How do you define your brand on the web?Now, if you couldn't use words, how would you invoke that definition?This is why web design can help make or break a business. It's all psychological; the images that you use to define your company go a whole lot farther into creating someone's impression than they like to admit. This is why the rebranding that Coca-Cola tried with New Coke was such a failure.These same rules apply to your company's website and social media accounts. They have to exude your brand's essence or they will be handicapping your business. The best way to achieve this is through excellent design.Pitfalls to Avoid1) Browser issuesEveryone has encountered sites that cannot load properly on different browsers. And with the surge of use on mobile browsers, the problem is only getting worse. The most frustrating point is that there is no need for this to occur. It's just sheer laziness, or ignorance, with the onus falling on designers.2) Hard to find contact informationIt's hard to imagine a fiasco like the New Coke incident happening with the ability for companies to get instant feedback on their website, but it still does. Every website should have a quickly visible way for someone to get in contact with you. It's one of the most effective ways to gain unsolicited business.3) Clear visibilityEven if your website is teaching people how to save energy, don't have a black background with white text. Sure, you'll save a few pennies worth of energy, but your message is going to get lost. This is also why you have to have high-resolution images. No one should see pixels on a website; it's as sloppy as grammatical mistakes and drives customers away.Further, chose a font that fits your brand. If your company is straight forward, your website should reflect that. If you want people to be comfortable, then make them so. There is no reason not to.

Moral of the blog post

Most importantly, stay true to thine own self. Web design goes way beyond deciding in a background color and whether to have a left or right-hand sidebar. It even goes beyond taking into account that a person's eye always searches a page from the top left and makes their way to the bottom right.Web design done right is a reflection of the quality of the site's owner. Not hiring the right designer is the definition of being penny wise and pound foolish.