The days of text-only websites and spacer GIFs are long behind us. Today, websites are far more than sources of information; with graphic design, advanced coding and portable capabilities, websites are irreplaceable parts of every effective marketing strategy.
It’s rare to find a successful business today that doesn’t have a professional website. After all, every company could benefit from global exposure. But no matter what your industry, there are three elements that really define the quality of a webpage: looks, functionality and adjustability.
That may not be the latest secret in the digital world, but what many people don’t know is how new web design software are making professional sites easier than ever to create. This article will introduce a few software that will help developers save time and produce more advanced sites in 2014.
1. Xara Web Designer MX
It’s fairly common knowledge that WordPress offers a simple platform for novice designers. The content-management system (CMS) and versatile plugins make WP pages easy to develop and edit.
But WordPress, however useful it may be, still has its disadvantages. The biggest, perhaps, is its limited ability to design cutting-edge websites.
That’s where Xara Web Designer MX comes in. Like WordPress, Xara Web Designer MX offers a CMS platform but with advanced design capabilities, including:
- Automatic image optimisation by resampling to 96dpi and saving as a PNG, eliminating the need of separate image-editing software
- Advanced functionality, like pop-up images and mouse rollovers
- Layer-based design that makes sophisticated websites easier to create
- Thirty-three templates with customisable designs and colour schemes
As more start-ups take a swing at digital design, platforms like Xara Web Designer MX will only become more popular in 2014. Who knows? Maybe it will replace WordPress as the go-to software for novice developers.
For more information about the Xara Web Designer MX, visit ExpertReviews.co.uk.
2. CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor
The free version of CoffeeCup HTML Editor lacks a few features of the commercial software, but unless you’re a professional programmer, you probably won’t notice.
Although we don’t encourage the duplication of other sites, CoffeeCup HTML Editor makes it easy for businesses to examine and tweak the layout and content of an existing webpage. This could save loads of time in the layout-planning stage.
For more information about CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor, visit TechRadar.com.
3. Firebug
So, your website is just about ready, but it doesn’t quite work or look exactly how you’d like. Firebug can help here by taking care of vital yet sophisticated design techniques, including:
- CSS coding
- JavaScript debugging
- Style adjustments
- Cookie management
- Load-time analysis
Web experts stand to gain just as much from using Firebug as newbies. It’s truly a powerful extension that can improve visitor experience and enhance website aesthetics and functionality.
Deciding to Go It Alone or Hire a Professional Web Designer
This is a decision that almost every modern business will face, and the right option really depends on your goals. A professional site, as you no doubt have heard, can be an incredible asset, expanding market reach, providing customers easy access to your services and, ultimately, driving more sales.
As an added bonus, professional designers can offer a mobile responsive website. You can follow this link to learn the benefits of developing a mobile website.
In either case, the right web design software can take your site to the next level. Some of these programs are free and easy to use; others cost money. For detailed reviews and cost analyses of website software, check out this article on TopTenReviews.com.
Knowing Your Website Options
