Websites to Marketing Hubs: T&T Web Design Is All About Marketing

Websites in Trinidad & Tobago have transformed into a completely different animal. Trini businesses are no longer solely focused on building a mere digital presence; the process has evolved into a more complex and strategic discipline that encompasses marketing, content, and user engagement. This transformation has redefined the role of web designers and thrown in marketing as an essential, nay, critical part of web development.

In the early days of the internet, a website was like a digital business card—a static page that simply provided information about a company. The goal was to be present online, nothing more, nothing less. It was only in the past few years that local businesses fully embraced the need for a web presence, but not with the needed conviction; it moved up their list of priorities sure, but there was still a veil blocking the clear view. Fast forward to today, and the expectations for a website have skyrocketed. That veil of darkness has been lifted; it’s no longer enough to have a well-designed layout; a website must be a strategic hub that drives traffic, generates leads, and converts visitors into loyal customers, end of story.

Web designers in Trinidad & Tobago have had to expand their skill sets to keep up with this evolution. It’s not just about creating something that looks great anymore; it’s about building a platform that works hand-in-hand with digital marketing efforts and overall marketing strategy.

To ask in Trini… ‘since when’ marketing became such a crucial part of web design? The answer lies in the way users interact with websites today. A well-designed site should not only be visually appealing but also optimized for search engines, mobile-friendly, and packed with compelling content that engages visitors and keeps them coming back for more.

Marketing strategies like SEO, social media integration, email capture, and content marketing are now intricately weaved into the web design process. We web designers must understand these elements to create a seamless user experience that aligns with the brand’s marketing goals. It’s about designing with the end user in mind, ensuring that every click leads to a meaningful interaction.

But you can argue that this was always the case, or should have always been the case. What changed so, that focus is more intensified now? One word competition; lately, and mostly post-pandemic, the local marketplace is much more alive and percolating digitally. You’re seeing it daily before your eyes with the Car Wars, bombarding you BS and bam-bams, and all manner of videos to catch your attention. It’s very cutthroat now; everyone is looking at what everyone else is doing, and quite simply, Trini businesses don’t want to fall behind or worse, get left behind.

One of the biggest shifts in modern web design is the focus on content strategy. Gone are the days when content was just an afterthought… or not given enough thought. A perfect example was when we slapped your Company Profile to the site and call that George (again youngsters, look up that old Trini term). Now, the words on your website are as important as the design itself. Great content can guide a user’s journey, improve SEO rankings, and ultimately lead to higher conversion rates.

The design and layout of a website must be crafted in a way that highlights the content, making it easily accessible and engaging for users. We web designers are now storytellers, using visuals, layouts, and navigation to create a narrative that resonates with visitors and reflects the brand’s voice.

And the concepts of ‘brand’ and ‘voice’ are not to be taken lightly. These two terms have completely transformed the context of web design away from technical toward ‘marketing-al’. The best visually designed and coded site in the world won’t do squat without integrated marketing.

In today’s digital age, social media and video content play a massive role in driving traffic to websites. Web designers now have to think beyond the website itself and consider how it integrates with various social media platforms and how video content can be used to engage users.

Video production, in particular, has become a key component of modern marketing strategies. Whether it’s explainer videos, testimonials, or product showcases, video content adds a dynamic element to websites that helps convert viewers into customers. One of our clients aptly described the role of video as the new ‘currency’ in social media marketing, as evidenced, not only in the aforementioned Car Wars, but it’s hard to miss in your newsfeeds which are rife with every kind of video. As such, it requires a new level of creativity and technical expertise from web designers to seamlessly incorporate video into the user experience.

You also see much more paid advertising via Facebook Boosts and Ads, Google Ads etc. That’s not only because Meta restricts your organic reach to force paid ads, but also because of the increased competition.

The evolution of web design into a marketing-driven discipline means that designers must wear many hats. They must be part graphic artist, part UX/UI expert, part content strategist, and part marketer… lawd that’s many parts— and hats! This multifaceted skill set is what differentiates a truly effective website from one that simply exists on the internet.

Web design has become a nuanced skill that involves not just creating visually appealing layouts but also understanding data, user behavior, and how to leverage these insights to improve a site’s performance. It’s about balancing creativity with analytics to design a site that not only attracts visitors but also engages and converts them… and that’s called marketing.

Given the level of competitiveness locally and the rate the market is evolving, what I’ve observed, being on the ground in the industry, is that there is a frenetic pace of online activity, but skewed to marketing via social media and not as much to websites. Though there are many new and redesigned websites being launched, the majority can be viewed as ‘standard’, i.e. complete and functional in all respects, but without the ‘oomph’ to make it stand out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, nor disparaging, as there are many valid reasons why this may be so.

The most successful designers would have to view themselves as digital strategists—able to craft websites that are both visually appealing and highly functional for achieving business goals.

Locally, the major web design companies have remained major, i.e. if you Google website design trinidad, the results are pretty much the same as they were for the past few years. On a side note, Forward Multimedia’s position on the first page has dropped a little, but that’s because our focus is on E-Commerce, where we remain number one among our peers.

While the major web designers have always been ahead of the pack, others, which are mostly smaller web companies are still catching up. However, in order to compete, smaller web companies in T&T have to price more competitively, and with the economy in a shambles, budgets are small, so there is a trade-off; as the saying goes: can’t get wine with mauby money.

Despite the progress, some designers still face challenges when it comes to integrating marketing into their design process. Common barriers include:

• Technical Expertise in Marketing Tools: Understanding tools like Google Analytics and marketing automation platforms can be daunting. For example, crafting effective Google or Meta Ads.
• SEO Knowledge: Designers are often not as well-versed in the intricacies of SEO, despite its importance in driving organic traffic to websites. Trini businesses tend to focus on their search rankings a lot lately. If your web designer is not on the first page of Google, how will he be able to get you on it?
• Understanding Customer Journeys: Some designers struggle to think like marketers, who are always focused on the customer’s journey from awareness to conversion.

I think we can’t be too hard on the web designer, as one of the biggest hurdles we web designers face with our Trini companies, is the lack of a dedicated marketing officer, marketing department, or even a formal marketing strategy. And it’s not limited to medium and small companies, even big-ass national companies lack all three!

In these scenarios, the we are often left to navigate without a clear compass, leading to a host of challenges that can impact the effectiveness of the final product. In most cases, the marketing person is usually the business owner, who is always scrambling with daily operations, leaving us having to do their wuk.

There are many key issues that arise when there’s no marketing roadmap to guide the design process, and though this obstacle deserves it’s own article, I’ll briefly touch on a few:

• The Blind Leading the Blind: When a company doesn’t have a defined marketing strategy, it’s like setting sail without a map. The web designer is expected to create a digital experience that aligns with the brand’s goals, but those goals are often vague or undefined.
• Target Audience: Who Are We Designing For: When a company lacks marketing direction, the answer to this question can be ambiguous at best.
• Brand Consistency: A Shot in the Dark: Brand consistency is crucial for any company looking to establish a strong identity. A marketing department typically ensures that all digital touchpoints align with the brand’s voice, tone, and style.
• The Burden of Wearing Multiple Hats: Expecting designers to make crucial marketing decisions or craft compelling brand narratives is not always realistic or effective. This gap often leads to delays, revisions, and frustration when the final product doesn’t meet expectations.

It sure feels that way. These days, depending on the discipline, there is a strong case for not requiring formal university to acquire skills— you obviously won’t start a medical practice from studying online., but you can start an IT company. So the short answer is no. But you definitely need a combination of training, experience, and natural ability to be effective and competitive.

When I started Forward Multimedia, my training background was in Business Management, Management Accounting, and Accounting, not web design, programming nor coding. I grew up surrounded by business as my parents were in business, so my mentality was never for getting a job, and hence my experience has always been about business.

This is what gives Forward Multimedia a competitive edge; we speak to clients in the context of business and marketing, not web design. We speak from real world experience in business— which didn’t come from the web business, so we have a crystal clear understanding.

Marketing skills can be acquired and honed, but in my opinion, only from the perspective and experience as a business owner, can it be effectively implemented. It’s like coaching a racecar driver— the better teacher is the one who’s experienced actual racing, not one who only knows how to handle the car.

Today, web design and marketing have become inseparable. To build a successful online presence, you can’t have one without the other. The modern website is more than just a digital storefront; it’s a complete marketing ecosystem that’s designed to generate leads, build brand loyalty, and drive sales. Trini companies are now expanding to the Caribbean more than ever, so now we have to get into the minds of our Caribbean neighbors too.

As a web design company, we understand that the key to a successful website lies in its ability to integrate all facets of marketing into its design, content, and functionality. Our goal is to create sites that don’t just look good but also perform exceptionally well in today’s exceedingly competitive digital landscape. We’re here to help businesses adapt to this new era where web design and marketing go hand in hand.