During these sessions when I’m asking questions about their future website I hear the phrase,  ”I want a simple, easy website…You can create that really quick for me right?”

They are usually a business owner and don’t have the time to be bothered thinking about what it takes to create a site. They just heard that they need one. I can relate to that very easily, but if you were going to buy a home you would most likely be very detailed in what you were looking for. You might say I want at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, marble tile, etc. You wouldn’t say “Build me a house, I want to move in one week.”

Now, I’m not saying building websites is as hard as building a house but there are some similar characteristics to the process. After thinking about this phrase I coulnd’t help but think to myself…Is there such a thing as an easy, quick, no hassle website?

Now, after reading that sentence you probably said yes. You could buy a template, place some images and text and your done. Yeah, that’s what I initially thought.

After digging into this question a little deeper (Much like Winnie the Pooh..”Think, think, think…” he would say as he gently rapped his head.) I think you will start thinking like I did.

• You’ve decided on a template. Ok, what template do I choose? There are so many options out there.
• What colors should I use? What colors will the client want or like?
• Where does the language for the site come from? Do I write it or does the client provide the text?
• Does the client have a logo? I mean a real logo, not a logo that was created 15 years ago in Microsoft Paint. Do I need to design a logo?
• Don’t even get me started on hosting. “My friend said he would host the site for me on his server in his basement”  You have a call – Reliability on line #1, Reliability…. Line…. #1
 

 All these questions start to add up and to me it’s clear that their is a degree of difficulty in each website design or set-up but I would never categorize a website as a “simple, easy website”

Whether you are working with a large or small company there are certain elements of creating a website for a client that have to be met. I think it’s my job to help the client understand what I need from them to make a successful website. The client says they don’t care and want an easy site, but if you create a wonderful blue color schemed website and show it to the client you will most likely  hear…”Why did you make the site blue? I don’t like blue”

This isn’t because the client is mean or problematic it simply means there has been a breakdown of communication somewhere during the process. Either the right questions weren’t asked or answered. I cannot stress enough the importance of good communication between the client and designer.

Do you believe that there is such a thing as a simple, quick, website?

As a thirty something I will begin my search on the web.  I will not pull the Yellow Book out of the junk drawer in the house. (Everyone has a junk drawer and at the bottom, anchoring the drawer is an old Yellow Pages.) I will not drive around looking for a dentist. I will not go to the yellow book website and search on their site. What I will do is type in my browser (Chrome)  ”dentist + my location” and start the search.

Here are 5 Reasons Why your small business should have a website

People are using the web to search out information more than ever

A recent study conducted by Pew Internet – of the Pew Research Center – examined which activities dominate American Internet usage. The survey found 92% of online adults use search engines, and 59% use search engines daily.  Use of search engines matches up almost perfectly with use of email platforms. (http://njimedia.com/search-is-still-king-pew-internet-survey-part-1/)

You don’t have to have a degree in statistics to see that 92% is a high number. You want to make sure that you are competing for some of that 92%. As I mentioned above, the days of having people only look in the yellow pages to  find your business are gone. You have to make sure that your business is as available to as many people as possible. People of all ages are using the internet to find your business and to see if your business is worth checking out.

“Come In, Yes We’re Open”

Another benefit of having a website is that it is a marketing tool that never turns off. Your site is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. People can visit your business when they want to and are not turned off by a “We are closed” sign. When some business look at a website they are usually turned off by the initial cost. The old “Well, I could do that myself, how hard could it be” thoughts start to bubble up.

Although, when you view it as a marketing tool that you don’t have to print, hand out, or move mountains to have a new sentence added, the cost even out pretty quickly. Having a website is much more flexible than only using print media. With that being said it is important to update the site when you can with new events, images, or testimonials. You don’t want your website to look like 1995 in 2012. With CMS platforms like WordPress updating your site by yourself is quick and easy.

Allowing potential clients to see the business before calling

Another benefit to a website is that it allows visitors to check out your business before calling or visiting. They can learn where you are located, your working hours, any specials you are having, pictures of the store, etc. In my case I wanted to know if they performed crowns and how liberal they are with the laughing gas . By having a website it will also keep down the phone calls or emails about basic information. I.E., Can you fix a tooth with a crown?

When taking a trip away from home I bet the first thing you do is go online to see if there are pictures of the hotel, what services they provide, or to see if you can bring “Binky” the gerbil. This goes the same for a business. If potential visitors are more comfortable and familiar with your business before stepping in the door that is a good thing. It starts building trust before they even step in the store.

Social Media Interaction..Facebook, Twitter, Oh My!

Social Media. Unless you have been living on the moon you know your business needs to have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. So, I’m not going to go into all that but Social Media does allow you to interact with your customers and potential customers on an on going basis. Communicating with your customers is important because it makes them feel important. If they feel like they can relate to you or ask you a question they will most likely value your business. It will show that you are an expert in the field and can be relied upon for quality services.

SEO – Three letters that make a huge difference

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a way in which you market your website on the web. You want customers to know that your business exists and what it can do.

By creating optimized content, building relevant links and creating a brand that customers want to engage with, you set yourself up as an authority in the eyes of the search engine and increase your chances of appearing for the right queries Lisa Barone

As I mentioned earlier people are going to the internet first to search out your business. For example, if you had a bakery in Lansing and people were looking online for a bakery you would want to be on that list…right? You would assume people would search “bakeries in Lansing” and you would want to be at the top of the list.

This is an entrepreneurial age and there are numerous businesses providing the same services as you. It’s important to have as many ways to showcase your business as possible and having a website will do that.

Reference from article quote: Lisa Barone is Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer at Outspoken Media, Inc.

Although adapting to your clients communication style will help with communication you can’t let it derail the process you use to create websites. I relate the issue this way. When you wake up in the morning you naturally follow the process of getting ready for your day. What if something happens that makes you change up that process. Let’s say your alarm doesn’t go off and you wake up in a rush. You then start doing your normal routine but you are doing things out of order and you forget to brush your teeth before you leave the house. This is an easy fix, but missing a detail when creating a website might not be. The process is very important and I can’t stress enough the importance of creating your own process.

No matter the client my process stays the same.

Step 1

I have the client fill out a simple form with some questions about their new site. This form gives me a solid foundation to start working from. Also, it’s a great client filter. If someone can’t take 10-15 mins. thinking about their goals for the website it’s a signal to me that they may not be committed to working on a website.

Step 2

Phone or in-person meeting. This will give you the chance to discuss the form they filled out and any other questions you might have. You will be able to dig a little deeper into the project. I know many people will always say that the in-person meeting is the best option. I politely disagree. While in-person meetings are great I don’t think you can accomplish more than you could over the phone. While on the phone you can keep the conversation more focused. In addition, you don’t have to try to spend time deciding where to meet up, how long will it take to get there, the costs of gas, etc. Then, on top of all that, the client may not decide to work with you.

Step 3

A complete estimate with the details of the project. When I create an estimate for a client I try to be as detailed as possible without being overly technical.

Step 4

Follow up with the client in the next day or so to see if they had any questions or comments regarding the estimate.

I always try to keep clients up to date with the process I’m following and what the next steps are. This will help the client feel more comfortable and helps them understand the timeline of the project.

I understand that everyone has a different process and this is a process that works for me. By sharing my process I am hoping that others can learn and adapt from my process. Thanks.

It wasn’t long, however, before a new use became apparent. It was (and is) a useful marketing tool and way of promoting yourself or your business online. Some have been able to incorporate it into a full image seller that can make up an entire profit-earning project on its own. But to do it, you have to take what was once a personal profile and convert it into a place representing your business interests.

To read the full article follow this link

http://freelancefolder.com/how-to-migrate-your-personal-facebook-profile-to-a-business-page/

Ok, so you got yourself a fancy new ipad or iphone. You have to justify a reason for having it so being able to check your email is as good as reason as any.

Now, on an ipad it will easily walk you through setting up email through Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, but if you have an email address not associated with one of those providers you are on your own. Most likely you have an email associated with a domain name. Something like Jim@test.com. Here is a quick tutorial on how to get up and running with your email on your ipad

(You will want to have your username, password, server information handy before starting. If you are unsure about what this information is you should ask your web designer or hosting provider.)

1. The first thing you will want to do is turn on the ipad or iphone. (Obviously )
2. Next go to “Settings” Under Setting select “Mail, Contacts, Calendar”
3. Select “Add account”
4. Select “Other”
5. Select “Add Mail account”
6. Now, begin entering your information in the correct areas. Username, email address, password, etc.

**At this point you will have to choose either IMAP or POP as the method for accessing email.

Below is a brief paragraph to help you make your choice:
There are two ways your devices and clients can communicate with Gmail:
1. A one-way communication path (POP). Your device asks us for data and pulls it from our servers — but that’s it. Things you do on your device have no effect on the server. If you read a message on your phone, then log in to Gmail, you will see that same message marked as unread. It may start to feel like Groundhog Day.
2. A two-way communication path (IMAP). Unlike with POP, your devices talk back to our servers and sync your changes automatically with IMAP. When you sign in to your Gmail account in a web browser, actions you’ve taken on your email client or mobile device (like putting a message in a ‘work’ folder) will also appear in Gmail (your message will already have a ‘work’ label on it). This all happens automatically once you set up IMAP, so you don’t have to read or sort all your mail twice. This is really helpful when accessing Gmail from multiple devices.(http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-gmail-anywhere-imap-versus-pop.html)

1. Select “Next” and then press the “Save” button
2. You should now be able to select the ipad’s mail icon (little envelope) and start getting your mail on your ipad.
3. Go ahead, send yourself the “test” email your dying to send and enjoy the freedom of checking your email away from your PC

Here is a brief paragraph from the article:

“Panda, also known as Farmer, was this update that Google came out with in March of this year, of 2011, that rejiggered a bunch of search results and pushed a lot of websites down in the rankings, pushed some websites up in the rankings, and people have been concerned about it ever since. It has actually had several updates and new versions of that implementation and algorithm come out. A lot of people have all these questions like, “Ah, what’s going on around Panda?” There have been some great blog posts on SEOmoz talking about some of the technical aspects. But I want to discuss in this Whiteboard Friday some of the philosophical and theoretical aspects and how Google Panda really changes the way a lot of us need to approach SEO.”

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/how-googles-panda-update-changed-seo-best-practices-forever-whiteboard-friday

The changing times have opened a complete new world in the business domain. This is the online world which has tremendously increased the competition. A business must hold a sound presence at online forum to speed up the process of its growth. Any organization which isn’t available in the online world, fails to get itself registered in the minds of its target market. Web site of an organization or a brand is its home at online medium. The whole world connects to you through your web design.

Web site provides an in depth insight to one’s business. It serves to brief your customers about your products or services. Businesses succeed and fail based on the quality of their web designs. They are taken as a standard to measure the corporate caliber of an organization or a brand. The better your web design is, the better you’ll be able to grab your target customers. A good and sound web site reflects an unimpeachable approach of an organization. All the other marketing materials don’t provide an in depth picture of the organization’s fundamentals as a web site does. Target customers are attracted using the other marketing tools and they finally land onto your web site to get the detailed information.

Realizing the importance of a web design, it must be made captivating and alluring to make your customer stick to it. Colors, images and the logo in your web design are the elements which are responsible to catch the eye of the viewer at first glance. If your customer is intrigued by the look of your web site, only then he or she is going to proceed with reading the content in your web site which is actually the real source of your business introduction. The information should be so gripping that one can’t easily pass by your web site without going through the concrete content.

History of the Organization: There are plenty of organizations who have loaded up their web site with the history of their organization. History of an organization is important to add in the web site but it should highly constitute of the important accomplishments or points only because clients are least interested in reading numerous paragraphs in this category.

Contact Information: It is mandatory information to be added in the web design. For those organizations which sell products online, they must define the contact path in a crystal clear manner and a regular feedback must be taken in order to provide your clients with quality service.

Structural Information: information regarding the corporate fundamentals of an organization including its work policies, units, partners and work domain must be provided in a well organized and well planned manner. Only the concrete and authentic content must be added. Exaggeration can help you gain an instant success but will derail your growth process in a longer run.

Continuous Updates: once the content has been uploaded, it remains the same years after years. A good approach is to keep the web content being updated from time to time. The updates include the success stories with different clients which will themselves speak for your high corporate stature.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/web_design_and_development/article_2598.shtml

There are numerous articles on the internet about how to choose a designer for your website. But what happens after you have chosen a designer to work with?

Creating a great website can really help your business take the next step forward. When getting ready to work with a designer, to create a website for you, it helps to have a good balance of involvement between letting the designer use his/her talents and expertise to create the site and telling them every step of the way what to do.

Let’s say you want to build a room over your garage. You know the colors you want to paint the walls, the color of the carpet you want,  etc. Since you probably don’t know much about construction you will need a professional contractor to help you with this job. It is important you talk with the contractor to help them understand your vision for the finished room, but it would be a bad idea to stand over them and tell them where to place nails in the drywall. You have to let them do what they do best, while making sure your vision for the room is being met. Sounds easy, right?

Getting back to website design. It can be difficult for some, if not most everyone, to stand aside and trust someone else with something as important as creating a website for their business.

Hopefully, some of these tips that can make the process of working with a designer go a little more smoothly.

Be Honest

By being honest with the designer you will help foster a great working relationship. Remember, the designer is there to help you and to guide you through the process. They are not the enemy. Believe it or not, their goal is not to rip you off. They are offering a payable service much like a plumber or barber. By letting them know your budget, your goals for the site, and what you want to accomplish with the site it will help them make a better website in the end.

I know there are a variety of postings online giving advice on how to get the cheapest website possible. Everyone wants to save money on services, but being deceitful about certain aspects of a website and then trying to get the designer to include them into the design after a price has been agreed upon is wrong. It’s called “scope creep”. Yes, there is a word for it. Websites, like cars, come in a variety of sizes, colors, and costs. Cars are obvious, but websites are not. Letting the designer know up front that you will need a content management system is much better then surprising them halfway through the project.

Research

This may sound obvious, but really isn’t. Going back to the room over the garage example. If you are going to paint the room yourself you would most likely do some research into what colors might work well together? The best brands of paint? What type of carpet may work best for your family? Creating a website with a designer works much the same way. Having an idea of your competition online, what colors you would like the site to be, and knowing how you would like your visitor to interact with your website can really help the designer get a better idea of your vision of what you would like done. They don’t have to spend time guessing as to what you may or may not want. If you are selling handmade baskets, go online and search “handmade baskets” and look at what you will have to have on your site to compete against the sites that are already out there.

Be open to changes

Some people have a hard time adjusting to change. They have an idea an it can’t be done any other way. Let your designer show you some ideas and be open to them. You might be surprised at what you like and might find a better solution to a problem than you had initially thought. This is another example of using the talents and experience of the designer.

Building a new website or even re-designing your current one can often be a daunting and at times stressful process. That’s why it’s imperative to work alongside a web design company that you trust, have a good rapport with and have built an advantageous working relationship with. This will enable you to get the best out of your investment and be left with a great end product; a website that fulfils all of your criteria, as well as some of those more technical ones you may not have known about.

1. Usability

Usability is key to the success of your website, and this encompasses a wide range of things from accessibility to familiarity. Firstly it’s important that your target audience can use your website. You should present content to the user in a clean manner in a way that is obvious so that they can intuitively navigate around your site. Accessibility is also important, and this is twofold. Your website should be accessible not only to individuals that may have different requirements, such as those that use screen readers, it should also be accessible to those users who are using a variety of different hardware devices or running on several different browsers. By ensuring that your website meets all of these criteria it will mean that you do not alienate any of your target audience.

2. Extensibility

When designing a website it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in what you want in the here and now, but it’s important to remember that you are making a large investment and that this is something that should be able to change and grow over your time as your business does. This is where extensibility comes in; you should discuss with your web design agency how easily you will be able to amend and add to your website over time, as well as add important upgrades as technological advances are made. This will prevent you website becoming outdated in only a short period of time and keep your costs lower going forward.

3. Design

And of course good design is imperative to creating a successful website. Your website should be designed to suit your target audience. Whether this is a b2b market or a children’s website, tailoring your design to meet the specific needs of your target audience will put you on the route to success. Your site design should be unique and memorable, still incorporating the previously spoken about familiarity in the manner in which it works.

4. Functionality

Every website has a different purpose, whether your website is an ecommerce site, informative website or a membership website, you will have to ensure that your newly designed site has the functionality to meet each of your specific needs. Whether this be the ability to take online payment or update fresh news through an RSS feed. You should ensure you work alongside a web agency that will be able to provide you will all the aspects you require.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nikki_Maidment