As soon as upon a time, a company could choose not to have a website. They reasoned that they didn’t require a professional website; they could do just fine without one. Then, one of their competitors decided to obtain a website and a buzz was produced. Not to be outdone, another competitor decided to follow suite. Then another after which another. Pretty soon customers had been asking the company if they had a website. Lastly, they realized that they required a web site to be able to maintain up with their competitors. And so, the web exploded. These days, everyone has a website. From big corporations to little companies; families to individuals, everyone is on the web. A buddy of mine even produced one for his infant kid.
This article is produced to speak towards the few remaining companies that have but to tackle the web beast. You want to have a web presence, however it appears a daunting task. “Where do I start?” you say. “What problems will I need to address to ensure that I make the most of my new website?” you continue. This brief article will cover a few of the areas of the web design process to pay particular attention to. We have created numerous web sites for customers that had no thought exactly where to start. We firmly believe that client education is a vital component of the overall success of the web project. Most professional web design companies have published some guidelines that will help possible customers answer some of their questions. It is with that in thoughts that we have written this article.
Why do you would like a website?
Will your website be for personal use (just show some photographs to your family members members, for instance)? Will it be to advertise a company service? Will it be an informational website, simply to pass on understanding towards the visitor? Will it be used to sell a item? Is it essential which you show up #1 in Search Engines?
These are vital questions with which to begin. The answers you come up with will determine the direction in which the overall design should go.
Do you have a company logo?
If you have been in company, you might already have a logo or a trademark that your customers recognize. If that’s the case, do you have the original graphic that can be emailed? It’ll be essential to make use of that on your website.
In the event you don’t have a logo or anything by which your customers currently know you, do you have any ideas about what you might like, a sketch, a doodle or something comparable? Whatever the case, usually a professional web design business can design a professional logo for you or reuse your present one.
Do you have particular colors which you wish to use?
Not all colors work nicely on the web. Usually, choosing a few colors is the very best path to take. Your web designer can help you select quality colors that will come together in a design which you will be proud to show off.
Have you noticed web sites which you like?
Offering an example (or examples) of a site which you like is a good method to help your web designer comprehend the look you’re after. A professional web design business will usually get this kind of feedback from their customers. Then they’ll have a really feel for their “taste” and can use that as a pattern for their site.
Do you have a website domain name?
This really is the actual address of the website. It is what you’ll rattle off when someone asks you, “Do you have a website?” In the event you don’t have one registered already, your web designer can take care of that for you. Some web design companies might charge a yearly fee for this service, anywhere from $10 to $50. However, some web design companies provide this service at no charge. Make certain to ask your web design business about this upfront to ensure that there is no confusion.
Do you realize how numerous web pages you would like for your site?
Almost all web sites have a House page, a Get in touch with Us page and a Links page. However, after that, you have to determine what you would like features to emphasize about your company. Is it essential that visitors know some history about your business? If so, you’ll require an “About Us” page. Do you have categories of item which you wish to function on your website? If so, every category will have its own page. Do you would like visitors to have the ability to fill out an order form when they are prepared to purchase something? If that’s the case, you’ll require an “Order Form” page.
Your web designer will ask you about this facet of your website, however it is good to believe about this on your personal before you take that step. As a rule, the much more pages a website has, the higher the price. So choose a web design business which you are comfortable with and don’t let them speak you into much more pages than you really require.
Do you have graphics and photographs to make use of on your site?
If you have photos to make use of on your site, are they in a high-quality digital format? As a rule, a scanned photograph won’t look good on your web site. The very best photos are ones taken having a digital camera. These may be used on the website and formatted to ensure that they have a professional look.
Many web design companies are in a position to take photos for you. Usually, this service is an extra charge, so be sure you talk about this option.
Will you preserve the website your self?
If so, do you have an understanding of the Code Languages used to create your website. Some of these languages might include:
PHP
HTML
XML
SWF
In the event you are comfortable with these languages, your web design business can most likely setup the website to allow you to preserve it your self. However, most companies won’t assistance sites in which the client has made modifications towards the original code. Make certain to talk about this throughout your initial consultation.
Some companies will create Content material Management Systems (CMS). These allow their customers to update the web site without having to touch the original code. With a custom CMS, in the event you can create a document in a Word Processing program, you can alter your web site content. This indicates you don’t need to learn any programming languages and, in the same time, you don’t need to call your web design business each time you want to update your site. Obviously, the business you choose should usually be available to help in the event you get stuck. They should also be willing to e-mail you a link to show a demonstration of their custom CMS.
Hopefully, this article has given you some good guidance to follow on the path to your new website. With some advanced preparation, you’ll tackle the web beast with no problem. The web design business you choose should be willing to supply you having a list of satisfied customers. Take the time to evaluation the list. Get in touch with the customers listed and ask them for their opinions of the business. This may give you some good information to assist you make a good decision.
A Fresh is a Kansas City web design team. We specialize in Flash web design and database driven e-commerce. Follow us on Twitter at AFresh.
