Web Design - Web Site Creation
The Process Of Building A Web Site
Now that you have a good idea of what’s involved with the development and launch of a specific project, I’m going to go through, in more intricate detail, how web sites are built. This will help you get a good handle on quality and what to look for when searching for your web designer. Don’t get into too much of a hang-up on price, because you really do get what you pay for when you buy web sites on the cheap.
However, and I would like to emphasize this as much as possible: if you are not much of a tech-savvy individual and you want a web site, templated web sites are a GREAT option for you. They are usually editable using a WYSIWYG editor, they usually have wonderful support options, and you won’t ever have to touch a line of code. Templated sites are great for those that are looking to have a site that they can modify themselves without coding, but can be terrible for shopping carts and e-commerce. Here’s why: templated sites have a well-known reputation for being similar in form and structure to every other template from that provider. You don’t have any kind of copyright protection against someone else using your same design, and you certainly won’t have that special feel that comes from a completely custom site.
The special feel is important if you want to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Imagine, if you will, that major credit card companies such as Capital One, American Express, and Bank of America all used the same templated web site system. It would look pretty obvious, right? None of them would be able to set themselves apart from one another and provide a strategic alternative featuring their branding. The web sites would be the same, and we would not want to buy from them for doing that! Now, put yourself in the shoes of your clients who are visiting you and your competitors, and you all use the same templated web site. Your heart would sink because there is no brand differentiation or creativity involved in providing a strong branding and marketing campaign! Remember, though: I am not disputing templated sites. I think they are a fantastic option for those who are not technically inclined, and should be used in those instances. I just think they are not the best option to go with when you're attempting to differentiate yourself in the online e-commerce marketplace.
This is why it’s so important to participate in the planning stage of your web site as much as possible. You do not want to go through the hassle of re-designing the site from the ground up after using a template site, re-building the shopping cart, and paying an arm and a leg for a web site re-invention. To avoid this, simply obtain a custom site from a reputable designer, developer, or marketer the first time. The following information includes the distinctions of both specialists, and you will be able to choose which one would be perfect for your project.
The Web Site Designer
The web designer is usually in charge of the visual aspects and the site structure. They will create visual mockups that will provide a dynamic presentation of your company and products. You will want to make sure that your designer is an expert in branding, corporate web sites, and quality testing to ensure cross platform compatibility and standards compliance. The designer is generally familiar with the following industry-standard programs: The Adobe Creative Suite, which includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, and Flash. Photoshop is a raster graphics program that provides capabilities for complete photo manipulation and creation of web graphics. Illustrator is a vector graphics program that is mostly used to create high quality composites of logos, business cards, and other print collateral. InDesign provides the capabilities to design publications such as flyers, books, and other printed material. Dreamweaver is a wysiwyg (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) editor that allows one to design a web site from scratch just like one would write a document in Microsoft Word. And finally, Flash is a program that provides for state of the art development in interactive multimedia applications, and advanced animations. The designer will also be well-versed in the coding languages of the web, which include HTML, CSS, XHTML, and XML. They will usually not be concerned with programming the back-end of things, which is what development platforms such as ASP.NET are used for. Those primarily are the task of the developer.
The Web Site Developer
A web developer’s primary duties involves developing programs that work in the back end of the web site, in other words, the part you never see. These programs are sometimes created to manage CMSes (content management systems) that allow for the end user to update their web site without touching the code. That’s not the be-all end-all duty of the web developer, though. They will be able to create programs ranging from the smallest client payment processing algorithm to the largest company-wide client information module. The ones that do the best job are those with experience and a firm understanding of computer science theory, which requires a bachelor’s degree in computer science. They will have a handle on the latest technologies, and will be able to hand write their code. The main distinction with the developer and designer is that the developer primarily works with the backend code, and the designer works with the visual/interactive components of the web site.
The Marketer, a.k.a. SEO Specialist (Search Engine Optimization Specialist)
Over the past several years, marketing has expanded into a fascinating realm called Search Engine Optimization and online marketing. The primary purpose of the SEO specialist is to work with the backend of your web site as well as working on marketing campaigns that you specify. This is why it’s important to have a fully developed business plan and marketing plan before you start. Those are beyond the scope of this book, but it will help you to perform research in this area.
Technically, the SEO Specialist will be primarily responsible for managing Pay-Per-Click advertising campaigns, developing a marketing strategy, building your link network, and making sure your already-developed web site is search engine friendly. In addition, they will either write content for you (depending on the company), and they will be able to make sure you get the most return on investment from your web site. Without a search engine marketer that knows what they’re doing, your web site is going to bite the dust and you won’t be able to recoup the investment quickly.
Depending on your web site, you may only need one specialist from the list above. However, if it’s a large site incorporating many different technologies, then you may need put together a team of all three to make sure that you get the appropriate return on investment. The very best thing you can do to make sure you don’t get burned is to ask as many questions as possible so that you’re well aware of the different aspects involved in the transaction, and how they will affect your business’s bottom line.
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