Whether a person is interested in hiring someone to design a website or would like to offer web design services to clients, it's important to know that there’s more that goes into websites than just text and graphics. Although there are free web design services available on the web that can help design a site using a template, extra web design services such as Flash™, animation, and e-commerce functionality usually require the skills of a professional web designer. These added features are sometimes referred to as the “bells and whistles” of a website, and enhance its overall look and feel.
One of the most basic components of website design are the buttons that help users to navigate the site. Web designers can create these buttons to resemble actual three-dimensional buttons found on a phone. Buttons function as any text link would by bringing the user to a new page; however, they also enhance a website aesthetically, giving it a more high-tech look. A Flash™ introduction is another popular web design service, presenting the site’s visitors with a short piece of animated content. Flash introductions are sometimes also accompanied by sound and serve as short presentations that set the tone of the websites, letting users know what they can expect from their overall web experience.
E-commerce functionality is one of the most important web design services for vendor sites, and can range from basic online shopping capabilities to more user-friendly and integrated purposes. One of the easiest ways to incorporate e-commerce into web design is to set up a PayPal™ link where visitors can pay for items directly via the site. Other standard e-commerce functions include “shopping carts” that allow users to view the items they’ve chosen and their total costs before proceeding to checkout, where their transaction is processed. For most vendors, a highly-functional e-commerce section that offers a variety of payment methods translates to an increase in sales. For example, web design that allows users to view individual items from different angles and in different colors enhances the shopping experience. Another important web design feature for a shopping section is a drop-down menu that allows users to browse items according to certain categories, such as items within a certain department, price range, or color.