Us small biz owners wear many different hats. When it comes to our own digital marketing, there are so many different elements working together to create success – so where should we start?

Today, we’re looking at one of the most foundational elements of digital marketing: web development and web design services. We’ll discuss the role of web design and development in today’s digital marketing landscape, the benefits of including web design services in your digital marketing strategy and how web design fits in with the other pillars of digital marketing (brand design, social media & SEO). Let’s dive in!

Web design marketing is the process of creating visually appealing, user-friendly web designs that effectively communicate your message, offer, and attracts potential clients.

A combination of web design principles, web development and digital marketing techniques and other technical skills are required to develop a custom web design that not only looks great, but also generates leads and drives conversions.

Your website is the place potential clients go to learn more about your business & offer, and how they can engage your services. Whether your clients find you through search engines, advertising or social media, your web design is the digital asset that sells your offer and converts viewers to leads.

Web design and digital marketing are two sides of the same coin. While custom web design uses strategy and visual techniques to drive conversion, other digital marketing strategies aim to drive traffic to your website so visitors can be converted into clients.

By combining web design and digital marketing, you’ll create a cohesive online presence that attracts visitors, engages them and converts them into loyal customers.

If you’re just starting your web design and digital marketing journey, you’ve probably seen a number of different web design services offered and wondered, which of these is right for me?

The truth is, not all web design services are created equal. A larger web design agency will provide different web design services than an individual provider, so let’s first take a look at the different types of web design services to help you understand which might be best suited to you.

Custom web design is widely regarded as the ideal web design solution, custom web design provides a unique and memorable online presence that reflects your brand's identity and sets you apart from the competition (when done right).

Custom web design is the most expensive option, often ranging from $3000-$5000+, but for good reason. Custom web design is tailored with your unique digital marketing strategy in mind, as well as your needs and target audience to produce best results. Custom web design often includes web development in the build cost as well.

Semi-custom web design is a less widely known solution, and involves adjusting a pre-designed template or layout to include your website content and brand assets.

This method is offered at a lower price point than custom web design, usually around $2000+ due to less time being required for backend web development, but this method is not used by all web designers.

The result still provides a unique reflection of your brand and is elevated beyond ‘cookie cutter’ website templates, used widely across platforms like Squarespace and Shopify.

DIY web design services, also known as website templates are the most affordable web design service, as they remove the need for a designer altogether.

For tech-savvy individuals on a budget this can be a great solution as templates often cost between $0 to $500+, however the general the lack of memorability, web design strategy, SEO optimisation and customised features can lead to a solution with low conversion rates than custom web design.

Web design templates can be a great starting point, but won’t evolve with your business – meaning you’ll likely need to invest in a more custom web design service eventually, especially if you’re considering adding other digital marketing services to your strategy.

A strategic, visually appealing web design is a great starting point. But if your website content doesn’t resonate with site visitors, you’re missing a large piece of the puzzle.

Your web design and content strategy play a major role in converting your audience – whether presented in written form, as media/imagery or calls-to-action (CTAs). Website content strategy is also a huge contributor to your SEO and search engine rankings.

I’ve listed some best practices for creating an aligned web design and content strategy that resonates with your audience.

A good web design agency will assist you with your written website copy, to ensure it's clear and meets basic requirements:

• Clear language & offer – make sure your audience understands your offer straight away (first heading & description on your website landing page). This is an essential part of your web design and content strategy, as your audience won’t spend the time it takes to search your website trying to piece your offer together.
• Meaningful & personal – your audience wants (and needs!) to be engaged. A great way to do this is to relate to them. Show yourself, share your brand story and personality and allow them to get to know you. This proven content strategy method builds trust within your audience and allows your individuality to shine in your industry.
• Relevant & concise – while it’s great to get personal, remember your content strategy must always be relevant to your business. Your audience is looking for something specific on your website, so cut the fluff and only talk about things relevant to your business & offer. 
  

Your web design agency should highlight the importance of imagery and video as part of your web design service:

• Invest in professional photography – I’ve spent countless hours searching for ‘authentic’ looking stock images for web design, and nothing comes close to the consistency or authenticity of your own brand imagery. If you can afford to have a video made, fantastic – brand videos are excellent for engagement and capturing your brand in action. If you can’t, take my word for it and book that photoshoot! Professional photography adds incredible value and confidence to your brand, while doubling as a major asset in your web design and content strategy. They aren’t confined to your website either – use them across socials and advertising too! 

Your web design agency should assist you with creating compelling calls-to-action, whether by using an in-house copywriter or providing a recommendation: 



• Compelling copy – CTAs should be concise, action-oriented, and compelling. Use strong verbs and create a sense of urgency to encourage users to take immediate action. For example, instead of using a generic CTA like ‘Learn More’, use a more specific or compelling CTA like ‘Get Your Free eBook Now’. See the difference?
• Visual distinction – CTAs should stand out from the rest of the page. Use contrasting colours, bold typography, and ample white space to draw attention to your CTAs. Position them strategically in prominent areas of the page where users are more likely to notice them.

If you’re feeling stuck on what to write for your website content, seek out a copywriter or web designer who offers guidance through the content-writing process. For example, we at Ochre Design Studio offer a content writing guide with every web design project, including custom and semi-custom web design services.

The first question any good digital marketing strategist will ask when you approach them about advertising: what’s the status of your web design? The reason: advertising and social media are tools for driving traffic – but there’s no point engaging these services if there’s nowhere to drive your traffic to!

Your web design is the tool that’s used to convert your audience and drive revenue. Driving traffic through digital advertising is the step that comes after your web design is in place! 

Your website should collect leads, convert your audience and ultimately sell your product or service for you more than any other digital asset. Digital marketing strategy combines this ‘conversion machine’ (do you like that term? I invented it myself) with online visibility tools that connect your audience to your offer (these tools can include social media, SEO and ad campaigns/Google ads).

Without a website, your offer likely lacks clarity, social proof and the ability to engage your audience. In this digital era, this means your offer lacks credibility and is missing out on the untapped potential of viewers on the web!

If you consider the roadmap to digital success graphic below, notice that traffic is first on the list of steps to conversion – but the items performing the actual conversion are your web design and content strategy.

There are many benefits of web design (just ask the first web designer you find – we can talk about this for hours) but they’re simply a necessity these days if you’re seeking any kind of digital marketing success in your niche.

Designing and marketing a website is a complex, time-consuming process, especially without the necessary skills and resources. This is where outsourcing your web design services and digital marketing to a professional can be a massive gamechanger for your business. I’m biased of course, but your return on investment will speak for itself: 

1. Expertise and experience: outsourcing web design services and digital marketing allows you to tap into years of expertise and experience of professionals who specialise in these areas. They have the skills, knowledge, and industry insights to provide solutions that not only look great, but also deliver measurable results.

2. Save time and money: ever heard the term ‘spend money to make money’? By outsourcing, you’ll save precious time and resources that can be better used on core business activities. Outsourcing eliminates the need to invest in expensive software and tools, keep up with the rapidly changing digital landscape and spend hours trying to learn and apply techniques outside your scope of expertise.

3. Scalability and flexibility – outsourcing gives you the flexibility to scale your web design and marketing efforts according to your business needs. Whether your needs are simple or complex, outsourcing provides access the right resources at the right time without the hassle of trying to fill the role of ‘digital marketing strategist’ within your business.

Web design marketing is a foundational element on your path to digital marketing success. By understanding the relationship between web design and digital marketing and key elements of a successful website, your web design will become the ‘conversion machine’ component of your digital marketing strategy. 

Diversifying your digital marketing strategy and maintaining a strong online presence is essential for businesses in today's digital age. However, not all of us have the time or expertise to be our own web designer and digital marketing expert, so outsourcing these tasks to professionals could be a step in the right direction.

Firstly, you'll be able to tap into the expertise of skilled professionals who specialise in strategy and design techniques to provide competitive, high-quality digital marketing and web design services. These professionals have the knowledge and experience to create visually appealing and user-friendly websites, as well as develop effective marketing campaigns that drive traffic and generate leads.



Most importantly, outsourcing web design services and digital marketing allows businesses to focus on their core competencies. By delegating these tasks to external experts, businesses can concentrate on what they do best, whether it's product development, customer service, or any other aspect of their operations.

Outsourcing web design services and digital marketing can be a strategic decision for businesses looking to expand their strategy by strengthening their online presence. For best results, consider outsourcing your web design services and digital marketing to a professional marketing strategist to save time and money.

Remember your web design and content strategy should be customised to suit your unique digital marketing strategy and include thoughtful design choices and content to maximise engagement & conversions.

When you select a web design agency that specialises in other areas of digital marketing, you can feel confident knowing your web design service will be high quality and built with strategy in mind. This means you'll have further opportunities to diversify your digital marketing strategy as you scale your business.

You'll ultimately be left with a website that not only looks great, but also functions as a powerful marketing tool, incorporating elements such as SEO, content marketing, and user engagement strategies from the initial design phase.

This holistic approach can drive more desirable results, improve brand visibility, and enhance your overall digital marketing strategy by providing a more effective and impactful online presence. 

As it happens, we at Ochre Design Studio started out as a Brisbane web design agency! We began offering web design services in Brisbane to our local audience a few years ago, and though our office has moved further north we still happily service new and existing clients looking for web design in Brisbane and surrounds.

We can help with that! We now operate a Townsville web design agency from our home base here in the Townsville region. We offer Townsville web design services to our local audience and happily service new and existing clients looking for web design in Townsville and beyond!

I offer a variety of custom web design services and digital marketing solutions suited to all kinds of budgets, so if you’re keen to start transforming your online presence and writing your digital success story, I'd love to have a chat – it’d be great to meet you!

- Emily