Web sites are the calling card of our time. They enable us
to communicate with multitudes of people at anytime, anywhere in the world.
These days it seems everyone wants a web site, from the corporation to the individual. It’s become a way of introducing ourselves; of expressing this is who I am, what I’m all about and how you can interact with me.
Here are a few steps to consider when starting your web site.
Step 1: Usually the first meeting with a potential client covers the basic questions:
What is the web site about?
Who is your target audience?
What are your goals for this web site?
Does the client have a brand identity or a need to create one?
What is your budget and deadline?
Step 2: Discussing
the software used to create the website.
Typical choices would be:
1) The HTML CSS driven web site:
Most web sites fall into this category and the type I would most advise using. CSS pages load faster and insure a higher ranking on search engines. You can also incorporate other elements such as FLASH, videos and PHP (interactivity) within the website.
2) Content Management System:
A CMS is generally incorporated externally to a HTML CSS web site (that means it seamlessly links to) and allows a client to perform regular updates through freebee software such as Blogger and Wordpress. The web designer performs the overall look and feel of the site while the client can perform the more personal aspects.
3) FLASH:
Flash was originally a software created for animation but soon developed into a website design medium that became very popular because of the creativity factor. So, if download time doesn’t concern you, (it should!) and you want to really WOW your audience with bells and whistles, Flash could be the way to go.
Step 3: Outline
This is a list of the information to be used on the site such as content, major categories and subcategories. These will eventually form the navigation system and the pages. It is at this stage that a price is negotiated and agreed upon. A 50% upfront free is standard in web site design.
Step 4: Create
Wireframes
Simple line drawings of a web site layout that allow the client to focus on the content and placement of the elements without getting confused with design and color. It helps you determine what is most important and will ultimately be the factor that drives design.
Step 5: Web Site Design
The overall design is created in Photoshop. Integrated within the design are typography, color and style. The look and hierarchy of the navigation system is also established.
Step 6: Build the Web Site
Woo hoo! The fun finally begins. Here we can see the fruition of all our hard work of research, planning and designing take shape.
Step 7: Promote the Web Site
There are a lot of tricks to ensure that robots regularly visit your site thereby advancing your placement on browser searchers. That still doesn’t mean your going to show up on the first page of a keyword search. Unfortunately that often means paying a fee to the browser company. There are other methods to drive visitors to your site such as networking that can be discussed.
Step 8: Keep it Fresh
Continually update your site to make it interesting and keep people coming back.
The initially cost of your site does not include updates (unless the client has some form of CMS). The client can purchase blocks of time of the web designer to perform changes or updates or can pay by the hour.
** Some people don't know...
Before you launch a web site you need a domain name (.com .net .biz .org or .tv) Since this affects your logo and therefore your design this should be done before step 4.
Then you have to purchase space on a web hoster ( a server). There are many web hosting companies out there with some great deals. You can get a web hoster for as low as $5.00 a month and often the first year domain registration is free.
Some of the web sites by Sound Images:
ExpressMarketing.biz - Don't ever trust these guys. They ripped me off.
