CREATING A SITE
There's a lot involved in getting yourself out onto the web. It takes planning and finding the right people to help you make it a reality. Most of the work is done before the design is created. This process can be challenging and fun, and exciting when it begins to take shape. The better prepared you are before the design process begins, the more you will get for your money. Consider ...
Information: What do you want people to know about your business or project?
Goals: What do you want your site to do for you? Is it for information only, like a brochure? Is it dynamic, with frequent changes to content? Will you be doing some online selling and need a catalog? Will you want a blog, a picture gallery?
Management: Will you be taking care of the site yourself after it's built? How tech-savvy are you? Do you have a budget for the web?
Time: What sort of time will you have to devote to this project? Do you have someone that you'd like to designate to create your content and coordinate with me?
Content: Do you have photographs and graphic content already? Do you have text content or will someone need to write it?
Image: Do you have or want a logo? do you have a "tag line" or "catchphrase?" What about colors associated with your business or project; an attitude that can be projected in color and graphics. Color and images are a first impression and can set a mood.
HOW IT ALL WORKS
Domain: Web sites first must have a name: the domain name. It's what comes after the "www." Companies called registrars sell domain names at a yearly fee. Some hosting companies provide domain names but you can use any registrar you want. Your registrar account will then allow you to assign that name to your site's location at the host.
Hosting: The actual site is made up of files that sit on a computer called a server (because it serves up pages to a visitor when they request to see it.) You rent space on a hosting server. The domain name is set up to "point" to these files. The site has an address, called a url, which you see in the address window in your browser.
Browsers: A web browser is a program that lets you browse the Internet. When you click a link or type in a "www" address in your browser, you're actually requesting to see a page on a server at that address. The hosting server receives the request and if the page is available, it sends out a copy to your browser. If the address is wrong or the page is not available, your browser will indicate the error.
Browsers interpret web page code in different ways. I try to make sure that your site will look the same regardless of browser. The most popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, and Safari (MAC). Other popular ones are Opera and Mozilla. It is always a good idea to have a current browser version to see a web site the way it is intended.
Web pages should be coded in such a way that is friendly to search engines. All design work includes meta tags for keywords and description, image tags, unique title tags, and heading tags. Upon request, stylesheets can include a print-version.
WHERE TO BEGIN
You may already know what you want people to see when they visit your site. You may already have a brochure or flyer about your project or business. That's a great place to begin.
You may already have a color scheme in mind. If not, take a look around the Internet and see what appeals to you. See if there's a site already out there that projects the attitude or feeling that you'd like to see on your site. I will also advise you about the impact of color.
If you prefer some structure to this process, I've created a Web Planning Guide that can be helpful. Working through this short guide is a good first step to organize your thoughts and understand what's involved.
MY JOB
My first job is to ask you the right questions so that I can understand what you want and advise you of your options. The first hour of consultation and evaluation is free. If you decide I'm right for the job, then we will go into more detail about your project. I will provide a written proposal, with estimated time frames, cost estimates and payment requirements.
Content: I do not write core content, but I do make recommendations. What works in print may not work on the screen. The same is true for color. But these are only recommendations. This is your site.
Deadlines: we will have a timetable for your project. Without a timetable, a project can go on indefinitely, causing both you and I unnecessary frustration.
YOUR JOB
Your job is to know your business. Educate me about what you do and what you want to show others.
Content: you provide the majority of content. You know your business better than anyone.
Deadlines: work with me to get this project completed in a timely manner.
ONGOING RELATIONSHIP
Once we agree that you've got a site you like, our primary working relationship is accomplished. But what now? Every site needs maintenance. Links break, images get "tired," information needs updating, a new page needs to be added, a new section needs to be added ... the list goes on. We will discuss your needs and determine what works best for you: maintenance contract or do-it-yourself. I won't abandon you just because the big job is done.