Web Design

At AFM we care very much about the quality of the websites we produce. Furthermore, all our designs comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). A common misconception is that to have a legal and accessible website looks must be sacrificed for functionality, but this is simply not the case. The website you are currently looking at satisfies the highest standards of accessibility. If the website designer is aware of the requirements of the DDA, as all AFM web designers are, then it is very little extra work to create a site which is compliant from the outset.

Website accessibility

If you are wondering what disabled accessibility has to do with your website here are three simple points to consider...

• Search engines view websites in a very similar way to the kind of browser used by people with vision impairments. This means that an accessible website can provide much higher traffic than a non accessible site for the same cost.
• Approximately 20% of people in the United Kingdom have some form of disability and vision deteriorates more rapidly past the age of 40. Ask yourself if you can afford to discard all those potential visitors because they cannot read your site content.
• Most people do not realise that it is the responsibility of a website owner, not the designer, to ensure a site is accessible.

Search engine optimisation

One of the main purposes of a website is to convey information about a company or organisation to the public. For this to happen people must be able to find the site. By far the largest source of traffic for any website is gained from search engine listings. AFM methods incorporate the principles required to optimize a site for search engine results right from the start of the design process.

Why A Web Site?

The Internet is an incredibly powerful tool for enhancing any organization's message or reaching new customers all over the world. Although the web cannot be a complete replacement for traditional media it is very effective for advertising, information provision, and customer support. The World Wide Web is an opportunity to enhance the service you currently provide for your customers and maybe also a chance to use business automation to speed up internal information transfer and improve staff efficiency.

Speed and Versatility

Use the web to promote your organisation, sell your products, or even create new services that utilise the Internet's immediacy, global reach, and flexibility. A well designed website will allow you to convey information to your target audience in a manner and at a speed not possible in any other medium.

Up-to-date Information

A website allows you to keep your product and service information up to date more easily than with traditional paper brochures or literature because the costs of updating a website are minimal, and the change happens immediately.

Enhanced Information

An effective website will allow you to provide far more details about your products and services than a traditional advertisement or brochure. You can provide layers of information for visitors to browse according to their needs and interests and present them in an interactive manner.

A Friendly Environment

An AFM website allows interested customers to browse information about your products and services at their leisure, without feeling pressured by sales staff. Research shows this can often increase sales.

Efficiency

Customer enquiries and support can often be handled very efficiently electronically. A surprising number of customer queries can be handled by providing online information, such as product details, price lists or answers to a set of 'frequently asked questions'. The web won't replace your existing sales and customer support services, but it may reduce the time taken and free you up to focus on other areas of your business.

AFM Can Help You

AFM is committed to providing fast, professional, affordable web page design. The AFM team's experience covers every discipline needed to make a successful website, whether it is a simple home page or a real-time ordering website linked to your company's internal systems. Our web designers will use their experience and design skills to try and create a website that exceeds your expectations!