Logo + Website Design

[+++MadMatt+++]

I spent an entire day on trying to design a logo in Photoshop, and Im still not happy with it. I then tried to put the design I created into the website builder on 1&1.co.uk, and it didnt fit, so looked stupid.

I just wanted to know peoples thoughts on whether its worth using there templates as they seem quite good, or do I use something like Frontpage. Would you be able to give some suggestions please?

Im wanting to really get this all sorted in the next couple of weeks, then can I actually start my business.

Thanks

Matt

 

[wood1e2]

It all depends on what you are looking for. Something off the shelf and therefore not everything you might want...but cheap (sorry cost effective) but quickly up and running (or not as the case may be!!!)

Or a bespoke design, that initally may appear more expensive, but that markets you business professionally or sells your products in an effective manner.

By the way I am biased

 

[Simon-M]

Hi Matt,

Your logo might just need adding to the site header by a pro. These site builders often resize your image and files like gif format do not take kindly to being resized. PM with what you are tring to do and I will take a gander for you.

Simon

 

[awebapart.com]

Different sitebuilders will differ in how well they cope with existing company logos. Some sitebuilders which are more designer template based will struggle with company logos, because it will be more difficult to blend the web design branding with the logo branding. For instance the 123-reg instant site sitbuilder has some heavily designed templates, which means that with some templates the only type of logo you can add that doesn't look odd (unless your logo exactly matches the web design branding) is a simple text only company name.

Other sitebuilders, for instance at the low end Mr Site and Microsoft Office Live Basics, and at the higher end our sitebuilder, are more web design neutral and more customisable, and will cope better when a logo is added. These sitebuilder aren't so template design centric, but they are customisable enough to match your logo.

Unfortunately because some low-end sitebuilders are not so template design centric, people mistake them for offering less and often go for the fancier template centric sitebuilders, only to later realise that they cant add their logos effectively because they face a battle of the brands with their website (the template design brand verses the logo design brand).

The same can also be true for normal HTML and Flash web design templates.

Matt, perhaps you do have a more neutral sitebuilder template where it is easier to add a logo, it is difficult to say without seeing your site.

I noticed in your previous post that you were asking about whether to go for a .co.uk or a .com domain. If you are targeting the UK, and you are using 1and1 (which hosts sites in Germany) then you should use the .co.uk domain as your main domain for search engine purposes.

 

[Eagle]

A current client of mine is having a nightmare with one of these so-called "site builders"; it refuses to render his logo/header correctly and it's in a standard format!

 

[+++MadMatt+++]

Thanks to you all for your responses!

I have now designed a logo using the required dimentions of the template, and I think im finally happy with, its a mainly text logo, with colours and bevelled. But thats fine for now.

As far as the .co.uk, I did decide after all the feedback, to go for this option as this is what most people recommended, and to redirect the .com.

Thanks again, this is a very useful forum and appreciate all your advice!