We all remember when it was accepted to wait a few seconds for a computer to respond to a click on a web site or a tap on a keyboard? These days, even half a second — literally the blink of an eye — is too long. That barely perceptible delay causes people to search less according to Google. “We don’t like to wait, every millisecond matters”. Google and other tech companies are on a new pursuit for speed. The reason is the ever increasing number of smartphones and tablets that are creating annoying digital traffic jams, as people download maps, video clips of sports highlights, news updates or recommendations for nearby restaurants. The competition to be the quickest is fierce, and we are more likely to switch if we find a faster site. A web site’s performance can vary a lot, as can user expectations. A person will be more patient waiting for a video clip to load than for a search result. And web sites now face compromises between visual richness and rapid response times all the time. As a lot of sites now offer more video clips and interactive graphics, which can slow things down. Continue reading →

If you’re ever in need of a plumber or an electrician, where do you turn to? The chances are it will be the internet. At one time that would’ve meant logging onto your desktop PC and searching for your local tradesmen: however, during the last couple of years there’s been an unprecedented growth in the numbers of adults accessing the web by mobile phones or handheld devices. A recent survey by the Office of National Statistics reported that 45 percent of UK adults now access the internet from a mobile phone data connection. The chances are this number will only continue to grow. Any business without an internet presence is likely to miss out on potentially lucrative business. Continue reading →

That’s probably the question that we’re asked most frequently at TSW System Solutions. Why is good and effective website design so important for successful business growth? Well, hopefully we can answer that question for you and demonstrate that good website design and development isn’t just important, it’s crucial. If your business gets its website design right, it will prosper: customers will be attracted to your website and will stay that little bit longer because you’ve provided all the information they require, particularly if your website designer has presented this information in a sympathetic and intuitive way. Get the design wrong, and it can break the business: customers will either fail to notice the products and services you’re offering, or bounce away from the site and go to one of your competitors. It’s that simple. Well planned and executed website design and development can determine whether a business succeeds or fails. Continue reading →

Any business wanting to start a website will need to have a domain name – in other words, a unique name and description that encapsulates what the website is, and what it stands for. Domain names are the key to web traffic: they are what drives traffic to your site, tells users what your business is about, and most importantly of all, distinguishes your website from everybody else’s. If all that sounds pretty daunting, then don’t panic: TSW Solutions is here to help. We’re experts in the field of website design, domain registration and website hosting. What we don’t know about the subject isn’t worth knowing. Here are a few simple tips that we hope will help you choose your domain name Continue reading →

In the first part of this article, we looked at the first 5 principles for creating clear and effective website designs like logos, branding, content and colour schemes. In this final section we’ll look at probably the most important page of every website – the homepage, and then focus on why website designers need to pay attention to even the smallest details like line height, font sizes and he use of white space. Continue reading →

website design and layout is a complicated business, isn’t it? Well, no, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way: there are certain principles that even you or I could grasp. Admittedly, some of the more complicated elements of the layout, such as the use of cascading style sheets (CCS) and XHTML language are probably best left in the hands of the experts, like TSW System Solutions: the rest though isn’t really as difficult to fathom as you might’ve imagined. There are 10 basic rules to website layout: these are generally used by all successful websites and website designers. In part one of this article, we’ll look at the first 5 key areas – basic website elements, branding and logos, design, the use of information and the use of colour. In part 2 we’ll examine the other 5 remaining elements: the essential elements of a home page, focal points, line heights, font sizes and the use of white space. Continue reading →

Good website design is a crucial consideration for all businesses that wish to trade online. It’s the first point of call a customer has with a company or a brand and therefore, it needs to create a positive and lasting impression. The website has to be engaging, relevant and capable of communicating the values and ethos of the company it represents. A recent survey by Marketing Week which looked at corporate attitudes towards design, found that nearly two-thirds of the business they spoke to will be investing in website design in the coming year: compare that to the 22% who will be investing in logo design, and the 39% in product design. Good website design is fundamental for business success. So who decides what good website design is, and what isn’t? What makes some websites work better than others? Continue reading →

Whether you’re trying to create and design a website from scratch, or improve an existing site that seriously under-performs, what you need is a plan. We’re not talking about some half-baked notion that you’d like to create an all-singing, all-dancing site that rocks, but a well-thought-out, crafted strategy that sets out a timeline for what you’d like to achieve and how you plan to do it. Adopting such a regimented approach won’t compromise your creativity and spontaneity: it will simply help to focus your thoughts.  All the best ideas and designs are underpinned by comprehensive research and planning. website design and creation is no different: if you put the work in before hand, you’re far more likely to create a successful website. Continue reading →