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Archive for the ‘website design’ Category

Using an advanced website builder, I designed and created a professional looking website for my own business without using any computer code. Not long ago, building and operating a website was best left to the experts, but lower prices and advanced technology have made website creation available to everyone. The availability of free blogging sites and cheap website creators have de-mystified the whole process and so today, most people and all organizations want their own website. Unfortunately, a large number of those websites are ugly and some look as though they have been thrown together. What many people still believe is that if you want a really professional looking site its best left to the experts and that can cost a lot of money.

All web pages you see on the screen are the result of complex looking computer code written using Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). This is interpreted by our internet browsers to display what we actually see. However, word processor style software makes it possible to create websites without encountering all this code. These website builders are designed for both the beginner and advanced user, it enables you to have a website template within minutes. Instead of typing CSS and XHTML code you add text and drag and drop graphics to a blank page as if you were using a word processor. It produces all the code so you don’t have to worry about it.

In the past, these word processor type editors, better known as What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) have had a very mixed reception. Many use over complicated code that is prone to failure and take up large amounts of bandwidth. Worst of all, they are too inflexible to allow you to design the page exactly as you wanted it. Sadly, this is still the case with most WYSIWYG editors. It is the ease of use, reliability and the quality of the end product that makes the new advanced website builders stand out from their predecessors.

Any business that has plans for success needs to have web presence. Even if it’s nothing more than a simple website explaining your company, many customers will not even take you seriously if you don’t have a URL that they can visit to learn more about your business. Luckily, you can find many companies and freelancers who will design a quality website for your company. In this article I am hoping to address several concerns and questions you may have about website design for your business.

I need a website fast. Are there any web design shortcuts until I can hire a professional?

You can do a few things to design your website without the expensive website design programs and without hiring a professional. If you know anything at all about designing a website, you can design it using Microsoft Word or Microsoft Powerpoint. Then convert the file to HTML format and save it to your computer as a webpage. You can then upload your design onto a webpage. If it is for a business, this should only be a temporary solution until you can get a professionally made website design, so your potential customers are not distracted by the amateur appearance of your business’s webpage.

Who holds the copyright for my website?

The answer to that question depends on who paid for the website. If you are a business owner and you hired somebody to design a website for your business, you own the copyright, as long as you pay the website designer for the services. Unless there is a written agreement that states otherwise, this is how most website design transactions take place. If the website designer created the website and you have not paid for it, they will continue to own the copyright until you have paid for the services. Either way, you and the designer should have a written agreement that explains what happens for this type of situation.

Why should I design a website?

A website can serve many purposes. The biggest reason people want a website is because they have a service or a product to offer. A well-designed website will expose their business to a wider audience, as well as provide existing customers with updated information. With a website, the company’s information and products are available to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s also cheaper than printing out flyers, newsletters, and brochures. In the age of the world wide web, having a website designed for your business will help prevent you from being left behind.

What is bandwidth?

For simplicity, you can think of bandwidth as minutes on a cell phone. Every month, you are allowed so many minutes on your cell phone and then you get charged for anything over that allotted time. The concept of bandwidth works in much the same way — but with data instead of minutes. Your website server will allow a certain allotted amount of data to be transferred from your website each month. Every time a page visitor clicks on something on your page, data is transferred. Normally, bandwidth is not a concern (unless you have a large business) because there is generally not enough data transferred in one month for small companies to come close to the allotted amount.

What are some things I should put on my company’s website?

You should put as much information on your website as you can, as long as it’s relevant to the subject matter of your business. The more relevant information on your page, the more impressed the customers will be — and the higher your page ranking will be with the major search engines. You can put a wide variety of components on your website, including: testimonials from satisfied customers, a description of your services or products and a profile of your company’s history. You can also put a list of frequently asked questions so customers have a “quick reference guide” to concerns they may have about your products or services.