Cheap Web Design

If you think it's simply a case of who will do it for the best price, think again.

As with many things we buy there are several important factors to take into account. For a moment let's compare setting up a website with buying a house. When you are looking for a new house it's not simply a case of comparing how many rooms you get for your money. In fact there are lots of factors outside of the property itself. What is its location like? How will it stand up as an investment? The same is true of a website.

Here are the things you need to consider:

• Cost
• Hosting
• Domain
• Design
• Accessibility
• Marketing
• Support

Cost

Cost is by no means the be all and end all but in a competitive market place it has to be a decisive factor. Before you start looking you should work out what you can afford to invest in a site. You should look not so much at the one off cost of having it built but the ongoing costs. When you get a quote for having a site built you should ask about ongoing costs. Find out what you have to pay for your domain name, for hosting, what they will charge you for making changes to your site or adding new pages. Also, find out what marketing if any is included in the cost.

Hosting

Ask your would be designer about hosting. Be very wary of anyone saying "we have our own server". Professional hosting companies have lots of servers running concurrently from different locations so that if one goes down another seemlessly takes over. They also have greater security and fire protection. This means that your site stays up whatever happens. I have known small companies where their own hosting server is kept in the toilet. That is not to say that you should be wary of smaller companies but you should ask them who they use for their hosting. It's far better if they leave this to the professionals and outsource it.

Domain

Make sure you get a proper domain name. It is important that your domain is recognised as an independent entity. You should watch out for being given a subdomain. www.yourcompany.com is good, www.yourcompany.hostingcompany.com is best avoided. It's also important to find out what domain extension is best for you. Don't let a designer talk you into a particular extension as they may be getting a bulk discount. .com, .net and .org extensions are the top level domain extensions with the individual country codes coming next. Decide if you want to market to a worldwide audience (and risk getting lost in the crowd) or specialise in one regional market (e.g. use a .co.uk or .us extension).

Design

Design is not just about a page looking pretty. Functionality is more important. Look at the designer's previous work. Is the navigation obvious? Do the pages load quickly? Is text easy to read? Look through their previous work and look at it with a critical eye. Try to find things wrong with the pages.

Watch out for templates. If your designer is using templates it not only means that they're doing minimal work for their fee but your site could be penalised by search engines for being the same as other websites. It's much safer to have a site custom designed for you even if it costs a bit more.

Accessibility

It's increasingly important that your site is accessible to all users. You want your site to display and function properly not only on a PC screen but also laptops, palmtops, PDAs, digital TV services, mobile devices and software for the visually impaired. If your site cannot be used by all of these browsers you are losing a large proprtion of your potential audience. Ask about accessibility and request that your site be built in XHTML rather than HTML (it's on its way out) and that it uses CSS for the styling.

Marketing

If you just build a site and don't do any marketing it will just sit there and never be seen. This is a mistake that too many people make usually through trying to cut costs. Find out what, if anything, is included in the cost of your design. Is your page optimised for search engines? Do they submit it for you? Will they give you any links? Optimising web pages for search engines is a key part of any site's success. There are companies who specialise in this but if your site is built in a way which makes it unfriendly to search engines there's not a lot they will be able to do for you. This is a crucial part of the design process and should not be overlooked.

Support

What happens once the site is built? Does your designer just say "that's it, finished" and move on to their next site? You should find someone you are able to talk to about your site and seek advice without charge. A website is an ongoing project and a good designer should never wash their hands of it.

Chris Smith works as a web designer, developer and internet marketing consultant. For further information on design and free advice please visit Chris's website - Cheap Web Design (http://www.chris-smith-web.com)

---

Website Design: 10 Web Site Design Pitfalls To Avoid

If you've a website that is not generating a lot... Read More

How to Convince Your Visitors to Return Often

One visit does not make a sale. Be sure to... Read More

6 Reasons Why Using Flash is a BIG Mistake

Most web designers and web design companies will try to... Read More

Shameless Flashers - Using Flash Tools To Create Spectacular Websites

Flash is a powerful technology that can help you create... Read More

Caveat Scriptor: Use the Advice of Those Who Know Before You Build a Site

~A man [woman] is a success if he [she] gets... Read More

Your Website Hurts My Eyes: 7 Reasons to Tone Down Your Advertising

So you're on the computer, as usual. Your eyes are... Read More

Moving Things Around

How often, men, have you come home to find the... Read More

Website Re-Design?

My site is working fine. The links work. Content is... Read More

The Top 8 Website Sins Part Two

Sin #5Poor Spelling And GrammarWe all make mistakes when we... Read More

Web Copywriting: The Psychology Of Scarcity, Less Is More If You Want Faster Sales

Countdown to Armageddon - at least you'd think so judging... Read More

How To Make It Easy For Your Web Designer To Build Your Website

You have an idea for a website and you are... Read More

5 Website Design Tips to Make Your Site More Attractive

The question that I most frequently hear from people is... Read More

Use Exclusive Content - When Reprint Articles Dont Do Enough

There is no doubt that reprint articles can serve lots... Read More

Long Copy Sales Letters on the Web: Hype or Not?

I have written before about long sales copy on the... Read More

The Contrast And Similarities Between A Web Designer And Web Programmer

The concept of web designing based on the nature and... Read More

Effective Web Design Usability Principles

Website Design Usability Tips1. Getting to know about audience membersYou... Read More

Give Your Web Wite Visitors What They Really Want - Information!

Surfing the internet is basically an information-fest! From intellectual discussions... Read More

The Secret To A Profitable Website

Whether you are planning on having a website built for... Read More

Dont Lose The Sale In The Internets Last Three Feet

In retailing there is a saying that sales are made... Read More

How To Create A Stunning Drop Capital Effect On Your Web Pages

Drop Capitals are frequently used in many newspapers, books and... Read More

How To Choose A Website Designer

When you're self-employed, choosing a website designer is a crucial... Read More

Web Copy - What You Should Know First

Just what is web copy? Some people think that web... Read More

Why Use a Web Design Template?

What is a Website Template?Many smart and savvy businesses are... Read More

Website Promotion and Design Tips

Are you thinking that it is about time your small... Read More

What You Should Ask a Web Designer Before You Hire Him

You've thought about it and you're ready to go. You're... Read More

The Importance of Choosing Your Website Keywords Carefully

The importance of choosing your website keywords carefully is very... Read More

Excellently Constructed Websites

Want to see an excellently constructed website? As a writer... Read More

The Technology May Change, But Human Nature Remains The Same

Let me repeat that.."The technology may change, but human nature... Read More

Selling Multiple Products? Avoid These Top Blunders

When your web site sells more than a dozen items,... Read More

Becoming A Website Designer

The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages... Read More

Got Web Traffic but Still Low Sales? Ten Ways to Selling Success - Part 1

Have you put a lot of effort, time, and money... Read More

How to Avoid the Biggest Mistakes Member Sites Make in Their Marketing Copy

If you have a web site to which people pay... Read More

Are You A Bill Clinton Webmaster?

One of the most frequent questions I get asked about... Read More