Design Service

In today's fast-paced, information technology-based business world, you need a design company that excels in website solutions as well as the more traditional communications media - that's JellyBEAN.

We believe first and foremost in creative excellence. It's valued by our clients too, many of whom have been with us for over ten years.

What is important when you need a web site?

Look, feel, navigation, content quality and the load times of your web site is what will make a lasting impression on your site's visitors and what will set you apart from your competitors.

Every site is uniquely tailored to each of our clients' needs. We design clean, functional web sites that are effective and attractive.

• Clean Modern Design.
• Functionality and Clear Navigation.
• Search Engine Friendly.
• Web Content Accessibility.

Database Service & Ecommerce

Using well established and stable technologies such as MySQL, SQL server, asp.NET and PHP all work well, we can create and integrate a bespoke database seamlessly with your site.

If you already have a site and would like database functionality added - no problem. We are able to provide interfaces for databases for both the user and the administrator, so you will be able to insert, update and delete data directly from your web site.

We offer design/development, shopping cart, web site redesign and payment functionality.

For a quote call 0844 567 5180, or complete the form on the contact page and mail your specific requirements, we shall contact you soon.

Search Engine Optimisation

If you need to maximise your web-site's performance in search engines, JellyBEAN offer website optimisation services to improve your organic rankings in the major search engines such as Google.

Website optimisation is the collective process in improving a website's rankings within the organic listings of search engines. JellyBEAN offer website optimisation services (also known as search engine optimisation, SEO or web optimization) to both existing and new clients. With more and more consumers searching for products and services online, it has never been more important to ensure that your website is performing in the major search engines.

Organic Vs Pay Per Clicks (PPC)

It is also important to understand the difference between 'organic website optimisation' and 'paid listings'.

Paid listings can be purchased through 'PPC' such as Google's Adwords service and can achieve results almost instantly. However once you stop paying or 'bidding' your website will disappear altogether. The purpose of organic optimisation is to achieve long-term high ranking listings in the 'free & natural' section of the search results. This ensures that your website appears 24 hours per day and can work out substantially cheaper than using PPC.

Hosting Service

JellyBEAN offer a 3rd party hosting solution:

Web hosting - domain name registration - email pop boxes - email forwarding - auto responders - technical support - hosting costs: from only £71.88 per year.

Choose from Windows 2003 / IIS6 or Windows 2008 / IIS7 web hosting accounts - our windows web hosting accounts offer a unique combination of features and value for money and from just £5.99 per month provide full support for .NET 1.1 / .NET 2.0 / .NET 3.0 / .NET 3.5, ASP Classic 3.0, Visual Studio .NET, DreamWeaver MX and Microsoft Frontpage development software.

Our Windows hosting accounts also include as standard e-mail virus scanning, user configurable spam filtering, advanced web mail service and comprehensive web based visitor statistics. We offer a full selection of optional extras including 50MB MS SQL Server 2000 / 2005 databases from just £6 per month, SSL encryption via our shared or your own 128-bit SSL certificate from just £1 per month and domain name registration for just £10.

We are a UK company with UK based Windows 2003 / 2008 servers, we're 100% committed to customer service and offer a level of support you simply won't find anywhere else.

If you require a dedicated server your specified requirements can be processed and one of our team will contact you with a competitive price.

Training Service

JellyBEAN have been training companies in and around Cambridge and London with desktop training in web design & development, Adobe products, media production 4D & MS Office.

Jellybean offer a full range of training. specialising in Adobe products, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Photoshop, InDesign, Captivate 3, After Effects, Database Development, SQL Server, ASP, asp.NET, PHP, MySQL, 3 & 4D and MS Office.

We give you the option whether to train on-site or at our offices in London.

Bespoke and scheduled courses available.

 

Web Design History

Web site design has come a very long way since the Internet’s very first web site back in the early 1990’s. Like the Internet’s very first web sites, the majority of sites are presented in a computer language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language). HTML is currently in its’ 4th version, with the next major version, HTML 5 currently being rolled out. HTML 4 has been the core Internet Mark-Up language for nearly 10 years. Ever since the original conception of HTML, the Internet boom has spawned an array of hundreds if not thousands of other languages, software and mediums that are used in collaboration to produce modern, attractive and dynamic web sites.

Web Site Design & Web Development

In modern times, there are a whole host of features available to build a both stunning and interactive web site. The construction and completion of a web site can be categorised in two main areas:

1. The Design

The primary objective of a web site should be to meet the requirements of the client. In most cases this would be to attract then convert Internet users into customers, subscribers or in the case of charities, donators. The design of the web site is paramount to reassuring, educating and ultimately convincing the viewer that they have come to the right place, or that they have found what they are looking for. It is the responsibly of the web design company or sole web designer, to produce a suitable design that is attractive to the target market, and doesn't deter people from exploring the web site. Web designers often use a variety of techniques, programme's and software during the design of a web site. These may include any combination of the following:

• Adobe Photoshop - Can be used to produce mock-ups and ‘Internet Ready graphics’.
• Adobe Illustrator - Is another tool for producing mock-ups, logos, graphics and design elements.
• Adobe Flash - Can be used to produce animation, movement & interaction on a web site.
• Adobe Dreamweaver - Is used to construct the web site as it is being constructed for the Internet. Some designers even use Dreamweaver to help them with the design process of a web site.
• CSS - Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is used in conjunction with HTML to design and style the web site from a separate file. The use of CSS brings many advantages including advanced design features, lower file sizes and a universal styling document that updates the presentation and design of the site automatically from a single document.

2. The Development

Once the design of the web site is in place, either as a mock-up or coded HTML skeleton, the web site then requires developing. Development can be as basic as constructing the design as a web page in HTML, or it can be as complex as using the design to ‘skin’ a complex, Database driven web site. Development can be completed by the same designer, or in the case of bigger/complex projects, within a team of individuals who specialise in certain areas of construction. Web Developers or Web Designers can use any of the following to develop a web site to completion and the ongoing maintenance:

• HTML - Hypertext Markup Language is the basic language for presenting a web-site.
• XHTML - is the markup language with the same depth as HTML, but XHTML also conforms to XML syntax.
• XML - is a custom language for creating custom markup.
• RSS - Stands for 'Real Simple Syndication' and is a popular format for publishing frequently updated articles and stories like blog's.
• ASP.NET - Is the Windows Framework used for dynamic applications.
• PHP - Is a free (released under the PHP License) scripting language for constructing dynamic web sites.
• My SQL - Is a Open Source Database platform (available under terms of the GNU General Public License) and used in conjunction with PHP and other languages to store and retrieve data.
• AJAX - is a coding nickname for the combination technique of XML and Javascript for making rich internet applications.
• Javascript - is an established client-side scripting language commonly used by web site developers.
• Perl / CGI - is an aging scripting language that was developed originally for NASA in 1987.
• Actionscript - is a scripting language primarily used within and to integrate Flash. The latest version of Actionscript is 3.0 but 2.0 is still widely used worldwide.

Open Source and 3rd Party Web Design Software

JellyBEAN also utilise Open Source & 3rd party web design software. Open Source is essentially software that is developed by teams of people and is distributed for free on the internet. Open Source software covers a variety of web design applications including blogging software and e-commerce software. To name a few of these applications, JellyBEAN are familiar with the following:

• Wordpress - This is an Open Source blogging platform that requires at minimum, a basic understanding of HTML to install. Wordpress is updated frequently by its' developers and is available worldwide to the public.
• Magento - This is a free E-Commerce shopping cart application that literally has everything you need to be selling online.
• EKM Powershop - Is an 'off the shelf' third party shopping basket application. JellyBEAN have been using EKM Powershop for several years and are very familiar with their interface.
• Paypal - Is becoming one of the most popular and safe methods of sending and receiving money via the internet. JellyBEAN have experience with integrating and utilising Paypal.
• Google Checkout - A rival to Paypal, Google Checkout is Google's offering to paying online. JellyBEAN are able to integrate Google Checkout into static and e-commerce web sites.

Web Site Accessibility

Another key consideration to think about when choosing a web design company is accessibility and usability. Modern Internet Browsers and web site programming allow web sites to be constructed to allow users to:

• Increase the font size on your web site.
• Narrate the text on your web site.
• Navigate around the site with Back & Forward buttons.

Whilst all of the above factors should be taken for granted when you choose a web design company, the unfortunate fact is that you can’t. Ensure that accessibility and ‘Cross Platform’ support is a key objective of your chosen web designers.

Web Design Compliance & Standards

W3C (The World Wide Web Consortium) is the primary governing body for the web. W3C set out guidelines and offer verification tools to ensure that your web-site is built using Industry Standard coding. The W3C also govern a variety of other coding languages such as XML, SOAP and SSML to name a few. Web Designers who follow the guidelines set out by the W3C can expect their web sites to benefit from:

• Better Search Engine Rankings.
• Better Universal Browser Compatibility.
• Better collaboration between other web designers and developers.

The 2 main W3C standards that we practice are XHTML and CSS. Click here to see if your web site has been constructed to the coding guidelines set out by the W3C or click here to verify this page that you are viewing.

*Offer apply to start up companies who contact JellyBEAN via the contact form.