website design

Website design,  functionality and search engines (Google)
In conjunction with our software we have been at the forefront of website design and innovation.  Our software has been updating website property listings, client information pages and web based reporting systems for years.  As such we consider ourselves rather adapt at not only designing great looking sites but sites that have special features and functionality that lift us above the rest.

Even if the look of some of the example sites listed below aren’t to your taste you will see mapping technology designed by Clarks that works in the estate agency environment (something you can’t say for some of the other mapping solutions that are currently being used).

We take note of what every clients wants from their site and will make the site work for them in the way they do business.  One solution does NOT fit all.

Suggestions to be considered for your website design are:

Tidy up your site and making it more friendly.  Use a menu to drive the user to information on an office/department/service/product

Create a “Contact Us” page, a “Register with us” and a “Value my property” page.  These form pages will create electronic data which can then be directed to the right place.  For example, using “Register with us” creates an email that finds it’s way to the correct person or persons in the office to deal with the lead, it can also automatically update the local database ready for emailing/mailing of details.

Use your local systems to generate email traffic to your site.  This will not only reduce your costs with regard to postage and printing but will promote your site on the website search engines such as Google.  Being able to tell clients that your site is higher up the Google listing than a competitors can make the difference between getting and not getting the deal

Use of Flash Animation / Slide shows
Limit the amount of Flash and or picture Slide Shows on your site, they can detract from the message you are trying to deliver

Your Message
Don’t be too wordy.  Limit yourself to putting no more than three messages on your Home page and make them brief.

Web Hosting and Email Management
If at all possible host your website and email with the company who would most benefit from easy access to it and to configuring it.  If you have data that updates to a website, consider moving the hosting to their control. 

ALWAYS KEEP THE USER ON YOUR SITE, NEVER REDIRECT THEM TO LISTINGS ON ANOTHER PROVIDER.

How we design your site
We start by listening to what you want from your site and what look you want to achieve. Then we produce a series of mock-up's for you to tell us what you do and don't like.

We show you a choice of menu types and styles for navigation around your site

And once all the key elements are in place we can start work on the actual site.

Web site design is a matter of taste, one mans Picasso is another mans Pick-and-mix i.e. if you like it, your users like it and it's easy to navigate around then it's a good site (regardless of what we might think!).

Examples:

The Property People – Their mapping software was designed by us.  It allows the user to see all, see all in a price range or see properties in a price range in a particular area.  All with less mouse clicks than any other website design.

Foundations of Woking – A single click from the menu to display the properties of your choice

Homes & Villas Abroad – Overseas Property Portal

Barton Wyatt – The UK's Official Best Agent

Sherriff Mountford – 3D Doors

Britton McGrath – Smart, Trendy.

James Fancy – Classic yet Modern

Pure Estate Agents – 3D Virtual Office

Robsons – Description

Gilbert & Cleveland – Smart Colourful Website

Pearsons – Multi-Office Classy Website

Underhill Property – Map Search Function

Website Design Prices:

 WEBSITE DESIGN prices

OPTIONS AND ADD-INS FOR SOFTWARE, WEBSITE, EMAIL etc.

Website Search Engine Optimisation "SEO"

Standing out from the crowd can be difficult, especially with Google alone claiming to list over 8 billion pages. Starting at just the equivalent of £10 per month, SEO will ensure you make the most of your website's potential and with targeted submission to all the major search engines, an edge over other sites.

On-line Content Management software

Allows you to add, edit, delete content on your website, including the following:

• News – with one picture per news item
• Situations Vacant/Careers
• Branch Info
• Staff details Contacts/Negotiators/Admin staff

Companies must Update Websites and Email Footers to comply with Company Law
Companies in the UK must include certain regulatory information on their websites and in their email footers from 1 January 2007 or they will breach the Companies Act and risk a fine, warn Pinsent Masons, solicitors.

Every company should list its company registration number, place of registration, and registered office address on its website as a result of an update to the legislation of 1985 to implement a European law, the First Company Law Amendment Directive. The information, which must be in legible characters, should also appear on order forms and in emails. Such information is already required on "business letters" but the duty is being extended to websites, order forms and electronic documents.

The information should appear in the footer of every email sent from a company, to avoid having to decide whether each email amounts to a "business letter" or not. Many companies do this already because the term "business letters" was thought likely to include emails even without this new clarification.

For websites, contrary to the fears of some, the specified information does not need to appear on every page. Again, many websites will already list the required information, perhaps on their "About us" or "Legal info" pages.

Information that must be on your website
The following is the minimum information that must be on any company's website:

• The name, physical address and email address of your company. If the company name differs from a trading name this difference should be explained – e.g. "AB Solutions is the trading name of ABC Enterprises Limited."
• It is not sufficient to include a 'contact us' form without also providing an email address and physical address somewhere easily accessible on the site. A PO Box is unlikely to suffice unless the registered office address is given. If the business is a company, the registered office address must be included.
• If a limited company, the company's registration number should be given and, under the Companies Act, the place of registation should be stated (e.g. "ABC Enterprises Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 123456")
• If the business is a member of a trade or professional association such as REC, membership details, should be provided.
• If the business has a VAT number, it should be stated – even if the website is not being used for e-commerce transactions.
• Prices on the website must be clear and unambiguous. Also, state whether prices are inclusive of tax and delivery costs.

For further information refer to OUT-LAW's guide, The UK's Ecommerce Regulations: http://www.out-law.com/page-431

If you require Clarks to update your sites with this information please contact us