Steps to design a successful web site.

So you would like to have a web site………

Here are the steps necessary to design a successful web site, just follow the links:

Answer some basic questions.
Design the home page.
Code it; add graphics, logo, icons, counter and linked pages.
Review it with you.
Publish your site and test it.
Maintain it.

If you have any questions, please Email us or call 815-235 9131.

Cost

A simple web site consisting of a home page and links to perhaps two other pages will cost about $100. Just as when buying any product, "extras" will increase the cost. Updating and maintaining your site are billed on an hourly basis. For a more detailed explanation, please visit our pricing page.

Billing is on a monthly basis.

Basic Questions.

Who do you want to visit your site?: Friends & Family.
Business contacts.
Society/Church/Group/Club members
Customers
How will they find it?: From your advertising.
Business card or news letter.
Web search.
Word & mouth.
What do you want it to say? Is it about?: Family.
Business or products.
Group activities.
Politics.
Service or safety.
What will the content be?: Text
Photographs.
Graphics.
Icons
Clip Art.
Sound.
Multimedia.
Is a counter required.
Do you have a logo?: Should we scan a business card or letter heading.
Do you wish us to design a banner?
How often do you want it to change?: Will there be regular updates.
Weekly, monthly, never.
What style do you want your site to project?: Do you have a site you would like to imitate.
Will this be an original design.
Up-beat and modern or traditional.
Where will your site be hosted (displayed)?: If you have an Email address, your provider may give you web site storage.
Do you want/need your own domain address (a dot com).
Should we find a site for you.
How long will your site live?: Months, years.
How important is it that your site loads quickly?: Lots of content or fast to load.

How to find your site.

The most difficult thing about a web site is how to get your clientele to find it. Besides promoting your own site, we can register it with the major search engines. To do this effectively we agree on a series of words that best describe the intent of your site.

Advertising.

The most effective way to publicize your web site is to tell people about it through advertising, business card or your news letter.

News Letter.

An active, well maintained web site is an Excellent alternative to a printed news letter.

Web Search

There are millions of web sites on the Internet. These can be searched for a specific subject using "key" or index words which are coded in your home page, but accessible to search engines like Yahoo, Excite or Google. Your site address or URL should be registered with these sites to make it easier for them to find it.

Home Page.

It is important to determine exactly what your pages should say. The Home page sets the tone for all of your site. We work with you and develop a "story board". This is a visual outline of your Home (first) page and the pages it will point to. At this time we agree on a style and basic content.

Updates.

Some web sites will exist for a short period of time, like political campaigns. A business may only need to establish its presence for advertising purposes, and never change. Groups and clubs probably need to update their web site, if used as a bulletin board, monthly.

We can design your site as a one time event or provide regular updates. If you provide the text in an Email, updates are inexpensive.

Similar Sites

We can search the Net for sites with similar content to yours. This may provide ideas for your site's design.

Publishing/Hosting Your Site.

If you have an Email address, your Internet Service Provider probably "gives" you storage for a web site. This will result in an address like: MYGROUP.HOME@SOMEPLACE.NET

Do you really need a true domain name like:
MYGROUP.COM

If you do we can register your domain name. Charges start at about $30/year.

Domain names can be "dot" COM, NET, ORG, GOV

Your provider may, or may not be prepared to host a "dot" site.

If we use your provider, it will be necessary to establish a password so we can access the web site to up-load files.

We can find a host for your web site if necessary.

Photographs/Graphics.

We can take photographs at your location or scan pictures you provide. Perhaps you need a special graphic design?

Icons.

Most web pages use small pictures or icons to spice up the presentation. These are often "clickable" that is they link to other pages. We have a library of these designs, and can create custom ones to order.

Banners.

Your name, or the name or your site should appear prominently at the top of your home page. If you have one on a business card or letter heading we can scan and add to your page. If you wish for a custom design, we can do this and if you really want something exciting, they can be animated. Do you want to repeat the banner (your name) on linked pages?

Counters.

Page counters are popular at the foot of the home page, but what do the numbers mean? Each time a person returns to your page, the counter is incremented. Thus if you have ten links, and that person goes to each and returns, the counter will be incremented by ten. A counter therefore indicates "activity" but not the number of visitors.

We can provide counters, but some ISP’s do not allow them.

Audio.

Have you thought about adding a short sound clip to your site? We can copy from your own files or provide appropriate "mood" music.

Multimedia.

We can record video clips from your tape or camera and embed these in your site.

Page Loading Speed.

If your users are captive friends, they will probably be patient while your first (home) page loads, but if they are quickly searching for information, your site had better load fast. We have some interesting approaches to make your page load fast.

Logo.

If you have one it is usual to display a logo at the top of the home page. If you don’t have one, we can design one for you, but a logo is not essential.

Clip Art.

Clip art is a small simple picture sometimes used as a space filler, or to liven up the page. These are "stock" items copied from existing picture files. They are chosen to be appropriate for the subject of the page. If you need a custom design, please refer to our pricing page.

Design/Plan/Review.

This is perhaps the most important step. If you are located in or near to Freeport, IL we can meet as often as necessary to complete these steps together; or we can conduct business by Email.

Maintain.

One of the major faults of many web sites is that they are not current. Users don’t return to a site which is not changing.

If your site is for business, you should consider showing new products or changes in services.

If your site is for a group or association, it should be updated at least monthly.

Simple web Site

So what is a $100 "simple" web site?

A Banner across the top of your Home page. This is your name, business or association.
One piece of clip art or icon if appropriate.
One scanned picture.
A border or background.
Two screens of text. (You provide the text by Email, typed so we can scan it, or on floppy disk.)
Links to two more pages.
- These pages will be created.
- Titled.
- One piece of clip art or stock graphic on each.
- Text inserted, as above.
- Linked back to the home page.
The site will be published to a web address you provide.

Please refer to our Pricing Page for extra's.

A single (Home) page, as above, costs $70.