Website Design Q &A

Advisement. A web site is your digital brochure to both your peers and an increasingly sophisticated global market. A well presented online presence will add luster to your name, increase exposure to opportunities, and increase your sales cost effectively. Your digital brochure and your credentials are readily expandable at any time with additional content and features to meet any immediate or future requirement.

Q.  What size website should I consider?

A. Generally, you should consider your website as your 'online brochure', an opportunity to present your credentials. In your presentation, you will need to effectively highlight the products and services you provide in their best light. One corporate online brochure I designed contained 14 comprehensive marketing pages outlining various business areas, with 55 ancillary digitized pages to include download PDF documents, technical bulletins, newsletters, press releases etc. Over all, the site had 320 images and photos and 70 plus pages. The smaller sites I have created include several professional CV's - each site was just a single page. Your strategy will dictate the size of your site.

Q. Can the contents be changed regularly?

A. Of course! The ability to reshape content quickly is one of the finest features of an online brochure - it is a living document, completely malleable to the requirements. I have clients who use the Internet to post password-protected project reports and proposals. The contents and life of a site can vary according to your program.

Q.  How often should I change the content?

A. High traffic sites have their content updated weekly, even daily with new features, images and copy to suit. Low traffic sites should update content at least several times per year. All sites should modify or change their theme at least every 2 years with a fresh look.

Q. I need a small site. One I can grow.

A. Every site I design is created with features and links readily expandable to suit budgets and programs. Grow your brochure as you grow your business. I offer flat rates for custom templates I design. You are assured a distinctive style. You provide images and text. Think of the site as a product I create and deliver. Should you wish to work in a hands-on collaborative effort, hourly rates are suggested to achieve the style and features you wish.

Q. I do not wish to have general traffic visit my site. I prefer the site to be available only to a select viewership.

A. If your site is intended for a select group, such as your client, your staff, a prospect, you can give your website address only to them and bypass submitting your webpages to the search engines. If security is an issue, you can have all site pages or, select site pages, password protected. You distribute the password key to select parties approved by you.

Q. I wish to drive traffic to my site. How do I do that effectively?

A. You can submit your site to the prominent search engines and allow their 'robots' to search your website for content and keywords appropriate to the listing requirements. That is a start. I can help you position yourself for a ramp up using a variety of techniques. When I learn more about your strategy, I can assist with the tactics required to create momentum. Need a forum site where you can have 24/7 membership discussions on topics you create and moderate? We can design one for you! You can meet with prospects and answer questions, educate and provide breaking news.

Q. Do you just work in Maine?

A. In this digital world, we can perform services for a client anywhere in the world. Documents can be transmitted by the internet, and everyone is a telephone call away. Should you have a large program or project, we can make travel arrangements to suit the program.

Q. What is my first step in developing an online presence?

A. I will sit down with you and learn about your needs. Then I will present a cost proposal detailing site design options and associated expenses. If you accept the proposal we roll up our sleeves and go to work. Throughout the design you will have access to layout for approval. I submit a detailed spread sheet tracking cost and design progress weekly. The completion timeline will have to do with the simplicity or complexity of the site and backlog. Generally, a small or medium site can be finalized and approved for posting within a week. A smaller effort can be posted within one day.