Difference between Web Development & Digital Marketing

Any website design company that does not offer website marketing as the primary aim of web development has clearly missed the point.

The modern company website has to facilitate all marketing activities: lead generation, targeted email campaigns, content marketing, news bookmarking, eCommerce sales & catalogues, CRM, social media, customer engagement and a host of other functions...

Which is why we don't actually see much distinction between web design and website marketing, besides build and activity.

We would go as far to say that no website should actually be built before appreciating your competitive environment, target market, relevant technologies and business goals.

Need we mention budget?

Unfortunately, many website developers still lack the resources to take their clients forward with online marketing in terms of web design software or in terms of digital marketing skills.

Web 1.0 - Brochureware websites suck

In the past, website design was very much a fragmented, unfocused activity. A graphic designer created a look and feel for the client as a design specification for the website. More often than not the graphic designer would not have concentrated on the website functionality or internet technologies such as social networks and social media.

The web development team would then incorporate the design into a website template with very little regard for the ultimate purpose of the website. The website development team involvement would cease with the handover of the thereafter static website to the client.

We still see brochure websites being built today. It’s a bit of a concern.

Web 2 Design

Web 2 provided business with interactive website technologies that facilitated community-based input, customer interaction, content collaboration, curation and sharing.

The rise of social media networks and applications provided forums, microblogging, social networking, social bookmarking, social content curation.

• Mobile internet access, also known as nomadicity, is the trend toward users connecting from wherever they may be, on any device. This device independent trend is enabled by the proliferation of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices in conjunction with readily accessible Wi-Fi networks.
• This has had a profound impact on web design, with responsive web design, design that responds to the device, now an industry standard.
• Social networking on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+  - The rise of the individual user, connecting on multiple networks with other individuals has dramatically altered the impact, speed and reach of users.
• Unified communications technologies such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype have expanded communication sharing possibilities.
• Social content curation - Social content curation sites include Reddit, Digg, Pinterest and Instagram and allow for the collaborative sharing of content organised in themes.

Web 2 design necessitates that your web design company is not only capable of implementing the latest web software technologies, but is also focused on providing you with the best online marketing platform, and knows your business well enough to deliver both.

At ITM website design we take the time to get to know your business before we design a website that enables your business online. Our digital marketing will grow your website business.

We are passionate about what we do, because we know it works.

Speak to us or Get a Quote about growing your business online.

We are busy working on Web 3.0