Website Design in Chicago

User Experience (UX) & User Interface (UI)

You might have the most amazing product or service. Be the Michael Jordon of your industry. Confident in your ability to help your customers achieve their goals. But if they can’t figure out how to use your website, or get the information they need to move forward or make an actual purchase … they’ll bounce.

The success of your website begins and ends with your customer’s user experience.

Whether you want to increase onsite engagement, grow online sales or connect with your target audience on an emotional level, your site needs a user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) that’s easy to use and delivers on their needs.

And that takes data and a deep understanding of user behavior. Not guesswork.

At Big Drop, our web development Chicago team puts extensive user research and analysis first. Our multi-faceted approach gets to the heart of what your users want and need, and then uses that data to build a website that delivers on your brand promise as quickly and efficiently as possible.

It’s just one of the reasons we’re the top web design company in Chicago.

How do we optimize for User Experience?

We focus on four elements of your website development in order to guarantee your customers an excellent user experience.

• Usability
  How easy is your site to use? Can users get from point of entry to their desired result without getting confused or jumping through too many hoops? At Big Drop, we employ a suite of analytical tools to research, visualize and map out a user experience that is easy to understand and simple to navigate.
• Visual Design
  Effective UX goes beyond pretty visuals, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want an attractive website. Professional, good-looking websites build credibility with users. And, if designed with your users’ emotional needs in mind, can put people in the “right” frame of mind to receive your message or make a purchase.
• Speed
  Does your website load quickly? Do people have to wait for images to load? Site speed is the most commonly cited reason for bad user experiences. We make sure that’s never a problem.
• Accessibility
  Is your site ADA compliant? Accessibility tools are an often-overlooked element of website design. But the last thing you want is to exclude potential customers because they can’t use your site.

Where does the User Interface fit in?

An easy-to-use, intuitive user interface is the driving force behind a good user experience. It’s how customers navigate your site. How they know where to find the information they’re looking for. Or complete the tasks they set out to do.

The fastest, prettiest, most accessible websites don’t mean anything if customers can’t figure out how to use the site.

At Big Drop, our in-depth customer research and user-flow analysis, combined with our understanding of what makes a good user experience and our superb user interface design skills make us the best choice for high-quality website design in Chicago.

Website Design in Chicago

Your website is the lynchpin for your entire online presence. Everything else, from social media to mobile apps, is built to complement it.

And all roads lead back to it.

That’s why Big Drop ensures there’s data-rich research and strategy behind every piece of your site. From the user interface to the graphic design to the on-site functionality. No detail is too small to be analyzed first.

It’s what makes our designs award winners. And why we’re able to deliver on your vision and business goals like no other web design company in Chicago.

What’s behind Big Drop’s award-winning website design?

It’s simple. At our core, we’re people pleasers.

People use websites. Their needs must take priority over everything else.

At Big Drop, we’re driven by the belief that the best web design puts users first. Whether that’s your customers, your target audience or your internal stakeholders.

Just want a pretty website design? Chicago has plenty of other web design agencies for you to choose from.

But pretty website design isn’t why our clients choose us, and it’s not why we’ve won more than 30 awards.

Yes, we deliver beautiful-looking websites. But our sites also maintain the balance between graphic design and intuitive functionality. Between your users’ needs and your business goals.

Because we understand, to win the hearts and minds of your customers, you need more than a site that’s simply pleasing to look at.

And that starts with research and analysis:

• Who will be using your site and what do they need from it?
• What are the business key performance indicators?
• What is the easiest way to move your users through your website and get them to take action?

You must answer these questions first. Then use the answers to create a strategy. If you don’t, your website won’t resonate with customers. And they won’t use it.

Is the design process collaborative?

How collaborative you want the process to be is up to you. But we’ve learned the best websites are the result of a productive exchange of ideas.

You’ve got a vision. We’ve got years of experience and knowledge. Put the two together and don’t be surprised if you come to us with one idea, but together we discover a different direction is the best choice.

But it will always be your guidance that keeps us on track. Your company’s voice. Your goals. Your business’ aesthetics. Your brand promise.

Will our site be mobile-friendly?

Yes. With half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, your website needs to be mobile-friendly to be effective. Tablet, phone, desktop or laptop — we’ll design your website to automatically resize without losing any of its content, design, or functionality.

Whether your customers are browsing your site from a laptop in their Lake Shore Drive apartment or checking it out on their phones while strolling the 606, they’ll get the full experience.

Web Development in Chicago

What would Chicago be without Wrigley Field, the cold winds off of Lake Michigan, deep-dish pizza, and the gritty determination of its residents?

Just like any other Midwest city, right?

But Chicagoans aren’t content with being “just like any other” anything. Not when it comes to their city, and certainly not for their websites.

We get it, and we work hard to ensure your website — and entire digital presence — is customized and one-of-a-kind.

Website Development that Fits Your Needs

Just looking for a facelift of your web design? Chicago has other companies for that.

At Big Drop, we specialize in:

• In-depth analysis of your company’s online presence, its users, and goals
• The development of sophisticated and custom website design, web applications, and mobile apps

We look at the big picture to see what will ultimately drive real results for your business, not just build vanity metrics.

Whether you’re looking for a full-service web design company to build your online presence from scratch or you need to update your current site with the newest technological tools, Big Drop will customize the process for your needs.

Our experienced and knowledgeable team of data analysts, web designers and developers, social media specialists, and digital marketers bring the expertise you need to gain an edge over your competition.

What is the Big Drop Development Process?

It’s simple, really. Our web design and development team starts by identifying the who, what, and why of your industry and business, as well as the key objectives of your internal stakeholders and customers.

1. Who: The driving force behind your entire digital presence! We’ll start by identifying your current users and your target audience, then define and categorize their individual needs.
2. Why: Next, we’ll dive in to market research to determine the why behind your users’ needs. We’ll conduct stakeholder and user interviews and take a hard look at what your competitors are doing. We’ll unearth what’s worked for you in the past, what’s not working anymore, and what’s still needed.
3. What: With the research as our guide, we’ll put together a comprehensive roadmap that meets all your business objectives. We’ll determine what the user journey needs to look like, what style of user interface will work best, and what, if any, add-ons such as e-commerce, mobile apps, and digital marketing — will drive conversions.

Can Big Drop Do E-Commerce?

If your business sells anything offline, we can help you sell it online.

Whether your customers spend their days in an office building in The Loop, working out of a spare room in their brick bungalow, or power lunching at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, you can guarantee them an in-store experience on the go.

But creating a seamless e-commerce experience takes specialized expertise. You’ll need an easy-to-use shopping system, mobile responsive design, and lightning-fast site speed.

As a top-rated web design and development company located in Chicago, we’ll ensure nothing falls through the cracks, with built-in sync ups for WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento. Along with a customer retention plan that includes retargeting and abandoned cart tools.

What About Mobile Apps?

Do your users use their phones to conduct business? Get information? Be entertained?

If so, a mobile app can give them greater access to your services, giving your business the chance to reach more customers and grow its bottom line.

Not sure what kind of app you need? Our designers and developers have tons of ideas.

At Big Drop, you’ll find the best web development Chicago has to offer. Take a look at how we’ve helped other companies.

Digital Marketing in Chicago

If anyone knows how to generate buzz, it’s Chicagoans. Ever heard of Oprah Winfrey? Kanye West? Hugh Hefner?

All Chicagoans. All with a massive fanbase.

Want the same kind of social following?

First thing you’ve got to do is get the word out. And to do that, you need a digital marketing team that knows how to get you in front of the right people, at the right time, with high-quality messages.

Whether you’re looking for a full-service agency for all your social media, SEO, branding and email marketing needs, or you need help with a specific project, Big Drop can help.

Our team of social media experts, designers and developers, SEO/SEM specialists, and email and content marketers can customize a holistic, cross-channel marketing plan for large and small businesses, alike.

The best part about it? Our marketing plans are always backed by data, driven by strategic planning, and focused on your specific goals. Because we know, one size doesn’t fit all.

Our digital marketing capabilities include:

• Social media
• Search engines ranking (SEO)
• Google and Facebook Advertising
• Lead gen/SEM
• Email marketing
• Content creation and marketing

What does a holistic cross-channel marketing plan look like?

Cross-channel simply means we use multiple online platforms to get the word out about your business. Holistic means we do so in a way that the end result is greater than the sum of its parts.

Your customers don’t differentiate between marketing channels. That’s why a holistic approach to digital marketing is critical to your success. Your branding needs to work in tandem with your social media. Your email marketing should complement your SEO. Your SEM should pair up perfectly with your content creation.

And it should all feel seamless to your customers, resulting in greater trust and confidence in your brand.

Do you do local and national digital marketing?

Are your customers all located in Chicago? Attracting local customers doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With us in your back pocket you don’t have to worry about whether you’re doing it right.

We’ll create a high-quality strategy that emphasizes geo-based keywords and social media. Whether you’re trying to reach solopreneurs, small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, or you sell directly to consumers.

At Big Drop, we offer comprehensive marketing plans that target local or national audiences — or both if that’s what you want. Allowing you to capture, engage and convert users no matter where they’re located.

Don’t have a social media presence or email list yet? We’ll find out where your target customers hang out online, then build a robust social media and content marketing plan to get you in front of them.

And we’ll do it all in a way that complements our award-winner website design.

It’s what makes us one of the best digital marketing and website design agencies in Chicago, Il.