Think you can't afford
a professionally designed website? Think again...
"Most web site designers have been doing so for less than
five years. But, web site design
quality and pricing is all over the map." says Staff of We Design Web Sites, owner of
We Design Web Sites! "Consumers do not know how to find a good
designer. And so, in the absence of guidelines, paying a lot seems like the
best way to get a good website."
So, what is a small business person, to do?
You do not want to hire some kid who is experimenting with his/her first copy of
"XYZ"
web design software. Or worse yet, a "designer" who creates
websites by stealing someone else's work.
"It takes an average of three
years for a business website to become profitable. Most entrepreneurs
can not afford to pay through the nose or bleed money every month until their business becomes
profitable. Here are a few ideas for saving
money in the design of your website:" says Walker.
HIRE A DESIGNER WHO USES SOFTWARE:
Software reduces the costs
associated with design by decreasing the amount of time it takes to
complete a project. An ethical
designer, who uses WYSIWYG software, should take this into account
when they prepare an estimate for you.
SKIP THE SEARCH ENGINE (SE) PLACEMENT FIRMS:
everybody
is fighting to get in the top thirty listings on the major search
engines. Why? because "experts" have stated that most Netizens
are too lazy to go past the top thirty listings during a search. I usually search past the top thirty. I bet you do
too.
There
are many Internet firms promising to deliver top search engine placement for a fee. Be
careful: Search engines change their algorithms often enough to make
that a difficult promise to keep. Be realistic: there are billions of
pages on the Internet. If your site shows up in the top 50 you are
doing good. Use good keywords: if you and two hundred other
manufacturers sell green and blue widgets, you can improve your
standing by using keywords that identify your brand name widgets and the uses for
your widgets. Be creative when promoting your site. Create a web ring for your retailers. Or, you can add mutual links on each others' pages.
All of these steps will help to
improve your standing in the SE's.
Your designer should be aware of your products
and competitors placement in the search engines in order to optimize
your site. He or she can also give you some direction in the
marketing of your site.
MARKET YOUR SITE YOURSELF: It's hard work and
time consuming. But, if you expect to have visitors or make sales it
must be done. If you can afford to pay someone, fine. Otherwise, why not you? It will help you to develop
a first hand
understanding of and appreciation for the way Internet business
works. Think of it as an investment in your own success.
KEEP SITE DESIGN SIMPLE: do you really need
Flash, a database, custom graphics or complicated cgi scripts? Your
designer can always add them later as your cash flow increases.
USE PAYPAL, FREECARTS OR A SIMILAR FREE ORDER
PROCESSING SERVICE instead of a custom built shopping cart. Look for a designer who will do this as part
of their services or charge only a small fee. Setting up
these type of services to work with your website is best left to a
professional.
If you decide to
do it yourself, check with your webmaster to be sure the cart you choose
can be integrated into your site. Or look for a free standing cart
that you can set up on their server.
Be prepared to spend four hours or more working with it.
Small designers offer personal attention and a quick response to
maintenance requests that larger firms can not." says Walker. And,
often provide low cost design that enables an entrepreneur to get into
business without a huge expense.
Prospective business owners are invited to visit http://www.we-design-web-sites.com and
get 108 free
site promotion tips, along with more specific guidelines
for selecting a web designer and other resources for creating an effective,
profitable business website.
For More Information Contact:
4885A McKnight Road #287
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Tel: 1.877.892.6338
E-mail: webmaster@wedesignwebsites.com
© wedesignwebsites!
