Small Business Web Design
Posted on December 7, 2008
Filed Under Web Design | Leave a Comment
Small businesses are in need of reputable web design and webmaster services more than ever. There are far too many web design companies and web directories willing to take you for all you’ve got while giving little in return.
One of our most recent clients came to us after having been with a major online phonebook directory for 8 months without any results. They had built him a decent looking 5 page website and put his company listing in their directory. Unfortunately, the website they built can be found nowhere in Google. It couldn’t even be found on the first page by typing in the company name!
If it wasn’t bad enough already, it got worse when I called and spoke with the online directory salesman. I discovered the terms of the agreement my new client had signed weren’t very favorable. First, he couldn’t terminate his contract early for any reason. Second, he didn’t own his domain name! Well, not until the end of the contract and then he has to pay another fee for it. Third, there was no ftp interface for him to manage any aspect of the content on his website and changes made by the company were given 30 days to complete. Give me a break! And last, he was ONLY allowed 5 pages total. The next plan level was a 10 page website for a nice fee.
The moral of this story? If you’re a small business owner, be careful about who you choose to design your website and manage your online presence. You could get locked into a deal that you have to ride out to the end. Fortunately, this customer didn’t wait for the end of his contract with this company, he hired Website Design Columbus to design a new company website for him and promote it to the first page of Google. I’m happy to say we succeeded. After wasting 8 months and the same amount of money he paid us, he now has a website that’s on the first page of Google for the most important phrase in his market.
Web Development
Posted on December 7, 2008
Filed Under Web Development | 1 Comment
Welcome to Website Design Columbus’s new blog.
Web Development is a broad subject which encompasses web design, content development, server configuration, coding and more. For our purposes we’ll be focusing on website content as a whole.
Many of our customers find the hardest thing to grasp is that web development is not a project that has an end. In order to impress the internet audience and search engines, your website must constantly be evolving. It must strive to be more useful and more robust.
The content of your website, wether filled with words, forms, pictures, or blog entries, must be fresh and informative. Website Design Columbus firmly believes this philosophy hence our own foray today into the world of blogging.
Web Development is an ongoing process and it’s not something most people can do on their own. Wether it’s creating a blog, photo gallery, or just managing your content, you should have a professional Web Developer like Website Design Columbus on the job.
Web Designs for New Companies
Posted on December 7, 2008
Filed Under Web Design | Leave a Comment
We’ve been away for a while with good reason…new clients! While there hasn’t been much blogging going on, there has been heavy web designing underway.
With our latest client, we were reminded how different the design process can be when working with an unbranded, new company with no previous internet experience. We’d like to share a few tips with you.
First, be ready to prepare several design drafts. It’s understandable that clients with new businesses want to get every detail right when launching their website. You may find that these clients are a little more critical since the whole process is new to them. Especially if they’ve never had a website before. What sounds good while talking with them, may not translate when presented to them visually…even if you believe it’s exactly what they wanted.
Don’t rely solely on the client’s input. Be Proactive. Take the lead when it comes to the design process and suggest the things you know as a designer will benefit their bottom line. Someone who’s never owned a website needs a leader. Take a few chances if you need to and present your best work even if you go a little off course.
Show the client stock photos and illustrations. As designers, we should all have sources for website stock and design elements. Sit down with your client and see what kinds of pictures and illustrations they gravitate towards. This should give you an idea of where to start with your new website design. Good luck!
« go back
