Alter Impact Orange County Website Design

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Web Design for Every Industry

Web Design for Every Industry

A lot goes into creating a website. You must first decide your intended audience and then create a website that accurately expresses what your business does. Every industry needs to reach a different type of clientele. As such, every industry will have different needs when it comes to the design of their website. When looking for a web designer, business owners should search for someone with experience in a variety of industries.

The problem with free web templates

There are currently several free web templates available online. Many small business owners think these are a wonderful idea. However, these types of websites look unprofessional and aren’t properly optimized for the search engines. Free template websites make a business appear unprofessional. They also give the impression that you don’t care about your business.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a good website. Alter Impact offers a variety of web design packages to suit every budget.

Colors matter

The colors you use on your website say a lot about your business. Many people don’t realize that different industries use different colors to market their products. For example, red creates a feeling of urgency, which is why is typically used for clearance sales.

An experienced web designer understands the way that color influences your customers. They will work with you to create a website that accurately depicts your business.

Selling online

If you would like to sell a product or service online, then you need the right outlet to do so. A quality ecommerce site makes it easy for customers to purchase your products through your website.

Ecommerce websites must be secure and should follow the same theme as your original website. They should be thoughtfully designed to attract your intended audience and help your business stand out in your industry.

Alter Impact has over 14 years of experience creating effective websites for businesses both large and small. We have worked with several industries and we understand how important it is to stand out. We offer web design packages to fit every budget. For more information, please contact us today.  

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Importance of Advertising your Professionally Designed Website

Importance of Advertising your Professionally Designed Website

 

Online advertising provides businesses with a heightened level of visibility and audience contact. This helps companies differentiate their brand online by providing useful information, positive interaction and enhanced communication. Online advertising attracts new customers and keeps existing ones loyal.

Today, almost everyone uses the internet. You want to make sure that people can find you online. Advertising your professionally designed website is important to the overall success of your business.

The foundation of web advertising is search engine marketing, which drives traffic to business websites. Other web advertising formats include display ads such as banners and classified ads, auctions such as Craigslist and eBay and lead generation which involves using email or social networking.

Web advertising levels the playing field for all sizes and types of businesses. Unlike print or broadcast media, web advertising works 24 hour a day, seven days a week. Additional advantages include immediate viewer feedback, rapid analytic ability, ease and speed of restructuring online marketing and advertising campaigns to meet a variety of changing circumstances.

Technological improvements are expected to positively impact web advertising as broadcast access penetrates more regions. Internet searches will be more intelligent and location aware. Mobile device usage will become more widespread, with media rich and powerful applications and personalization of online consumer interaction with businesses will increase.

Alter Impact provides web and graphic design services to businesses both big and small. We can help you market your business online! For more information, please contact us today.

 

 

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Why You Should NEVER Design Commercial Printing Projects in MS Word

Why You Should NEVER Design Commercial Printing Projects in MS Word

As a professional web and graphic designer, we get a lot of people asking if they can design their commercial printing projects in MS Word. This is especially true for large companies where every employee has their own copy of Word. While this might be convenient for many, using MS Word or MS Publisher for professional printing is never a good idea.

Word processors like MS Word do not allow you to have precise control over tracking, kerning, justification, alignment, ligatures and other nuances of fine typesetting that dedicated layout programs can provide. Simply put, when using MS Word, you have much less control over the individual characters and the overall look and color of the text. Minuscule details within a block of copy combine to either facilitate or detract from the overall ease of reading. Also, multi-column layouts are extremely difficult to create or control in MS Word.

Graphics tend to move within an MS Word file. This makes it virtually impossible to anchor them to a specific position within the text. Also, MS Word is an RGB application. Commercial printing works within a CMYK color space. When you attempt to convert an RGB file to CMYK it can dramatically alter the color. Also, black text becomes a color build rather than 100 percent black.

Instead of designing your commercial printing projects in MS Word, consider enlisting the help of a graphic designer. Professional graphic designers have the proper programs and knowledge to help you create perfect, print-ready pieces.

Alter Impact can help you with your company’s commercial printing needs. We offer professional web and graphic design to businesses both large and small. For more information, please contact us today.

 

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How Quality Graphic Design Can Help Your Business

How Quality Graphic Design Can Help Your Businessquality graphic design

Typically, you get only a few seconds to impress someone before they turn the page of a magazine, move on to another piece of mail or walk away from your exhibition stand. Quality graphic design can make the impact needed to hold the reader’s attention. All of your promotional materials should be well designed in order to create a profound impact, encouraging readers to learn more about your business or visit your website.

An effective eye catching design is an extremely important part of marketing your business or product. After all, design reflects your business’s professionalism, sophistication and the niche your business sits within. Great design can give you leverage over your competitors.

Graphic design is an art. It must be done in such a way as to catch and hold the attention of your intended audience. Effective graphic design tells a story about your company and encourages people to learn more. A professional graphic designer has the tools and experience necessary to create a memorable brand for your business.

A professional graphic designer can create a brand and image for your business and adapt it for your website and other media, giving you a strong corporate look throughout all of your marketing materials. This is extremely important as a strong, consistent brand can help you rise above your competition.

Alter Impact has over 14 years of graphic design experience. We can help you create an effective brand, logo and website. For more information, please contact us today.

 

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Questions You Should Never Ask Your Graphic Designer

Questions You Should Never Ask Your Graphic Designerwhat not to ask your graphic designer

When you work with a professional graphic designer there are two types of questions you can ask; questions that help move your project along and create a final product that everyone is happy with, and questions that bring your project to a crashing halt.

Let’s take a look at the questions you should never ask your graphic designer:

  • Can you do something for me really fast?
    While your graphic designer can usually help you with an extra task or adjustment, don’t just assume that it will be a quick fix. You probably have no idea how much time it will actually take, so always ask your designer for an estimate.
  • Can you put this in a format that we can edit?
    An editable source file will probably need specialized design software and if you don’t have any design knowledge you risk harming your carefully crafted project. If you hire a graphic designer, leave the designing to them.
  • Can you do it several different ways so that I can find the one I like?
    Just because graphic design is digital rather than a physical product, doesn’t mean that your designer puts any less time and care into their work. The design process will go much smoother if you put together a detailed brief that helps the designer understand exactly what you are looking for.
  • Can’t you just Photoshop it?
    While Photoshop and other advanced design software can do some amazing things, they can’t do everything. Graphic designers frequently receive requests that are technically impossible.
  • Can I make just one more change?
    This is typically asked after multiple changes have already been requested. Remember that your graphic designer is on limited time just like you are. Even though they want to make sure that the design fits your needs, they also appreciate it when you acknowledge that their time is valuable. It’s much more efficient to compile a list of all the changes you’d like to make and hand them over all at once.
  • Can you have this done for me by tomorrow?
    Despite what many people think, graphic design is not an instant process that can be done with just a few clicks of the mouse. Every project will have its own process and time requirements.
  • Can you lower your rate to match another designer I know?
    Graphic designers set their prices based on a number of different components. Every designer has different strengths and abilities to offer, and there’s no special formula for determining if a designer’s rates are competitive or fair. With graphic design, you usually get what you pay for.
  • Can you make it pop?
    Vague descriptions like “make it pop”, “edgy” or “modern” can have many different meanings. When you’re giving guidance or feedback to your graphic designer, it’s important to be as specific as possible.
  • Can you just get the logo off our website?
    Saving or taking a screenshot of a logo from your company’s website, Facebook page or other online source simply won’t cut it quality-wise, especially for print projects. Logos should be handed over as a vector file.
  • Why don’t we just go back to your original concept?
    Trust your designer. After you have explained what you need and the designer has come up with the best design possible, think it over for a few days. Don’t waste your designer’s time on multiple changes when the original design ends up being exactly what you asked for.
  • Once you’re finished with the design, can I get unlimited revisions?
    Graphic designers must put limits or fee structures on revisions because otherwise projects might never end.
  • How much will my (special and/or complicated) project cost?
    Pricing a project is not a black and white process. Most designers will need to have a detailed discussion about your project before giving you a quote. To get the most accurate estimate you need to offer the designer your project details before even asking about cost.
  • Can I call or email you anytime?
    Nobody monitors their work email or phone 24/7. Graphic designers have schedules too. While you might not be able to get a hold of your designer at a moment’s notice, you should hear back from them during their regular business hours.

Alter Impact has been creating professionally designed logos and graphics for over thirteen years. For more information on how we can help you brand your business please contact us today!