Can't my friend do it?
Many people know someone - a nephew or a neighbor down the street, or the high school daughter of a friend - who knows a little HTML. Maybe they've done sites for the local soccer club, or a church organization, or just to post their own family's pictures. Couldn't they do a website for me, a whole lot cheaper than a professional like Pocono Graphic Design?
Well, yeah ... probably they can. But unless they are well-versed in modern web standards, unless they know Cascading Style Sheets and positioning and search engine optimization and optimizing graphics for web and ... well, being a professional web designer involves a lot more than simply knowing some HTML code.
What about those do-it-yourself "kits" that you see on some web hosts? What could be easier - you drag and drop a few graphics they've already given you, type up a little text, and you're done.
So why should you hire Pocono Graphic Designs instead of relying on your pal or cookie-cutter assembly? Is it worth the money?
Professional Training & Experience
Susan E Hoffman was formally trained in art and design. She has a bachelor's degree in art from an accredited university, giving her a solid foundation in good design. She has several years of experience working as a professional graphic designer and ad designer in the print industry.
She's taken many courses on web page construction and graphic design. She's had advanced courses in Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks and Dreamweaver specifically oriented toward web design. Susan has had training in areas as diverse as computer networking; creative writing; search engine optimization; and technical illustration; and she is continually updating her skills through online classes and independent learning.
Modern Standards
Pocono Graphic Design adheres to modern web design standards and makes an effort to assure that the pages we design meet strict criteria. We can hand-code HTML, XHTML, CSS and JavaScript, and can intelligently tweak the code that Dreamweaver generates to improve the page. We use the software tools available to us, but we also know how to customize them for the ideal experience.
We strive for lean, content-rich pages, with structural details "off the page" in style sheets, to enhance load speed. This also helps us assure that the site will be accessible to all users including those with visual impairments.
Marketing Sense
Pocono Graphic Design will help you build a web site that not only looks attractive, but is structured to maximize marketing potential. Your web site must be structured from the ground up to help you sell your products or services. Issues such as search engine optimization must be considered, and a keen understanding of how businesses function is essential. Pocono Graphic Design has had years of experience with both large multinational corporations and small businesses. We can tap our business experience to your advantage. We can guide you on content, and work with your marketing staff to make your website more efficient and effective.
Rigorous Testing
Pocono Graphic Design tests its pages with modern and legacy browsers to assure that they display as expected. We run our pages through rigorous validation testing to assure that it meets the highest current criteria. We even look at your pages to assure they will be satisfactory for color-blind and other impaired users. If need be, we will provide alternatives for legacy-browser users so that they won't be left out in the cold.
Professional Design
When Pocono Graphic Design creates a site for you, it will look professional. It will not be full of twirling gerbils and flapping mailboxes and spinning stars and other things that scream "amateur." We know typography, and we know how to design type for websites that will be easily readable and will look professional - no huge letters, no blocks of centered, hard-to-read text, no conflicting colors, no lack of sufficient contrast.
Navigation will be consistent and easy to follow. Your visitors won't be scratching their heads wondering where to find the information they're seeking. We'll also help with both the content and structure of your text so that it can be easily read. We'll optimize your images - and create original graphics if needed - so that they will look attractive, yet not drag download time. Your website will have a polished, integrated, professional look.
Custom-designed for you
Your business is unique. You offer products or services that no one else can match. Why should you have to settle for a cookie-cutter design that looks like everyone else's web site? Why should you use canned graphics? Once you make the decision to establish a web presence, doesn't it make sense to get a unique design, tailored specifically for your business?
View Pocono Graphic Design's portfolio to see how we've helped other businesses. And start thinking about what we can do for you!