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32 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | May 2015 By Kim Berndtson Portfolio of Designer Web Sites O nline impressions are often the frst opportunity a de- signer or dealer has to capture potential clients' interest. As such, the design of a frm's Web site is critical. Several Kitchen & Bath Design News columnists have written about the importance of a kitchen/bath frm's online presence. Eric Schimelpfenig talked about improving one's digi- tal profle, focusing on the specifcs about how, and why, to freshen a dated site and who can help you do that. "It's easy to forget that a design client's frst experience with you often starts with an Internet search, and looking at your Web site," he writes. Sarah Reep recently wrote about the importance of investing in a cleaner, user-friendly site. "Younger consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to get a feel for the market before making the trek to visit a physical showroom," she comments. "Today, many kitchen and bath frms have created a wonderful online presence using aesthetically excit- ing Web sites, often supplemented with informative videos and compel- ling images, and supported by social media sites. [As a result], we're seeing more businesses making dramatic frst impressions even before they meet their customers face to face." With this increased focus on com- pany Web sites, this month Kitchen & Bath Design News asked several design frms to share their thoughts about creating Web sites that make great frst impressions. In an era where there may be no second chances to impress, it's important to make sure your frm's Web site works as hard as you do. ANTHONY ALBERT STUDIOS; Waldwick, NJ — www.anthonyalbertstudios.com How long ago was your Web site given its most current look? About two years ago. Anthony Passanante, CKD, CBD, allied ASID, ad- mits he hadn't really realized his previous site, which was about fve years old, had become antiquated. "My Web designer showed me some other modern Web sites and asked me to make a comparison," he says. "I didn't think my site was outdated, but I really noticed the diference when they were side by side. My site is current now, but I'll probably change the look again in another two years." Do you manage changes internally or do you rely on an outside resource? "I have my Web designer update the site," he says, noting that he prefers to have an outside source input the changes so he can focus on what he does best…designing everything from kitchens and baths to wine cellars, libraries and laundry rooms. Changes to the site may include updates such as magazine articles in which he is quoted, awards he has received, current projects that have been photographed, etc. "It's very important to stay current with your site," he says. "We're constantly doing diferent de- signs and showcasing diferent products that we are excited about and want to share these with clients!" What is the importance of a great Web site? "I be- lieve when people hear about a business, the frst thing they do is go to its Web site…that's what I do," he says. "If I don't see an impressive home page, I'll move on. My Web designer showed me a couple of diferent options to look at for my redesign, but I loved this one. I wanted something that would grab visitors' attention so they stay longer and browse through it. I also wanted it to be easy to use." Is there something particularly unique/creative about your Web site? A series of rotating full-bleed, high-resolution photos flls the screen, regardless of whether visitors are browsing on a tablet, smart- phone or computer. "My Web site is very visual when you frst log on," he says. "We have very large photos on the home page. It's refreshing and gives a great frst impression, which is important because a Web site is about selling yourself." Navigation tabs are located under the photos and when a visitor clicks on one, it scrolls down to the requested information, rather than opening in a new window. Passanante's site is also mobile-friendly and is adaptable to tablets and smartphones. How does your Web site ft with your other online sites, such as Houzz, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.? "I do have links to my social media sites on my Web site so visitors can easily link to them," he says. "I think my site fts very well with Houzz, especially, because they have a very similar feel."