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In 14 years building web sites, I’ve worked with a lot of clients with misconceptions about how the web works and how the process of building a web site should work. To save time, money, and frustration, I’m presenting this short list of 10 things every web site owner should know.
advice
Hosting Your Web Site Demystified 3
It seems like it should be simple and straightforward to buy a hosting package for your web site. But then you start looking around and have no idea how to evaluate all the different companies. Even when you do finally pick the perfect company, you don’t know how to choose between the different options they provide.
In this article, we’ll explain what hosting is exactly, the different types that are available, and how to choose the one that fits your web site best.
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in a Third-Party Basket 0
Patching together your online presence with a variety of social media sites and third party service seems like a great way to get up and running quickly with minimal cost and time. But be careful you don’t fall into the trap of having all your content held hostage in other sites, not under your control. Here are some things to keep in mind as you build your online community.
Don’t Stop at SEO 0
It can’t be denied – Search Engine Optimization is important for any web site. But it’s not all that you can do, and it’s definitely not all that you should do to promote your site.
In this article, we’ll cover some other basic strategies for promoting your site and your business to take you beyond SEO and really bring in traffic and new customers.
Speculative Design 0
It is oh-so-tempting to choose a designer or agency for your project by asking a handful of them to produce sample or speculative designs for you to review. But doing so is not only harmful to the designer, robbing them of valuable income, but is harmful to you as the client.
In this article, we’ll explain speculative design, why it’s harmful to both client and designer, and show you the best alternative so you can hire the best designer for your project.
Evolution vs Revolution: Managing Your Web Site 0
It’s too easy to consider a web site “finished” and walk away from it for months or years, only to return and find it an embarrassment of outdated design and out-of-date information. Instead of overreacting and getting sucked into the expensive and never-ending revolution model of web site management, explore instead the evolution model. By making small, consistent changes to your web site, you’ll keep the design fresh, the content relevant, and keep your customers coming back for more.
Don’t Be in a Rush 0
So often, business owners feel rushed when starting a new project. They want a logo, business cards, a brochure, a web site, and a post card within 3 weeks – but more often than not, clients who rushed their creative projects either feel unhappy with the result at the end, or find themselves stalled in deadlock before the project is completed.
It pays to allow plenty of time for good quality work to be done, for plenty of exploration of design direction, and for building and cementing relationships between client and designer. Time can make all the difference in the outcome of a creative project.
