putting it on the world wide web

 

Why do you want a website?


A quick guide to getting started

A website is like a business card and brochure for all the world to see – it is advertising that offers a detailed insight to who you are and what you do. It is important to keep your information accurate, straightforward, interesting and up to date.

If you think you want a website you must consider the “why”. Why put yourself out there? What is it you want to advertise or otherwise show and tell the world about? And will anybody see it? That is a question most people forget to ask. Just because you put up your website doesn’t mean it will get seen. You must actively work to promote the site and with that in mind you must make a site that is “easy on the eyes”, simple to navigate and contains up to date information about you and your business.

Some things to consider:


Visual identification

Using the tools of logo, font, image and color you can create the a visual identifier for your business. A good idea is to view various websites and take note of what attracts you, what frustrates you, fonts, special effects, ease of navigation and content understanding etc. This research will help you generate ideas about what you'd like to see on your website.

Information

What information do you want to convey? What is the purpose of your website? Who you are and /what you are offering should be the topic of your opening page. As one instructor said to me “The first page is like the cover of a book, it tells you what’s inside”. Good images and clear explanations are key to a good website along with easy to use navigation. All of this is good business practice - think of what a physical store is like: you walk in the front door knowing what store you are entering by the signage, the store hours are clearly marked and the doors were easy to find and open. On the web, the front door is your first page. It should clearly say what the business is about and what can be expected within the site. As you walk into the store you can see aisles of merchandise which each have a sign above them indicating what is in the aisles. So it should be on your site navigation bar - it should be clear where to go next and what you will see or experience there. In stores if you need help or information there are sales clerks to help you. On a website this job is done via email and it is important not only that email links are easy to find and use but that there is someone at the other end who will reply. There is nothing more frustrating than emailing for information and never getting a response or getting an automated response that tells you to go to the website for information! My years in retail taught me that not everyone knows your store exists even if you have been in business for years and have been advertising regularly. Stores rely on a number of ways for people to discover them: drive by, phone book listing, word of month, print advertising etc. The same applies to your website. You have to get the word out in various ways - you cannot put up your website and assume that because you have built it people will see it.

I will work with you to help you create a website that reflects you and your business. See below for different packages - prices include consultation, site layout and design. Your job is to create the content* I will be working with such as images (digital images or scans) and text (descriptions etc.). You will also need to get a domain name and web hosting - I can help you through the process. Please remember that once you have a website it is important to keep it up to date and "refresh" images and information on a regular basis.

Take a Look: a gallery of websites

The Cost of having a Website

So what is it going to cost to put yourself on the web?

Domain name and hosting generally cost about $140/year though sometimes this can be reduced by paying for 2 or 3 years in advance. I can recommend a few different hosting services. I regularily use BlueHost in the US and HostPapa in Canada both recommended to me by clients and I have been happy with their setup and control panel.

Pricing depends on many factors: needs, complexity of design, revisions etc.

Average website start-up costs:

Maintenance and minor changes to web pages such as adding and updating information and images: $55/hour (minimum charge $25.00). Prepay And Save with Web Maintenance Service Credits

Possible additional costs:

For an estimate based on your needs please contact me.