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If you are considering a new website, or re-designing your existing one, there are some fundamental web

 design considerations you should make note of before committing your time and money into your new website. 1. You only get one chance to make a good first impression. The initial impact of your web design must say "professional". Regardless of whether you want a traditional formal look or a funky modern web design, your website must look utterly professional. You wouldn't want to send out sub-standard leaflets to prospective customers, so your website, which is going to be seen by far more prospects (hopefully!) must be professionally designed. 2. Navigation is key, and print designers are not web designers. Designing for print is different to designing for the web, especially where navigation is concerned. Good web design can only be done by the kind of designer who knows websites inside out. Once you know exactly what it is you want to say on your website, and you have categorized it, go and see a professional web designer. S/he will be able to suggest an appropriate look and feel based on your business, and the best way of navigating through it. For instance, there aren't many accountants who want a really vibrant green and red fast moving flash based design! 3. Get more than one design route. You will have a meeting with the designer to formulate a "brief". The web designer will work with you to make sure your corporate identity is firmly reinforced whilst incorporating the colour scheme, functionality, and navigational requirements of the website. After this meeting, the designer should provide you with at least two options from which you can choose and refine, until you are happy with the web design. 4. Do the developers live in-house? We have written articles on the kinds of questions you should be asking your web designer, and this is one of them. It's not actually the end of the world if your designer sub-contracts the development of your website, but there are advantages if the web development team are part of the same design studio. If they are, it is likely that your end product will be less expensive, your website could be produced more quickly, and if there are any issues they will be easier to sort out. 5. Search Engine Results Lets make no mistake about it, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the next big thing you need to be concerned about, and you definitely want the people who are actually building your website to know what they're doing from an SEO point of view. The problem of course, if you're on a tight budget, is paying for it, because SEO work is not inexpensive. You will need to retain at least 50% of your budget for SEO. That's how important it is. These are just a few of the considerations you must take into account when considering a new web design.