| What to consider when looking for quality web site | | | | the success of your web presence, and automatically |
| development | | | | puts you at an advantage over 9 out of 10 websites. |
| Once you are done planning and preparing for your | | | | Evaluating Web Design - Portfolios |
| web site, the next step in establishing an online | | | | The only place you should have to look to evaluate a |
| presence is finding the right company, contractor, or | | | | web developer's designs is to their own website's |
| consultant to deliver the web development services | | | | portfolio. Any established website developers will |
| you need. | | | | offer a portfolio of web sites they have created for |
| However important a website's appearance is, the | | | | other clients, as well as links to the sites. Depending |
| performance and results of any website rely largely | | | | on what you are looking for in a web developer, |
| on what's beneath its surface; that which is not seen | | | | some things you may want to look for in regards to |
| or fully understood by most. This article is not | | | | this portfolio include; |
| intended to be a general how to guide on comparing | | | | - Is their work generally similar in design, or do their |
| prices and services, but rather advice from an expert | | | | clients' sites look unique and appropriate for their |
| on what you should consider when looking for | | | | purpose? |
| professional website design, web development, and | | | | - Are their designs and sites consistent and appealing |
| internet promotion that you may not already be | | | | throughout? |
| aware of. | | | | - Are any of the sites flashy and largely graphical? |
| Differences between Building, Designing and Marketing | | | | - Are there videos, animation, or custom graphics? |
| web presences | | | | - Are there any e-commerce sites, shopping carts, or |
| Understanding the differences between designing a | | | | other interactive elements? |
| website, building a website, and making a website | | | | Evaluating Website Builds |
| visible online will help ensure that you choose a | | | | Unfortunately, the people who can spot a good |
| website developer that can meet all your goals and | | | | website creator are usually web site builders |
| demands. | | | | themselves. Whereas a website appears to most |
| Building proper and professional web sites which | | | | people as simply presentation and function, the truth |
| perform and operate optimally is a highly technical | | | | is that the elements most detrimental to many online |
| process. This includes a website's load time, certain | | | | presences' success rates are factors that most |
| aspects of its speed of operation, the ability for the | | | | people and even many website developers overlook |
| web site to work properly and coherently across the | | | | or are often simply unaware of. |
| many different web browsers and operating | | | | There are only a few things that someone without a |
| systems, and many aspects of potential online | | | | website development background can easily evaluate |
| visibility. Each of these factors are dependant upon | | | | in terms of building websites properly: |
| the build of the website - the way in which it was | | | | - Look for any inconsistencies across pages, odd |
| programmed and created. Properly building a website | | | | characters, missing graphics, forms not working, |
| is something many web designers and online | | | | pages not found, or any other technical problems you |
| marketers fail to be concerned with or take interest | | | | may be able to identify on the websites. |
| in, and frankly they are often unable to handle the | | | | - If you have access to several different computers |
| process correctly. | | | | with various operating systems (Windows Vista, |
| Creating effective and appropriate custom website | | | | Windows 98, Mac OS, etc.) and web browsers |
| designs on the other hand is an artistic and creative | | | | (Internet Explorer, Fire Fox, Opera, Safari, Netscape, |
| process. You want your web site to be easy and | | | | etc.) you can visit the sites on different browsers |
| intuitive to use and navigate. It should be enticing and | | | | and computers and check for consistency and |
| interesting to browse through, and you want the | | | | functionality. |
| mood and emotion your web site portrays to reflect | | | | Evaluating Online Promotion and Web Marketing |
| your identity and image branding. Not only will this | | | | Trying to evaluate website marketing and online |
| catch your audience's attention - it will enhance your | | | | promotion services can easily become confusing. With |
| credibility to deliver the products or services you are | | | | all the technical terms and fine print, it is often hard |
| promising. The design of a website is extremely | | | | to know what you are really getting. For instance, |
| important, and should be managed accordingly. | | | | many Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies |
| Online Promotion and Marketing of web sites | | | | guarantee such things as first page listings with a |
| encompasses all aspects of a website's online | | | | major search engine. Often, however, they will use |
| visibility, including internet advertising, visits from | | | | technical terms to provide clients with something else |
| search engines, links from external web pages, and | | | | - usually a paid advertisement that appears on the |
| so on. Depending on a website's goals and purposes, | | | | first page, which is not nearly as valuable. |
| market, and competition, internet marketing is often | | | | The best advice I can give for evaluating online |
| the most beneficial and cost effective form of | | | | promotion performance is to obtain actual |
| promotion available to a company. A website that | | | | performance results, and preferably references. |
| pulls in around 10,000 visitors a month and generates, | | | | Evaluate what was promised by the website |
| say, $30,000 a month in income, could possibly | | | | promoter, what was actually delivered, and the value |
| generate $100,000 a month if only it had 40,000 or | | | | of the marketing. There are no set limits to the |
| so visitors. The problem is, as a highly technical and | | | | performance of a website; all you can do is try to |
| constantly evolving area, most websites are not | | | | figure out who can provide you with the biggest |
| developed with search engine optimization (SEO) or | | | | return on investment and the service most valuable |
| other important aspects of internet marketing for | | | | to your site. |
| websites in mind. In fact, studies reveal that as many | | | | Also, be weary of any companies that make specific |
| as 90% of all business-related websites currently on | | | | search engine result guarantees - no one can directly |
| the internet are not built or developed with any | | | | control their results, as algorithms and competition |
| regard to online visibility! | | | | evolve. No search results are set in stone. |
| Evaluating prospective Web Developers | | | | Choosing the right web developer for you |
| It is important for anyone who is seeking website | | | | There are companies and consultants who specialize |
| development services to understand that many | | | | in single areas of design, building, or promotion of |
| website designers know surprisingly little about | | | | websites, offering only these services, and others |
| properly building or marketing websites. Likewise, | | | | who specialize in the entire aspect of web presences. |
| many website developers know very little about | | | | While choosing the right solution for your particular |
| design and online promotion, and many internet | | | | website depends on your specific needs and goals, |
| marketers are not concerned with web design or | | | | having an idea of the various options and knowing |
| properly building web sites. Understanding what you | | | | what to look for in a web developer allows you to |
| need and what you will be receiving is imperative to | | | | make a more informed and better decision. |