Whether you are looking to update your existing website or create a new one, we’ve got you covered. Here are five rules to get the most out of your digital design.
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Purpose Before you hire someone to create your site, or embark on doing it yourself, ask yourself two important questions: What do you want people to feel and what do you want them to do when they click your URL. The former will define the look of your site and the latter will help you clarify
what the site offers. -
Hierarchy Map out the order of each page. Critical information to consider includes: About Us, Location, Hours and Contact Information, Staff, Service Menu and Pricing, Brand Affiliations, Retail, Work Examples, Online Booking, Social Media
feed and links, and a Newsletter sign-up option. -
Function Decide what happens when the user clicks each navigation tab. Put all of your booking links, contact and newsletter information at the top of the site for easy access. Also repeat this information on the footer of the site to make the site search-engine friendly.
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Design Make your logo the starting point for your design. Choose a complementary palette and fonts that support your current branding. “You always want the look across all of your marketing materials—from business cards to your website—to be consistent,” says Inga Folter, a web designer based in New York City.
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Test Before you launch the site, test it across all web browsers, such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer to make sure your site looks the same. Each browser differs, and, unfortunately, some functions may not be fully supported. Browser compatibility should be tested throughout the process.
Many thanks to our program sponsors Matrix, Redken, Pureology, L'Oréal Professionnel, Baxter, Decleor, Essie, Mizani and SalonCentric for making this Digital Supplement possible.