You Know You Need a Website But, What Kind?

admin@compbuilding.com — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:00:00 GMT

You've finally decided to start your own business. You've got your business license, a catchy name for your company and you even found the perfect loaction. Then you sign-up for an ad in the local phone book. They ask you a seemingly harmless question, "What's your companys' website address, so we can add that to your online listing." You respond by saying, "We don't have one yet but were working on it."

Now you've gotta have a website. But, what information should go on your website. Well here are a few questions to ask yourself when planning a website:

What do you want your website to do for your business? Are you looking for an e-commerce site that will allow you to accept payments online, as well as handle your recurring billing and invoicing needs. Are you creating a site that will inform your visitors about particular subjects. A content intensive website that requires frequent updates. Will your site be a way for you to provide 24/7 service to your customers? Maybe your site is just for geting the word out about your company.
What are some of the pages you want your site to have? Almost all websites have some form of the four standard pages Home, Products & Services, About Us and Contact Us. The Home page is the most important page. This is the page that determines if a visitor sticks around aor goes back to google and selects the next site on the search list. So the Home page has to be a preview of all the things your site has to offer. Now, the Products & Services page is just that, a presentation of all the items and services your company has to offer. One must with this page is that there's a direct link to eitehr purchase, order or inquire about each product or service. The About Us page lets people know about the history of your company. If you have a new company it should sell ot your goals and objectives. The Contact Us page is how the visitor gets in touch with a real person at your company. (You need an 800 number)
Have you checked out the competition to see what they are doing and what they aren't doing? This can help you to stand out from your competitors. You can use this information to create a niche in your market online.

Keep these questions in mind as you plan your website. We all know you need a business plan when you start a business. Now you know you need an online business plan for designing your website.

The Graphics Artist vs. The Web Developer

admin@compbuilding.com — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:00:00 GMT

When you are seeking a web designer you'll come across two kinds of people, The Graphics Artist and The Web Developer. They are both web designers but they approach the process from 2 very different but equally important points of view. Each have their Pros-n-Cons so you'll have to decide between how your site looks and how your site works. Appearance vs. functionality.

Lets take a look at the 2 sides.

The Graphics Artist is a professional within the graphic arts and design industries that assembles images and/or motion graphics together to form a piece of work. They have traditionally worked in the world of print and as such deal with the visual layout of a page or piece of work. They are experts in creating the perfect image. How your site looks. What you can expect from a graphics artist are logo creation, flash enabled sites, and robust creative images.

The Web Developer is a software developer or engineer who specializes in the development of web applications or distributed network applications that are run over an intranet. They traditionally have worked with web based scripting languages as well as traditional computer programming languages. They are experts in manipulating data and creating interactive web applications.

How your site works. What you can expect from a web developer are content management sites, customized e-commerce solutions, and database driven websites.

Now if you can combine the efforts of the two sides you should be able to achieve the goals you layout for your website. So if you can get a graphics artist to create an explosive template for your website you should be able to find a web developer to add all the functionality your site will need. To be sure you're getting the right web designer for your site ask to see a portfolio of their work.

Compbuildings Blog

You Know You Need a Website But, What Kind?

The Graphics Artist vs. The Web Developer