Creating Websites that are Regionally Responsive

One of the great things about web design, is that we can create impressions and perceptions about a business that are otherwise difficult to make. We can take an attorney’s office, and demonstrate that they are socially mind and eco friendly by choosing the appropriate color palettes, design elements, and layouts. We can also take a mechanic, and make his company forward thinking, technologically advanced by using those same features in different manners. The end results can be quite tailored and quite impressive. A good web designer is able to take words, feelings, emotions, and visions and translate them into HTML/ CSS/ PHP/ Javascript/ or Flash in such a way that the response and perceptions are nearly assured of being the ones desired.

For some businesses, it is especially important to evaluate and create an impression that is responsive to your region. IF you are a business that needs to meet with someone in person to be successful, then these types of websites are especially important. If you are an attorney, a doctor, a dentist, a service contractor, or a retail store, then you’re the perfect person to be reading this article.

Because we are a Los Angeles web design company that also offers our web design services in Seattle, I’ll focus on those two cities.

SEATTLE:

Starbucks‘ website is a great example of what a Seattle based company should emulate in their website designs. Take a moment to gather your thoughts and evaluate what you think the company is saying about itself and about who it perceives its clients to be. A few things I’d point out, that guide that impression- notice the clean look, with lots of white space, and an emphasis on more geometric shapes? That generally adds to the perception of something being more modern, more forward thinking. Also notice how their color palette is not to harsh. Their blacks are not too deep or too strong, and even their green is a richer, more blended tone. The pictures of coffee beans add more brown, and the colors of the beverages add more caramel hues. This type of color palette feels more natural, more environmental, then do websites designed with brighter, stronger colors. All in, Starbucks really represents the Seattle identity well- a modern city (home of Microsoft and Amazon and others), with a heavy emphasis on its natural surroundings and an environmentally responsible culture. It is a good job branding for a Seattle headquartered company, but not a bad identity either for a multi-national corporation. Kudos Starbucks.


LOS ANGELES:

Joel, our company founder, posts regularly to his web design blog about life and business in Los Angeles. He and Hiren, our lead designer, wanted to create a more casual feeling that was fun and engaging that also conveyed the vibe of California life. They primarily wanted to focus on the beach, the sun, and the coastal city elements, rather then the bustling nightlife, the major business center of downtown LA, or the glamour of Hollywood. The layout is simpler, simpler even then the Starbucks site, with heavy emphasis on the text and less so on the various other elements on page. The background has a lot of rich, saturated warm colors, reminiscent of a sunset on Venice beach, (where we’re headquartered). The boxed elements have rounded corners, more fluid lines, and softer appearances in general, denoting less of modern design but a more casual design. All in, I think they did a nice job achieving their goal.

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