With that in mind, here are some current design trends and their impact on your SEO.

Parallax is a single scrolling page web design that has become increase popular in recent years.  The pros are the improved visual interface and less clicking and navigating as all content is on a single page.  The cons are graphic rich designs which can be slow to load and users may get lost with all the scrolling.  There is also a negative effect on SEO, as all the content is on one page and does not allow for links to multiple URLs.

Responsive design sites are built to allow visitors to have the same user experience regardless of which device they use to connect.  As today’s users could be looking at your site on their phone in the morning, laptop midday and tablet in the evening, you want to have a site that easily works regardless of how someone connects.   Separate sites for different devices may trigger a message to user’s that the site is not designed for their mobile device and consistently updating duplicate content could be problematic.  A single site for all content is a definite advantage when it comes to SEO.  

Fixed navigation makes it easy from a user perspective, as they can easily click to navigate back to any part of the website.  There is no real drawback from an SEO perspective, but fixed navigation may have issues with some mobile devices.  On the other end of the spectrum is off-screen navigation which uses a symbol (three horizontal lines) to represent the navigation menu. Again, there is no negative SEO consequences, but if users don’t know this is how to access the navigation menu, they may get frustrated and move on to another site.  

Keeping your customers in mind when designing a site and creating the user experience is where you should focus your efforts.  Within this framework, you can then figure out how to best implement SEO, along with the other elements that create online success, such as social media, marketing and good old fashion client engagement.

Simple logo designs by Royal Deer Design

So, what is it that makes a logo effective? This article will elucidate that topic and help set you on your way to successful logo design for your own business.
An effective logo is (in no particular order) simple, memorable, timeless, versatile, and appropriate. Many of these attributes interact with one another. Sometimes this interaction is difficult to separate and define in isolation.

Simple: A simple logo design allows the consumer to easily associate it with your business. Effective logos feature something unique without being overdone. The image is strong and balanced- not crowded with little extras that clutter its look.

Memorable: Memorability and simplicity often go hand in hand. A memorable design is distinctive and bold, making it easy to see at a glance. It also communicates your business clearly.

Timeless: When creating a logo and brand identity, leave trends to the fashion industry. An effective logo will endure the passage of time. What are your company’s values? Which symbols best communicate these values? Ask yourself if the logo will still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years.

Versatile: An effective logo should be functional across a variety of mediums and applications. It is generally done in an easy-to-read font. One should be able to adjust the size of the logo’s image without losing its clarity; it should be functional in both horizontal and vertical formats. It looks good in black and white, as well as in color. Starting with a logo that is designed in black and white will allow one to focus on the logo’s concept and shape. Black and white images are also easy on your budget; in printing your logo, the more colors used, the more expensive it will be for your business in the long term.

Appropriate: The graphic imagery of your logo should work well with your company name while looking appropriate for your business genre. The font, color scheme, and overall look should be designed with the intended purpose and audience in mind. For example, logos for children’s products should incorporate child-like fonts and themes. Likewise, a logo for adult products of services should incorporate more mature aspects in its design.

It is also interesting to note that a logo doesn’t need to show the specific product of a business or the service it offers. Furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture, appliance company logos don’t need to show graphics of an appliance, car logos don’t need to show cars, and computer logos don’t need to show computers. The Dr. Pepper logo isn’t a drink, nor is the Verizon logo a mobile phone. A logo is solely for identification.

In time, your logo will become synonymous with the quality of service your business provides. Take the time now to ensure it is designed with quality and care.

The team at Royal Deer Design created the site for the highly successful media and fashion industry executive, Rahel Cete.

The site, which has a custom design and functionality, features a custom CMS control panel which allows the owner to maintain a majority of the site. The site also features a highly sophisticated search functionality, the integration of Google maps, and a host of other useful functionalities. Smartstyleshops.com also enables users to receive up to the minute notifications about sales organized by designers.

Web design without flash animations would be boring. Even if this technology is not perfect, definitely it is worth to keep Flash alive in web.