Creating a website is definitely complex, which is why you can’t just show an actual website to a presentation where you bid to be commissioned for a design project. This is why you show your audience a prototype of what you will be doing if you win the project. A mockup is the most realistic prototype you can present in a professional meeting.
There are free mockups all over the internet, finding one is not hard at all. You open one website and you will have a dozen or so mockup PSD templates to choose from. Ramotion provides at least eight mockups specifically for the iMac in PSD file and Sketch. Mockups are lifesavers in terms of presentations. They are so easy to use especially when you are working with Photoshop. You just have to download the mockup template and put your design on the iMac screen. If you need to edit the image, make sure you download the mockup with Smart Objects so that your editions will be reflected on the smart layers. You wouldn’t want a pixelized output, do you?
But why is there an emphasis on the iMac mockup?
iMac mockup provides professional aura
There is no other device that is more professional than the Apple iMac. The stance itself is very professional, the specs are unbelievably pro—whether you are talking about the iMac Pro or not. The desktop also has that air of permanence in it since it is big and this is the device of choice in offices—whether a corporate one or just the home office.
One thing you need to understand is that unless you are presenting to an audience comprising tech people with focus on computers, you are most probably going to explain your design to a group of people who are not technologically inclined. Tech-centered businesses have the capability to create their own websites, which is why there is a slim chance you will be presenting your proposal to them. Startups and other businesses that have nothing to do with technology, on the other hand, will most likely commission a third party to create the website for them.
You have to go into a meeting with expectation that your audience are not tech-savvy. But don’t be arrogant or condescending about your tech knowledge. You need to present your design in a way that it is relatable. This is why the iMac mockup works. It makes web designs relatable.
Workspace mockup
The workspace mockup seems to be the most relatable of all types of mockups. This kind of mockup usually uses props or accessories in order to give a real-world feel to the mockup. Most of the templates show the iMac on a desk. The accessories on the desk like notebooks and pens, various books, design tools and so many others, will make the web design more understandable to the audience or prospective clients.
When you present your design on a workspace mockup, it will be easier for the audience to imagine how the website will look when it is actually operational. By putting the iMac on the desk, it allows the clients to imagine the website actually being opened and maneuvered by users.
The clients, because of their limited understanding about the technical nuance of creating a website, might be more demanding during the meeting. They might demand something that is not within your power to give. This is what makes mockup important. It allows clients to immediately understand what they are in for and won’t need to demand for things you cannot provide.
Great user experience
This is very important when it comes to creating a website. But then again, you would have a hard time explaining user experience without the actual website. So you do so with an iMac Pro mockup. The user experience is basically a user’s overall experiencing while navigating the website. But since you can’t provide that when the website is not even read yet, you just have to showcase them through the mockup.
A good user experience means that the person navigating the website can easily navigate it because the technicalities are easy to understand. There are buttons that are easy to spot and click, and these will open options that would make further web pages easier to open. You don’t even have to be obvious about the design just so it will be easier for people to maneuver. When the site is designed well, people will just immediately understand the whole web page.
Content
The most important part of the website is of course the content. You need great images that tell a story and would create focus on the goals of the website. When you have to use photos or videos, you have to use photorealistic iMac. You want the images to look real in order to sell your digital product. So you have to know the latest in web developments in order to create great content.
Content also refers to the brief description that you need to provide for the website. Make sure that copy is clean and brief. Wordy stuff on the opening page of the website is very irritating. The most important thing is that you are able to send your message across in the fewest words possible.
