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Five Questions Web Designers Don't Want You to Ask
By: Kristi Stangeland
Five Questions Web Designers Don't Want You to Ask
by Kristi Stangeland (c) 2005
http://www.mustangwebdesigns.com
It's obvious. Every time you search the Internet you see it for
yourself: the huge difference in the designs of the sites you
visit. Some look like they were created by million-dollar
Madison Avenue agencies while others look like your 12-year-old
nephew did it for his school project. And those are the visible
elements. Look deeper, and you'll find other aspects of web
design that affect everything from search engine optimization to
visitor experience.
When it comes to *your* site, take the time to ensure your
business will be well represented on the web. Sure, referrals
from friends are great, and you should definitely get several
referrals when you start your search. But you should also be
armed with some carefully thought out questions to ask as well.
When interviewing web designers, ask the following:
1. How do you incorporate search engine techniques when creating
web sites?
Why You Care: It has recently been reported that only 30% of web
sites are listed in the search engines. All web designers state
that they care about search engine optimization when creating
sites, but few really incorporate the techniques when your site
is actually built.
Most Wanted Response: You want your web design firm to tell you
they plan to determine keyphrases for your site at the beginning
of the project and incorporate them into the title, content and
META tags of your site. You also want them to create your site
without the use of frames or 100% flash pages.
Bottom Line: There are other factors (besides web design) that
impact search engine optimization, but these design elements will
give you a giant boost up with your rankings. Oftentimes, high
rankings are as much about what you don't include as what you do
include.
2. What is your turnaround time?
Why You Care: You'll want your site finished in a reasonable
amount of time. Unfortunately, I've come across many businesses
that have waited over a year for their site to be completed.
Most Wanted Response: You'll want to hear your web designer
offer a specific timeframe for site completion. While the web
site designer will be dependent upon you for delivery of graphics
and content, the designer should be able to discuss a typical
schedule and the turnaround time, once you have provided the
appropriate materials.
Bottom Line: Don't get stuck for months without a site while you
wait for your designer. Make sure you feel comfortable with the
designer's response.
3. Do you use Cascading Style Sheets?
Why You Care: A cascading style sheet works behind the scenes to
create the look of your entire site. This is preferred to regular
HTML formatting for three reasons:
1. Your site loads much faster because file sizes are smaller.
2. Lower maintenance fees. Your designer can update the look of
your entire site with one single change to the style sheet.
3. It's the wave of the future. Embedded styles on your site
could soon be obsolete.
Most Wanted Response: Yes!
Bottom Line: You work hard for your money. Don't waste it on
unnecessary maintenance fees or risk having to recreate your site
in the next year or two.
4. Will my site be viewable by all users on all browsers?
Why You Care: Unfortunately, you cannot control what browser
(Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera, Web TV,
etc) a visitor to your site will use. Some sites look great in
one browser and horrible in another. A good web designer,
however, can make sure your site looks the way it should when
viewed in a variety of browsers.
Most Wanted Response: Your designer should use necessary
techniques to ensure your site will appear, as it should, in
several different browsers. This means your site should actually
be viewed in several different browsers as well as several
different versions of these browsers. In addition, the site
should be checked to ensure that the code is correct. (Dr. HTML
and W3C Validator are popular services.)
Bottom Line: Don't push visitors away with a web site that only
looks good in one version of Internet Explorer!
5. How will my business/organization benefit from a web site?
Why You Care: If you're reading this article, you probably
already know many of the benefits of having a site. In case you
don't, I'll tell you that web sites can fulfill many different
needs for a business or organization. For example, service
professionals may want a site to generate qualified leads. Retail
companies might want an online sales outlet to further increase
revenues. Other businesses may not care about Internet traffic
at all and just want a site for their existing customers.
Most Wanted Response: Your designer should explain her/his
process to learn about your business and business model so s/he
can create a site specifically to meet the needs of your
organization.
Bottom Line: Your designer has to fully understand your business,
or your site won't function in the capacity you intend for it to
function.
In addition to asking these questions, get references and
actually follow up with them. Creating a web site is a major
investment, and you'll want to be sure you're working with
someone who is as devoted to the success of your site as you are.
Finding a good, competent web designer takes effort on your part,
but will be well worth the time you spend.
Kristi Stangeland is President of Mustang Web Designs
(http://www.mustangwebdesigns.com) and has been creating
professional, beautiful, functional web site designs for her
clients since 2001. Visit Kristi online today for her "Free Guide
to Creating Effective Web Sites" or to get a quote for your next
web design project.
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Kristi Stangeland is President of Mustang Web Designs
(http://www.mustangwebdesigns.com) and has been creating
professional, beautiful, functional web site designs for her
clients since 2001. Visit Kristi online today for her "Free Guide
to Creating Effective Web Sites" or to get a quote for your next
web design project.
Contact him at http://www.mustangwebdesigns.com |
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