Site Design: You Get What You Pay For

Prime Example

In the same way you wouldn't want Susan Smith (http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/kahan/susan%20smith%20trial.html) babysitting your children, you shouldn't hire this guy: (http://www.humorchannel.com/webtek/) to establish your companies' crucial online presence and brand image on this universally utilized communication tool we call the World Wide Web.

Real Deal: "The difference"

Below are some items to consider when looking for a Web Professional to design (or redesign) your Web site. The items below should also reinforce the understanding of why a great site will cost more and ultimately be more effective for your business model.

• Experience/education in visual design principles
• Understanding site hierarchy & logical architectural site navigation
• When, and when not to yield to the temptation of Media Rich technology
• Discussing with the client their online business goals for the future and considering these items when designing the site
• The understanding that the designer probably won't be the only one working on the site and building it out with clean code and comment tags and other courtesies in mind (making programmers happy campers)
• Successful experience and quantitative results in taking a site from concept to launch
• Capabilities in post-launch marketing strategies (search engine positioning, traffic analysis, personal relationship builders, banner ads, the list goes on)
• Desire to understand the clients online business goals and who their target audience is inside and out

Web professionals generally go to school and study their butts off to learn and/or refine themselves in a discipline that they love and have a passion for. They also keep themselves inundated with the latest information pertaining to their field - a field that never stands still.

A Web professional has a sincere desire to do the absolute best job that he/she can when it comes to achieving your online business needs and goals.

When you look at the big picture, it should help to eliminate any fear of paying more than $500 for a Web site, and it actually should instill fear when an offer like this is made.

In the online world of user power and instant information in a competitive business world, your company can't afford to look bad on the Web and not have a leg to stand on when it comes to site marketing.

The saying is still true, "You do get what you pay for."

About the author:

Jason A. Ogle is a Freelance Web Designer/Developer in Costa Mesa, CA. He specializes in developing creative Web solutions aiming at client business goals. He can be reached at jaykel@mediaone.net.

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This article originally appeared in the November 30, 2000 edition of the WebReference Update Newsletter.