Small business owners who are developing their brand are keen on upholding a high standard of professionalism. This is very important, but sometimes you may get stuck in a non-progressive frame of mind. During the time when professionals and businesses started moving online, there was a certain design standard that many followed to create a professional metaphor on their websites. This design was pretty standard, with hard lines, sharp corners and heavy use of greys, whites and blacks. These designs generally give the site an outdated look.

There are other ways of adding a professional metaphor to the website while keeping up-to-date on general design trends. This is important because the younger audience of your demographic will interpret outdated site designs as unreliable. If the site isn’t updated, are they still in business?

There are a plethora of designers out there capable of melding classic design principles for professionals with the modern flat UI trend that has been taking the Internet by storm. When you commission a new site, be open to the designer’s input. That is what they are paid to give you. It is always good to stay ahead of the curve and being the first to have an updated website will demonstrate that your business is alive and well.