Advice for Business Web Page Design-1

Posted: 21st December 2011 by admin in Web Design
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Many business owners would like to know what they should understand about having a website created before they move forward with having their business put on the web.

In today’s business world not having a website is about as out-dated as the fax machine, yet many businesses haven’t taken the leap because they simply aren’t sure what they want to have in their business web page design. Some businesses are service oriented and simply need a means of marketing their services and their contact information while other businesses sell products and could take advantage of an online presence to sell more products. The information herein is the best advice for business owners considering a web site for the first time.

What the Web Site Does

Regardless of the type of business a web site is created for it is the online representation of that business. This is important to keep in mind so that the final website reflects positively on the business. A professional look and feel to the website is important and that ultimately up to the web designer that is selected to create the site. The site should be hosted on a fast and reliable web host. A professional website for a business should not come out looking like a cartoon put together by a child, unless the business happens to be in comic books or cartoons. The point is to make sure the web designer has experience creating business websites and not simply putting together blogs. The website should attract visitors and ultimately clients, and the design will play a large role.

Elements to Include

There are many different elements that a website should incorporate to ensure that visitors get a good impression about the business and also get enough information about the business to make an informed decision. Some of these include:

  • Well-designed, to-the-point landing page: The landing page has to catch the attention of the visitor and do so quickly. It should be straightforward and to the point with eye-catching images and possibly even Flash elements. Scrolling logos and photos that change as the visitor is browsing, make the page visually appealing and will hold attention more so than simple static pages.
  •  About Page: Introduce the business and staff to the world using an about page. Make the visitor feel connected by telling them about the business and about yourself.
  •  Services; Detail the services that are available, use scripting languages to bring the pages to life.
  •  Contact Page: A business web site without a contact page is simply a bunch of words in cyberspace that won’t generate one lead. There must be a way for clients to contact you. The contact page can be information with ways for the visitor to contact the business, a submission page where the visitor completes a form or a combination of these. The important thing is that there is a way for visitors to contact the business.
  •  Locations: A well-designed business page will also include a location page, particularly if the business would like for people to be able to find them or if they have a service business and people need to be able to find them. A good locations place will include map links that show exactly how to get to the location by linking them to Google Maps, MapQuest or other online mapping services.

A Guide to DIY Web Design-1

Posted: 21st December 2011 by admin in Basics
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DIY website design has become a popular way for many people to develop a web presence without spending a large sum of money and still having some creative input on the site design.

DIY projects abound in our world, from do-it-yourself construction projects to home repairs and of course the DIY web design solutions that flood cyberspace and software shelves. The good news is that technology has made many inroads into the DIY market and designing a website on your own can be a fun and rewarding project. The key to designing your own web site is to stay within your comfort zone with the skills needed and take your time making your site the way you want it to be so that you are happy with it and it gets you the exposure you want it to get.

Uses for DIY Sites

While some websites are better left to the professionals, there are many websites that can be done using template software and even online designing sites that help you get a website up and running quickly. Some of the sites that can benefit from being a DIY site are:

  • Blogs: These are typically smaller websites that are updated daily or however often the blogger wants to update them. There are many blog templates available on the Internet including WordPress and Blogger. These have both free and paid versions and have many design templates to help personalize the site. Some also offer the option of incorporating ads to generate revenue which makes the blog a cash flow source as well as an informative and fun site.
  • E-Commerce: Many e-commerce sites can be created using templates available on the web and using software that is purchased and contains a complete web site. These are usually simple e-commerce sites where a few items are being sold and the website is linked to a PayPal account that accepts payments. There are free hosts such as Weebly that make setting up the site simple and there are other sites that charge a small fee but have more robust options for designing the site.
  • Family Sharing: Many people like to set up websites to share family pictures, news and other information and happenings with each other. These types of sites can be easy to set up using templates that are available through the Internet, in fact, even a blog site can be utilized as a family sharing website.

These are just a few examples of ways that a DIY site can be utilized. Once the determination has been made as to what the site is going to be used for, it is just a matter of finding the right type of software or template to use and getting the project started.

A Guide to DIY Web Design-2

Posted: 12th November 2011 by admin in Methods
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DIY Website Formats

There are many different types of DIY websites, some requiring little more than some data input to personalize and others focused on low cost and ease of use. Some of the DIY formats are:

  • Simple and Cost Effective: These websites for people who want to design their own are very low cost and easy to design. Most utilize templates that have built-in variations so that changing them is little more than a few mouse clicks. The Internet is filled with literally thousands of these templates and many more can be found bundled with certain software. These usually take very little time to put together; however, unless the site builder knows coding, there are few options that can be edited.
  • Data Input Sites: These are usually simple e-commerce type site templates that allow the owner to pick a design and start putting their products up in minutes. These are ideal for the entrepreneur who wants to try their hand at selling products across the web.
  • Totally from Scratch: The do-it-yourselfer who is willing to learn HTML can build their own site totally from scratch and forego the limitations that accompany templates. While this may sound daunting, there are many tutorials and HTML editors that make it simpler than you might think.

Regardless of which type of do-it-yourself web site is selected the one feature that should be included is the ability to easily update the site. While it is true that the design may have limitations on what can be changed, the content you put up on the site should be easily manipulated by you the owner.

The Downside

No guide to do-it-yourself websites would be complete without pointing out the downside to building your own website. The main reasons for having your site professionally built:

  • There are no limitations other than budget as to how the site will look. Professional sites can include many more elements than a DIY site, such as Flash and other scripting.
  • SEO – It is difficult to get a DIY site optimized whereas a professional website designer can create one that is optimized as it is built.

Both types of sites have their good and bad points; a professional site is extremely expensive in comparison to a DIY site. You need to sit down and determine how important the site is and weigh the options. There are some very good DIY websites if you take the time to research them and choose the one that suits your skills and your needs.

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