Red-Fern Media Explain 10 of the most important web design tips for 2012

Every day the internet evolves and something new appears. What started as a blank canvas is now a painting full of creativity. Almost every designer revels in using the very latest technology to catapult their designs to new levels. However, only the true design professionals will understand just how important it is to research the industry thoroughly to determine which jewels will be important going forward and which ones will not.

Alex Heeney, Head of Web Design at Red-Fern Media , explains the company’s commitment to forward-thinking research. “We are always searching to push the boundaries of the personal development with our staff, they are constantly looking at and talking about the latest news and views around the web design industry in the office. I am a firm believer that approaching web design in this way keeps our products and services fresh, exciting and up to date, this ensures that our all the projects we deliver stand out in our competitive industry.”

Here is a list of ten points that every design professional should address if they want to be successful in 2012.

#1 - Flexibility

Most web specialists top priority is flexibility. The design industry has no place for rigid design processes, especially the contemporary design industry. It can be very difficult to meet all the demands your client places on you and sometimes it ends up in you promising something you later on regret. By adopting an honest approach from the beginning will win your more business in the long run.

#2 - Remain Competitive

To remain competitive in this saturated industry agencies and designers should ensure their packages remain highly competitive. Clients who have web know how will always want justification on the investment they are making and more importantly need to understand what their money is being spent on. What this doesn't mean is professionals should under price themselves and work for a mere pittance.  Designers should always do thorough research on their competitors to ensure they are not under pricing over pricing.

#3 - Effiecient Web Design Processes

If web designers main goal is to achieve as much business as possible then they have to be pretty efficient with their time management skills . If you have been using the same processes for a while, chances are they have become stale. Refreshing current processes can be very beneficial.

#4 - Return On Investment

Ask yourself what the main goal of having a website is. Answer: the conversion rate.  when a designer creates a website it should be created with this concept in mind as it is what the clients are looking for - the best ROI possible. This is extremely critical in today's economic climate so getting as much revenue as possible is the main priority.

#5 - Diversify Your Skills

As well as offering design skills, most professional designers also have the opportunity to hone in on other skills including content creation and site re-branding. Web design is a very tough and competitive market and it is every man for himself so any additional skills you can offer will be most valuable.

#6 - Keep your Web Skill up to Date

2012 is the year of HTML5 and CSS3 and these will be jewels that you will need to add to your collection of skills. As a developer you need to keep your eye on all the latest technology developments so you can become a master in using them when creating applications for clients.

#7 - Learn how to be Number 1 (Just like us!)

Another important aspect of web design which is now more than ever relevant is SEO (search engine optimisation) Many more businesses are focusing on SEO campaigns and 2012 will see even more businesses focusing on SEO. With this in mind designers need to capitalise on this growing market and promote themselves as offering SEO services to clients.

#8 - Get Social Savy

Another big explosion for 2012 is social media. By integrating this into existing and new web design you are offering your clients cutting edge services. Whether businesses like it or not, social media is here to stay. As a professional web designer understanding how it impacts the industry as a whole is very important.

#9 -Modern Design

Branding a website and creating functionality of a website is very important. Many companies are honing in on the fact how important tasteful design really is and with this in mind are looking at creating the very best first impression to consumers. People in the web design field are naturals at creativity and offer re-branding as part of their packages. This not only satisfies the client but it also increases their own revenue at the same time.

#10 - You have to get Mobile

The biggest technological advancement for 2012 is mobile development. It is imperative that all designers and developers keep up to date with new trends and are confident in offering mobile applications . As well as offering mobile applications developers need to be able to guarantee that any mobile app they develop will work across different  platforms and browsers. Some would argue this is a big challenge for developers who are used to creating  web sites for desktop PCs only.