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Choosing the Right Website Designer
by: Janice Byer, CCVA,
MVA
You've made up
your mind. You want to have a website to
represent your business. The next decision
to be made . . . who should you hire to
develop your site?
There are many
people capable of building their own
personal sites. They can put cute little
comments and pictures of their pets or kids
up for you to enjoy. But, when it comes to
having a website that will be a form of
marketing for your business, you want
someone with experience. Someone who has an
understanding of the Internet and what is
the best way to boost the exposure of a
website.
They must have
a clear knowledge of a variety of
contributing factors to your sites' success.
Such factors include how best to market your
site, the options and limitations of
graphics, how to create a site that is
effective within search engines, knowledge
of the drawbacks of different browsers, and
the understanding of the coding required for
your site.
It is crucial
that your designer understands you, your
company and what you want to accomplish with
your website. To determine this, you need to
answer a few questions first.
What do you
want on your website? What is the desired
outcome of your site? Is your designer open
to your ideas and provides input and
suggestions for improvement? Have you
checked out your competition or other
websites to get ideas of what is the 'norm'
for a successful site? The more information
you have prior to starting a website, the
more accurately you can communicate with
your designer and get the desired outcome
that produces the best results.
Creating a
website can be an overwhelming experience.
You need to ensure that your designer is
easy to talk to and keeps you updated on
your sites' progress. If you have questions
. . . ask! After all this is your site and
you have a right to know how it is coming
along and in terms that you can understand.
You also need
to check out websites that your designer has
made in the past. Check to see that the
graphics load quickly, that it is easy to
navigate between the pages, and that overall
you like their style.
Finally, the
cost! This is a very important factor for
small business owners when deciding on a
website designer. Larger companies will
charge more and can probably make your site
very elaborate. If you need a site filled
with all the bells and whistles, you will be
paying for it. If you simply need a site
that is a background of your company and the
products or services that you provide, the
cost will be considerably lower and you can
use a smaller company or independent
designer.
Your website
is going to be a 24-hour advertisement for
your company. Skimping on any of the above
listed factors will have an effect on the
final result of your website and the outcome
that you want from it. Do your research and
you can join other successful businesses who
are using the Internet to boost their
exposure and their revenue.
About The Author
Janice Byer is the founder
of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design
Services (http://www.docutype.net),
a professional Virtual Assistance and
Website Design company, specializing in
helping small business owners get ahead.
She is a certified Canadian Virtual
Assistant and Master Virtual Assistant
and winner of the Most Successful Start
Up 2000 and Home Based Business of the
Year 2000 Awards
jbyer@docutype.net |
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