A firm’s website should be created to further promote the firm’s brand through:

• pictures and images,
• colors and fonts,
• page layout and navigation, 
• the proper use of flash, and
• other design characteristics

Coordinating Website Design Aspects with Other Firm Identity Materials

Because a firm’s website is central to its brand, the website should be designed to enhance the firm’s other identity materials (letterhead, business cards, newsletters, and other corporate matter).  

Because the website design will require a significant investment, consideration should be given as to whether all of the firm’s corporate identity materials should be re-developed in conjunction with the new website design.

• EI works with a number of graphic artists who can prepare a complete identity package of logo, stationery, business cards, and fax cover sheets.
  

Graphic Artists are Not the Same as Web Developers 

Graphic artists are typically not also web developers. The role of the graphic artist is to translate concepts and ideas to tangible images and website navigation. The role of the developer is to create website coding based upon the images and website navigation prepared by the graphic artist.

Experienced website graphic artists are familiar with the major elements of good website design, which include:

• Pages that load fast,
• Pages that allow for a fair amount of text (which allows for higher search engine rankings),
• Limited use of flash,
• Navigation that allows for direct access to sub-pages (without needing to navigate back to the home page first).   
  

Website Coding

Behind the scenes, the firm’s website should load quickly in all major browsers. Additionally, the firm’s website should look the same no matter what browser is used to open the website.

Esquire Interactive Websites Are Built with Content Management Systems

A content management system (CMS) allows a website owner to easily change website content (text, pictures, and links) and add pages with little or no developer input. A good CMS does not require the user to have any experience or knowledge of html coding. Adding text, links, and pictures and making changes to a web page are all done much like the same would be done using Microsoft Word.

Most websites, unfortuantely, aren't built with content management systems. As a result, every time a firm wants to make a website change, expensive developer time is required.  

With a good CMS, website content can be easily and quickly changed. Because there is no time delay or developer costs involved, a good CMS also promotes making changes to the website to add fresh content or additional material or articles.

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