Web Site Basics | Custom Web Design

Web Design Fundamentals

I have been reading recently about all the web design horrors people have experienced over the past few years. The Better Business Bureau noted that in 2006, there were 1971 complaints against web design firms. This is up from 603 complaints in 2003. The primary reason is that most small to medium sized businesses realize that having a website is the “business card of the 21rst century” and all companies need them.

What I have noticed from these various articles is that many of these horrors can be limited if a company follows the following steps.

REGISTER YOUR DOMAIN – If you allow your developer to register your domain name, they are the legal owner of the domain. You need to OWN your domain name. This is a very easy process. There are many registration companies in the market, but I usually use either Go Daddy or Network Solutions. It takes about 5 minutes to set up a free account and once you own the URL, your webmaster can tell you where to point the domain. This is called the DNS settings. Just remember that you are the owner of the domain, so if you bought the domain for only a year, you are responsible for renewing the domain.
OWN THE CODE – Most affordable companies utilize a system (templates) which connects all their websites together. As a result, if you want to move your website, you can’t and the design is owned by the company. In these cases, it is not possible to own the code. If you are working with an independent web designer/developer, make sure that you own the design and the code. Also, make sure you have access to the website so you can download a copy of your website to your computer any time you make changes. This way, if you ever have a falling out with your designer/developer, they can’t hold you hostage.
USE PAYMENT MILESTONES – Since the custom design process happens in 3 stage, it makes sense to make 3 payments. Various companies use a variety of methods, however the in general, the concept is to make a down payment, and then make payments over the course of the development so that if you come across a scam artist, your monetary loss is limited.
CHECK REFERENCES – Most clients when they begin the process think websites are all the same. The reality is that not all websites are created equal and depending on your goals, the type of website you built will depend on your goals. Just remember that in general there are 3 specialists in building a website and finding someone who can do all specialties is very rare. These specialists are as follows:
1. DESIGNER – This is the person who provides the graphic look and feel of the website
2. DEVELOPER – This is the person who builds out the basic code on the website which is used to display the graphics. In general, a developer builds out static websites and doesn’t use a database to create dynamic pages. For example, a basic custom website which doesn’t offer interactive tools, but only basic information via text and pictures would be an example of a website provided by a developer.
3. PROGRAMMER – A programmer uses databases to develop dynamically based pages. For Example, ecommerce websites use platforms developed by programmers.
Make sure the company explains their system. In today’s market, the only major reason to build a fully customized website as a small business owner is for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) reasons and the only reason to undertake the build-out of a custom website is to generate leads or sales via the internet. Also, it is important to note that NO website by itself will generate leads or sales from the internet. To be successful however, it is very important to integrate all proven SEO tacits into the initial build-out of your website if you want to take true advantage of the internet.