Many business owners these days do not realize the importance of hiring a professional web and graphic designer.  Some think they can do it themselves, other know a guy who knows a guy that does it on the side.  Well here are some reasons why it may be a good idea to hire a professional.

1.  Quality of design and user experience

When running a successful business, image is as important as whatever you are trying to sell.  Professional designers can create cohesive branding (logo, business cards, website, promotional material) for your company.  More important is how your customers will use these branding tools.  Professional designers are well versed in the many ways people use their products and they design accordingly.  Example:  Navigation bars/links on a website.  This is probably the most important aspect of your website and if a user cannot find the information they are searching for, well that is a potentially lost customer.

1. SEO

Search Engine Optimization.  This is a tricky science.  Without optimizing for search engines like Google your website will just get lost in all the other millions of website out there.

1. Cross Compatibiliy

With so many ways to access the internet, it is important for your website to work in Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, and Chrome as well as on any mobile device (iphone, ipad, android tablet).  This does not happen automatically when developing a website.  Professional web designers know how to make this happen and more importantly, know how to fix a problem if your site does not operate in one the internet programs or mobile devices.

1. Scalability

A website that can grow as your company grows saves money and time.  A professional can design your site in a way that makes it easy to add/subtract pages and information without having to build an entirely new website once your business takes off.

1. Locality

It is so easy these days just to search for “web designer” on the internet and find someone in who-knows-where to design your company’s graphics and website, but dealing with someone local has added benefits.  You can meet in person to brainstorm and go over ideas.  Just knowing that your company is in the hands of a competent professional creates a trusting relationship that can grow with your company.

So if you are just starting your business or looking to refresh your company branding, Red Room is the perfect solution. Web site design, print media, and logo design are all done under one roof right here in Lafayette.  Email or call Blake for a consultation (bb@theroomisred.com  337-349-1965).

1. Better-integrated support for video and audio

Rich media websites are nothing new—these tools have been implemented in various clunky ways since the early days of the Internet—but HTML5 should allow for a much smoother implementation of media by offering markup tags that insert media directly in the code. Such practices could bypass the use of plugins such as Adobe Flash Player and QuickTime, delivering media more quickly to viewers without requiring them to stop and agree to the installation of software.

2. Geolocation

HTML5-compliant browsers will be able to determine the geographical location of a user. Many websites already implement this functionality, and mobile phone users are accustomed to geolocation through services such as “checking in,” but geolocation implemented into browsers through HTML5 means that the feature will not be dependent on a specific plugin or tool offered by a developer. The most significant consequence for businesses is that search engines can determine a user’s location and display helpful results from local businesses when they perform a specific search for products or services.

3. Increased mobile phone compatibility

One of the most consistent concerns among web developers, especially for businesses websites, is the implementation of Flash. This web technology allows for the delivery of rich media content through audio and video, and is often used in designing user interfaces. However, for a variety of reasons, iPhones do not support Flash. As more and more users access the Internet through their mobile phones, businesses must be prepared to have visitors view their websites on tiny mobile phone screens rather than on full-sized computer displays. While Flash may appear to be an attractive option, its lack of compatibility with the incredibly popular iPhone should be taken into account. HTML5 will not immediately offer all of the functionality of Flash applications, but it will allow the use of interactive media that was not previously possible through a browser itself, and eventually it will surpass Flash in its media capabilities. HTML5 will unify these rich media experiences under a single set of standards, increasing compatibility across both mobile phones and traditional web browsers.

Many elements of HTML5 are already recognized by browsers and are being used today. To check how well your browser uses HTML5, visit The HTML5 Test and consider upgrading—it makes life much easier for web developers!