Web & E-Commerce – Confab Digital Media

Logo Redesign vs Refresh

AdminConfab — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 13:55:06 +0000

Logo Redesign vs Refresh

How to stay apace in the seemingly ever-changing brand landscape.

Words: Phillippa Bundy, Graphic Designer at Confab

Other than your brand name, your logo represents the face of your company; a face that needs to be easily recognised and relevant in the viewer’s mind. Realistically speaking, no logo can remain relevant forever. Design, along with its normalities and aesthetic influences, changes over time. Companies change too. Much like us, companies grow and develop over the years and the message that they once conveyed no longer plays an integral role in their current journey/story.

The biggest problem we face with changing a company’s image, is the fear that we will not be immediately recognised for the characteristics and personality that individuals have come to love and associate with the brand. As an example, assume the everyday scenario of visiting your grumpy gran (set in her ways) versus your out-going gran (has all the new gears and gadgets).

Scenario 1: Grumpy gran is always wearing the same clothes and constantly complaining about new technology – ‘back in my day, we didn’t need all of this’. We love grumpy gran, but tend to avoid her because of both the smell of mothballs permeating her stale home, as well as the rigmarole of listening to the same story repeatedly.

Scenario 2: Outgoing gran is always trying to keep up with the times by learning new things and being susceptible to change. She knows she can no longer wear clothing that is targeted at the youth. However, she has adapted her new wardrobe to suit her unique self. Outgoing-gran is a lot easier to approach, talk to and relate to. Despite the changes in clothing and topics of discourse, out-going gran’s personality still remains unique and one that we will always love. We visit out-going gran a lot more.

By comparing the two scenarios. One thing is evident: adaptability is key. You are not going to be able to engage and interact with a brand that is outdated both in style and core values. If you have identified that your company may need a refresh and that your current brand image is no longer a reflection of the story you wish to convey, there are a few things to consider that will help you achieve that, whilst still maintaining your company’s integrity.

Namely:

1. How iconic is your current logo?

A true testament to whether your logo is iconic is if it is easily identifiable and evokes feelings that the viewer has come to know through their association with the brand. E.g Coca-cola.

2. Do you want to pay homage to the past?

Often, companies shun the idea of re-doing their logo because they fear that they are going to erase the history of a well-loved and cherished brand identity. That begs the question, how much do you want to steer away from the current brand logo? There are numerous ways that you can redesign a logo whilst still maintaining that nostalgic connection. E.g. NBC television.

3. When was the last time you refreshed your logo?

If you haven’t updated your logo in many years, chances are that your logo may just need an update, as opposed to an overall revamp. Logos may insidiously grow to appear out-dated and subdued over time. However, there are subtle design touches and tweaks, such as shadows, gradients, shapes etc that can give your logo an instant refresh without it being changed completely; constantly evolving over time. Whilst current trends are important to stay atop of, it is also equally important to honour your brand image. E.g. Google.

By considering these three things, you now have an idea on whether you are going to undergo a complete design overhaul or refresh your current logo. One thing is certain and that is that your logo is the face of your brand. If is noticeably out-dated and doesn’t create a lasting impression, it will be detrimental to the relevance and success of your company.

“Don’t fear change, you may lose something good, but you may also gain something great!”

The post Logo Redesign vs Refresh appeared first on Confab Digital Media.

The importance of updating your website regularly

AdminConfab — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 06:42:27 +0000

The Importance of Updating Your Website Regularly

Have you ever visited an old website and seen that their latest update was years ago and wondered to yourself – are they still in business? Having outdated content on your website can cause your potential customers to perceive your business as unsuccessful and lose trust in you.

Words: Candice Greig, Web Developer at Confab

Your website is typically the first place your customers will look to get an insight of what you or your company does and how you can assist them. Having content that is up to date is vitally important as first impressions will influence your customer’s decision on whether they are going to work with your company or carry on browsing the internet for a company that is more ‘on the ball.’

Your website is the poster child of your business and you’ll want to ensure that you are putting your best foot forward when looking for new customers. We understand that your business is important to you and that you want it to make an impact on your customers; therefore by keeping your website content up to date you are able to accomplish this for your business. You never know who is visiting your website and the benefit that visit may have.

We recommend focusing on the following when wanting to update your website:

Keep your website content as fresh and up to date as possible.

Better website content gives you better website traffic!

Google likes websites with content that is well researched and well reviewed and it will reward your website with high search results in return.

In todays day and age, customers rely on getting up to date information from the internet, so when reading something on your website that makes them think twice about your business, it can hurt your credibility. No matter what market you are in, keeping your content up to date helps build trust and confidence between you and your customer, as your customer will use your site to get useful information about your business.

It is just as important to keep the keywords and phrases on your website as fresh as the content. If you don’t update your keyword focus, then you will not drive useful traffic to website.

Keep YOUR customer in mind

Your website design should focus around the needs of the visitors you are trying to target in order to convert those visitors into customers. This can be achieved by providing the ideal customer, within your target market, with easily accessible and engaging content that they will find useful. Over time, your target market might change as you expand your business or invest in new business tools, so make sure your website content adapts to reflect this.

Make sure your website design is keeping up with the online trends and doesn't use outdated themes

People think that focusing only on content and digital agency Durban will help their website achieve their goals, but fail to address the design and navigation of the site as a vital factor in the equation. A customer’s first impression of your website could have a potentially great outcome for your business, so staying fresh and up to date is vital. The digital world is constantly changing, so what was awesome last year, may not be so awesome this year. Outdated technologies and functionality will not make you stand out in the crowd. Nobody wants to fill in a long contact form or battle with difficult navigation; these are a few things that can turn customers away, even if your content is amazing.

Make sure your website is Mobile Friendly

Mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Tablets and Android phones are constantly evolving and getting smarter and smarter and as a result, these devices are accounting for just over 60% of website traffic. This means that you could be missing out on over half of your potential customers if your website is not mobile friendly or easily to view on smaller screen.

Our lives are currently driven by having to have the ‘latest and greatest.’ Our culture likes things to be new and we are constantly looking for change. So if this is how we are driven, then why should your website be the exception to the rule and remain outdated?

The post The importance of updating your website regularly appeared first on Confab Digital Media.

Why you should consider updating your website

AdminConfab — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 07:56:54 +0000

Why you should consider updating your website

Does your website promote your business and will it help you attract more clients?

Words: Candice Greig, Web Developer at Confab

If your answer is no, then you should not continue reading this article and get in touch with us, so that we can assist you by building a website that will convert visitors into leads who then become customers!

Your website promotes you to the online world 24/7, so investing time and effort into keeping this extremely powerful marketing tool is pointless, if it does not help you or your business grow and prosper.

Internet users are more savvy today than every before and with all the information readily available to them, have become fussy with how they want their online experience to be. With so many brands and businesses competing for their attention online, it is vitally important that you maintain and keep your website fresh and up to date with some of the latest web design Ballito, modern technological advancements and SEO.

If your website was built over 2 years ago, then it is most likely far behind in terms of design and functionality and probably has outdated code behind it that can cause your website to load sluggishly, respond differently on some devices or not be compatible with the latest browsers.

A fresh new look for your website can help with creating a great first impression with your clients. Nothing shouts “successful, modern business” more than a well thought out and presented website with fresh and up to date content that’s easy to use.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself about your website and see if your website needs as update.

Is your website memorable and does it stand out in the crowd?

Does it reflect your brand correctly?

Are you attracting the right type of clients?

Is your theme and functionality on your website up to date?

Is your website mobile friendly?

Does your website have enough Call to Actions?

Why do you have a website? Is it for promoting your work? Is it helping you get new business? Is it helping your customers getting to know your business?

While we understand that redesigning a website is an important and time consuming process, we can assist you by breaking down this process with a step by step approach. We are here to help and guide you, making the process a lot less daunting and a lot more streamlined. By using our expertise, we can assist you to create and build a beautiful and powerful online marketing tool to help you get the most out of your website.

The post Why you should consider updating your website appeared first on Confab Digital Media.