is more than 20 years old now, we’ve long passed the peak of the World Wide Web gold rush of the late 1990s.
Back then, every business suddenly found itself needing a URL and website to take advantage of the shift toward digital media.
By 2004, websites had taken another quantum leap forward with the beginning of “Web 2.0” – the term given for the evolution of sites from just online bulletin boards to two-way communications and e-commerce platforms. For the first time, companies could communicate with consumers, and consumers, by posting comments to corporate websites or social media sites, could provide companies feedback in real-time.
That was also the year that presidential candidate Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vt.) broke the traditional political fundraising model by raising the bulk of his primary funds from online donations. Today, that level of small-donation grassroots fundraising is commonplace, but then, it was ground-breaking.
Fast forward to today, and enterprising high schoolers can stand up a decent-looking website with ease with just a few hours of work. Thanks to platforms like WordPress, Squarespace and Wix, one need not have a knowledge of HTML to code a basic, good-looking site.
And yet it is this very proliferation of cheap platforms and standardized templates that is fueling the demand for professional web design services provided by multi-service firms like ours.
Why?
Launching a basic, functional site is so easy that there is now a huge gulf between amateur and professional sites. Companies that hire professional editorial and design services stand out from the crowd.
Throughout our existence, Dale Curtis Communications has helped create and develop many websites, and demand has been strong in 2015-2016.
We are proud to have been involved with the planning, content, design and/or implementation of the following sites (plus several more we aren’t allowed to advertise):
Thank You 9-1-1 (http://thankyou911.org)
Friends of 9-1-1 (http://www.friendsof911.org)
Run for 9-1-1 (http://www.runfor911.org)
SRT Wireless (http://www.srtwireless.net)
SRT Group (http://www.srtgrp.com)
IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries’ Political Action Committee (https://www.epacmanager.com/pass_sol/sol_ipcpac/frmLO.aspx)
In addition, we are currently working with two clients to revamp their websites, both of which are scheduled to be unveiled later this summer.
But we would be remiss if we did not mention another recently refreshed site of which we are proud: DaleCurtisCommunications.com. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we launched it.
The so-called “parallax” template that we adopted is trendy among modern websites, but it’s popular for a reason. With its simplicity, priority on images over text, and inherently responsive mobile-friendly design, it is a far cry from the first WordPress “bulletin board” or “digital magazine” sites of even five years ago. Websites today need to be “mobile first,” visually beautiful, and extremely intuitive to navigate.
As you review your marketing materials, I encourage you to cast a critical eye on your website – your brand’s primary digital calling card. Considering all of the communications vehicles you invest in, ultimately more people will experience your brand through your website than through any other vehicle.
If you feel your site needs some work, please contact us to schedule a free consultation. We have a team of talented, experienced website developers and graphic designers ready to assist you.
We’re proud of our recent website design work and have some very happy clients as a result of it.