All Posts, Web Design
These days creating a website is cheap and fast. The learning curve has also been sharply reduced. But most of these advancements are due to software that takes the technicality out of the true form. What I’ve highlighted below are some flags or concerns that you should be aware of before setting up a website for yourself or business.
Hiring a Web Designer and/or Web Developer
This is crucial because either way it is going to cost you some money and you want to make sure you get a good return on your investment. Obviously you’re going to get what you pay for, and that’s the good part – knowing the difference between a web designer and a web developer? A web designer will typically design the layout, colors, form, and graphics of your site. A web developer will take those plans and actually build your site, code it, test it, and launch it. These days the two professions are sometimes combined in one person or firm. Also be sure to check references or at least their portfolio of work.
Using a Free Service or Web Platform
Websites like WordPress.org or Homestead.com are some of the more popular names for online website creation. There are many more that range from free to premium. What you want to be careful with is that you get what you pay for. Free sites are great for starter sites, but lack the freedom for creativity. When I say freedom I mean, freedom to choose where to place your logo, having a different layout on each page as apposed to the same flow on you home page, about page, and services page. Or the freedom to choose any color you want for your background, font, or columns.
Provider and Client Communication
If you do hire a professional, be sure to keep in regular communication with them. One of the main complaints most designers have is a client that does not keep in touch. Enthusiasm is always high at the start of any project, and ideas are fluent. But after a few weeks, communication (on both sides) starts to decrease. Even worse is when the project is not delivered on schedule or it does not resemble the original blueprint. All of these problems can be dealt with and avoided with proper communication between the client and company.Ask lots of questions. Don’t be shy or reluctant to ask something that you’re not clear about. After all, you did hire this firm to do a specific job for you and you are paying them to do it!
Advice From All The Wrong Places
Sure getting an opinion from your mother in Florida is nice from time to time, but she’s no designer. Nor is your best friend that works in construction. The mechanics, design, and functionality of a website are best reviewed by a qualified field related professional. Be sure to get the right advice from the right people e.g. friends who have used a similar platform, or who have hired the designer that you’re planning to use. Also, ask your web designer to show you as many samples as needed to make you feel comfortable about your project.
Getting What You Paid For
This is a lesson learned in just about any field of business. If you’re on a shoestring budget, you should consider a minimalist website. A good firm should be able to build one to suit your current budget. However a better one will create a site for you that can grow as your budget grows. And the adverse of this is paying too little and expecting too much. As the saying goes “the proof is in the pudding.”
So if you’re in the market for a new website, consider the potential problem areas that might cause difficulty down the road, and be sure to do your homework before you sign the contract. You can never be too prepared!
What are some other issues you have encountered in creating or designing your website?
All Posts, Web Design
Reading this title you may be thinking that I’m pitting the two against each other in a death match for supreme being. Actually no, but I am comparing the two in terms of the future. For years now having a static web site has been an acceptable median for owning a piece of the internet. Whether it’s a personal web site, small business, or corporate entity, a web site (or website) was there to explain the presence of it’s owner.
That was then. Nowadays we’re living in the world of Web 2.0. And if you don’t know what that is, let me explain just a bit. Web 2.0 is basically all things interactive with a website. That means, social media, widgets, videos, and especially “web applications.” Like Inspiration Hut for example. A Blog that provide you with great information for graphic, illustrations, typography, design, and more that also allows you to contribute to it’s resources – while Authors can dialog right back in real time.
So lets talk about these applications. There are a lot of them out there, and though most are free, they are far from “simple”. They range from instant messaging with live visitors to a site, to embedded videos from Vimeo or YouTube to describe products, play music, or even show sports highlights. Each of these examples are Web 2.0. There’s a trend happening where more and more websites are being created or revamped to incorporate these features. Sites like Basecamp and Forrst and ProjectManager that allow remote collaboration of projects and work regardless of physical location.
The importance or “take-over” of the applications is on the rise. You’ll see more and more sites pop up with functionality for more than just reading content. There will be more variances of direct interaction with visitors, and increased participation from visitors to accomplish many things. Albeit, games, collating content, providing feedback, replying to posts, and more. Also consider the compatibility for mobile computing in all of this too. Not only will you be able to read a site exactly how it looks off your computer to your mobile device, but be able to interact from your device much simpler than ever before. One more key I’d like to point out is/are Webinars. Being able to host traditional seminars and presentations with people around the world is not only easily accessible, but seemingly as if all the attendees were in the same room together at the same time.
Now will the seasoned web designing veteran have to update his skills to accommodate these applications in their repertoire? Surely so. Or be forced to step aside while new degree toting collegiates touch away at their iPads to develop new application websites to suit. What do you think?
All Posts, Web Design
Assuming you’ve already signed and contracted your client, the stages of actually building their website can be crucial. As a fellow web designer I can tell you some of the tricks I’ve learned over the years that I now have down to a process.
1) Domain name. These days domain names are being bought up by the hour, and even the unique ones aren’t safe. A trend of using country extensions is starting to catch on. Using .us, .es, or .de to finish out a brand name actually works well when you can’t secure the actual business name.
2) Get the client show you other websites they’ve seen and liked. Why? Because they will secretly compare your work to that of which they already like from either their competitors or what they’ve found through searching online. With that, you’ll also find some inspiration for your own design too.
3) Paper and a pencil. Yes you heard right. Before you launch Dreamweaver, or Photoshop, get out your trusty sketchpad and draw out the framework for the site. Start with the home page. Add your banner, your columns, navigation pane, footer, logo and key image locations. Then draw up the next few pages the same way. This will save you so much time and offer you ways to visualize before you even start coding or working up the site structure on your computer. If possible, also play with some color paletting ideas too.
4) Start bringing the site to life. With having your layout or wireframing done, this next step should be a breeze to put everything together. If you happen to need content from the client, this is the time to secure that. If they’re not ready to provide it (which is also common), Google for for Lorem Ipsum filler. It may throw your client for a loop when they see it, but it will also stress how much content you actually need to fill the page to suit.
5) Get another opinion on your work. If you’re just starting out, its a good idea to build a network of other more knowledged designers to learn from and also to have them critique your work. They’ll give you sound and sometimes crucial advice that you may not have noticed yourself. This may also save you from your client bringing up costly concerns while adding new requirements that were never in the original scope of work. Remember you want to work smart not hard and you never want to have to redo something completely over.
Web Design
Every common website, whether it be a business owner, freelancer, writer, blogger, or non-profit has “space” on their website. And by “space” I mean those blank zones on various pages of a website with no content. These areas are ideal for affiliate links, banners, ads, newsletter sign-ups, and more. Why is this important for you? It is important because these types on content can help generate more traffic to your site while also improving your site’s SEO (search engine optimization) for better ranking.
Take our site for example. We have affiliate links on most of our pages with other businesses both local and abroad. There is a method to which links, ads, or banners we promote on our site. You never want to litter your lawn with junk mail or trash, and the same theory goes for your website.
I won’t say that it is easy to make a lot of money selling ad space, or easy to get ads from major named brands; but that would be a nice goal. If you’re just starting out, you may want to consider selling space to local businesses or existing clients you already have or know. This is a great way to build more traffic for each site with reciprocated links. When applying for CPC (cost per click) or CPM (cost per impression) programs be sure to fully understand the fine print and what you’re getting into. Google Adsense is a great start for newbies and after you reach the $100.00 threshold you are eligible for a check.
You also can just get creative with your extra space in various other ways like using search boxes, recent client images, award pictures and such. The one thing you want to try and do is be consistent with your ads and links. Like the text in each of your pages that describes the services or products your provide; your ads and links should be somewhat similar to your line of work or industry.
Web Design
Unless you’ve been diligently dodging the news of late, you are fully aware of the rants and complaints to online user privacy. Specifically from users and former users of Facebook. I’m not going to get into that too much because it isn’t necessary and I may post some links to articles you can read if you want.
Here’s the thing you really should be paying attention to; your digital profile. As a web designer and social media user, my information is all over the place. Most of which I knowingly posted and signed up to share. Some of which I did not particularly care to have shared about or past my set restrictions. As I Google my own name I find interesting websites that have farmed my information and added to their sites. Some relevant, and some not. What’s becoming a bit alarming to me is how my “digital profile” is starting to look like a social security number.
Why is this alarming? Well because if you’re one of the millions out of work and submitting your resume online to many different job forums, and career sites, your information isn’t always nested and secured within those sites. So yes, employers are searching for you by name and through Facebook, or Yahoo, and other social sites and engines. And yes they’re finding information. We all know banks check your credit history, but should they be allowed to follow your online history? What TV shows you “liked”? What web forums your signed up to (gun, porn, racial, gaming, etc). Even parents are getting into this by checking out their neighbors, or they’re children’s friends parents, or potential babysitter.
Remember cookies? Sure you do. Just as much of a pain that they were before, they are again now. Through these cookies websites like Facebook can see where you’ve been and associate that with your Facebook profile. They then use that to calculate the best advertisements you’d be interested in to try and pitch to you. Smart right? Haven’t you noticed the plethora of ads in the free apps on your smartphone? Those ads will be getting even smarter soon.
Moral of the story is to check out your online profile. There are sites that you can request to remove your
These days creating a website is cheap and fast. The learning curve has also been sharply reduced. But most of these advancements are due to software that takes the technicality out of the true form. What I’ve highlighted below are some flags or concerns that you should be aware of before setting up a website for yourself or business.
