We consider website design and development to be, first and foremost, a task of enabling communications. Ideally, award-winning sites would not be judged solely on the value of their content or their artistic merit, but on the entire user experience. To us this means developing a site that is user-focused, with attention paid to how visitors will reach and navigate through the site, and most importantly, what content the user will expect to find within.

The visual design of a site we develop is based on the constraints of the information architecture, maximum search engine compatibility, the requirements in the web planning brief and best practices for serving information to our target audience.

Based on client needs, the site will be created in one of three ways:

1. Using a content management system to enable the client’s staff to update, add and edit content easily,

2. As a static traditional static html site, or

3. On a proprietary software platform integrated by the client’s IT contractor.

With agreed-upon priorities and objectives, we begin by creating wire frames, which are the skeleton of the layout and define where the different elements of the pages will live. Next we develop a look and feel, which includes fonts, colors and images. From these two elements, we create a “flat comp,” a mockup that shows how the site will look once it is complete.

As we begin the visual design of the site, we delve into the site's content needs including a review of your existing website content (if one exists), determining what, if any, is still usable for the new site. We work with our clients to develop content for their website that will accurately portray them and will reflect their values and services. Marketing Partners crafts copy that speaks with our client's voice and selects art that shows all aspects of client's business or organizations. The content will reflect the communication goals and objectives set forth in the website planning brief.

We begin building the site on our testing server so that it is a live build, but not live on the client’s site. The advantage to this is that we are able to present a complete and functional site before anything is moved onto the client’s server. Finally, based on client needs, we contract hosting on a reliable, secure server and install website analytics in a way that gives client and our staff access to web reporting at any time. We integrate website analytics in our evaluation and reporting for public relations, advertising and online promotional activities.

We also help our clients with additional web-based technologies that include animation, interactive web programming, content delivery, RSS, podcasting, SMS messaging, direct email systems, and many combinations of these and other technologies. Using new technologies because they can reach our clients' target audience and not just because they are the latest craze is an important distinction in our strategic approach to new web opportunities. There are times when a technology isn't appropriate for the needs of the audience or the internal capacity of our client. However, as with any new technology, we assess its potential benefit for our clients, and either expand our service base to include it, find an appropriate vendor skilled in it, or keep it on our watch list until it comes of age, when we can put it to good use.