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Things I've learned about websites
Posted by Rod W.
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Things I've learned about websites January 13, 2004 06:36AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 382 |
<HTML>I'm currently meeting with a website consultant to rebuild my site so I will have complete control and access to the content. I'm going to revamp it and put heavy emphasis on the detailing side of my biz. I'll add a photo gallery and some other features. This has certainly been an enlightening experience. I've learned that a properly designed and maintained website can increase traffic and sales by up to 25%. I've also learned that the one thing that can lead to certain death of your website is information stagnation. Your site should be changing and offerring new information and incentives on a regular basis so you keep current customers coming back and interested in your business as well as providing new information, some of which will eventually hit the lookie-lews hot buttons and make them pick up the phone or email you. Another thing I'm learning about is having an auto-responder built into your email program. That way, no email is skipped or unanswered. You should also invite people to sign up to get on your emailing list and provide an online newsletter. Once they fill out the sign up form, the program automatically enters the person into your online data base which can be used for your marketing program. You can also have satisfaction surveys emailed to your customers rather than mailing out post cards. Since there's no postage, it saves you money that goes right to your bottom line. There's numerous other programs available that you can add to your site to turn it into a true sales/marketing force to be reckoned with. What's great is that your site manages the program for you and will send regular mailings, surveys, etc. to your client's without you having to do any of the manual work. This allows you more time to book more jobs and make more money.
I also learned that getting your site into the right search engines and categories is of utmost importance. I heard that some search engines will start you out in the top 10 on a page, but after only 10 inguiries into your site, will start bouncing you down the list and you can be pushed down to the 500th site that comes up in a matter of day. You really have to know how to position your site to get traffic flowing through it on a regular basis.
If you're developing a site or thinking about it, you may want to consider consulting with a professional that can take care of these important features for you. For a cost of about $500, you can get a professionally designed basic site of 5-10 pages with email interaction, text changing capabilities, a photo gallery and establish a basic database. The consultant that I'm dealing with is an independent consultant affiliated with a company called WSI. They sell their site features in cost-efficient modules so you can design your basic site with only the types of pages that will suit your business. Then as your business grows, you can add new modules. It's a very cost-effective way to go.</HTML>
I also learned that getting your site into the right search engines and categories is of utmost importance. I heard that some search engines will start you out in the top 10 on a page, but after only 10 inguiries into your site, will start bouncing you down the list and you can be pushed down to the 500th site that comes up in a matter of day. You really have to know how to position your site to get traffic flowing through it on a regular basis.
If you're developing a site or thinking about it, you may want to consider consulting with a professional that can take care of these important features for you. For a cost of about $500, you can get a professionally designed basic site of 5-10 pages with email interaction, text changing capabilities, a photo gallery and establish a basic database. The consultant that I'm dealing with is an independent consultant affiliated with a company called WSI. They sell their site features in cost-efficient modules so you can design your basic site with only the types of pages that will suit your business. Then as your business grows, you can add new modules. It's a very cost-effective way to go.</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 13, 2004 06:42AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 382 |
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 13, 2004 01:17PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
<HTML>Rod , dont pay anyone else $500 to be a consultant for your web site, there is nothing he is telling you that you can not find on the internet already, particuarly in search engine placement .
Most web sites , bacn be designed and built within an hour or two at most .
Save yourself $500 .
Jim.</HTML>
Most web sites , bacn be designed and built within an hour or two at most .
Save yourself $500 .
Jim.</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 13, 2004 06:39PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 151 |
<HTML>Not many *GOOD* website can be made in a house or two. I know this first hand after doing more then 30+ websites. A website with text os something you might get done in an about 2 hours if you have done a few! It take a lot of time to creat a layout, generate graphics, pics, linking of pages, links in general, indexing, ect, ect, ect.
Now, I will agree all this can be found on the internet already! For 500.00, he better be building it all in flash and have some type of shopping cart set up! After seeing the site, I could give you some more info. Also, make sure your adding your key words in so search engins can find ya. If not, whats the point of having a web site? If you have any questions, please fell free to ask!</HTML>
Now, I will agree all this can be found on the internet already! For 500.00, he better be building it all in flash and have some type of shopping cart set up! After seeing the site, I could give you some more info. Also, make sure your adding your key words in so search engins can find ya. If not, whats the point of having a web site? If you have any questions, please fell free to ask!</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 13, 2004 07:12PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 89 |
<HTML>$500 deson't seem bad if he can prove and you can confirm some satisfied customers. I have enough knowledge that I didn't have to hire someone, but $500 is quite reasonable. For 10 pages with maybe a little flash, ranked in the top 10 on google, yahoo, & msn (for about 5 keywords), email, shopping cart, etc. This also would include the purchase of a domain or two and hosting for at least a year (both minimal costs). And he would conduct any minor changes or updates for at least a year.
Again I am no webmaster I'll stick with detailing, but I must say both of my websites have made it to the first page for a several keywords on the major search engines. And the first position for on those same engines as well.
So I can safely say if you have the time and are willing to do a little research and learn you CAN do it yourself, but after all the work and knowledge I now have I think $500 is fair IF he can do it all including a first page ranking on Google or Yahoo within 3-6 months!
Here is a forum dedicated to it: [www.highrankings.com];
David
Again I am no webmaster I'll stick with detailing, but I must say both of my websites have made it to the first page for a several keywords on the major search engines. And the first position for on those same engines as well.
So I can safely say if you have the time and are willing to do a little research and learn you CAN do it yourself, but after all the work and knowledge I now have I think $500 is fair IF he can do it all including a first page ranking on Google or Yahoo within 3-6 months!
Here is a forum dedicated to it: [www.highrankings.com];
David
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 14, 2004 02:32AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
<HTML>Some great points made here , good posting.
Two or three things I would add.
Keep the number of pages low in number. Someone once told me "would you mail out a 15 page flier in the post ? No ? Then why the hell do you have 15 pages on your web site? "
Also, keep the graphics low in size and "compress" the file size , that way you wont suck up the bandwidth usage, and your pages will load much faster .
Thirdly, design the web site to match your paperwork/biz cards , use the same font, same colors etc .
Jim.</HTML>
Two or three things I would add.
Keep the number of pages low in number. Someone once told me "would you mail out a 15 page flier in the post ? No ? Then why the hell do you have 15 pages on your web site? "
Also, keep the graphics low in size and "compress" the file size , that way you wont suck up the bandwidth usage, and your pages will load much faster .
Thirdly, design the web site to match your paperwork/biz cards , use the same font, same colors etc .
Jim.</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 14, 2004 02:42AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 382 |
<HTML>I appreciate the advice from everyone. I'll definitely discuss and get clarification on all these issues and let you know what I find out. I do know that the WSI consultants are all Microsoft Certified Solution Providers. Some of the stuff they provide is full platform e-commerce systems, enhanced multimedia (audio, video, animation), database integration, SmartSite technology, search engine optimization, strategic audience development, etc. They also work with you to design and build the most functional site for your business. I know $500 is $500, but I'm not that tech-savvy to think I can design a professionally styled site as well as someone who is educated, trained and does it day in, day out for a living. No more than a computer consultant can detail a vehicle on a professional level. So, in my case (and many others like me) it will probably be $500 well-spent.
Here's some of the auto-related sites they've developed. The first one is a detailer that travels all over the world detailing exotic cars, yachts and planes.
vilno.com
landhautobody.com
superspeed-carstyling.co.uk</HTML>
Here's some of the auto-related sites they've developed. The first one is a detailer that travels all over the world detailing exotic cars, yachts and planes.
vilno.com
landhautobody.com
superspeed-carstyling.co.uk</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 14, 2004 04:27AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 14, 2004 05:34AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 151 |
<HTML>***DO NOT PAY $500.00 for a web site that basic!!!***
"landhautobody.com"
Thats a basic web site. for 500.00, you can do WAY better. But again, the choice is yours.
As far as being "Microsoft Certified Solution Providers" thats nothing more then being able to trubleshot microsoft web server & its webpage apps. (meaning frontpage and thing of the sort) If you do research, almost all web servers use apache web server (last I looked about 70% used apache web server NOT microsoft) Now, I am not calling myself a pro in the field, but I have done my share of them and then some, as well as hosted a few from home. (its not hard to do can can save you some time and money)
Over all, If you were going to get one like that listed above for 500.00, please let us know. Please keep us informed on this issue. Thanks!!!</HTML>
"landhautobody.com"
Thats a basic web site. for 500.00, you can do WAY better. But again, the choice is yours.
As far as being "Microsoft Certified Solution Providers" thats nothing more then being able to trubleshot microsoft web server & its webpage apps. (meaning frontpage and thing of the sort) If you do research, almost all web servers use apache web server (last I looked about 70% used apache web server NOT microsoft) Now, I am not calling myself a pro in the field, but I have done my share of them and then some, as well as hosted a few from home. (its not hard to do can can save you some time and money)
Over all, If you were going to get one like that listed above for 500.00, please let us know. Please keep us informed on this issue. Thanks!!!</HTML>
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Re: Things I've learned about websites January 14, 2004 07:41AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 443 |
<HTML>go to www.1and1.com and get three free years hosting, $5.95 domain regestration, plus a web-site creator program for free and build you own site in a few hours time, with all the options available. flash intro, easy template layout that can be changed very easy plus all the bells & whisles are available in the advanced web-site creator program. live chat, guide your visitors through your site in real time. they got it all for cheap!
check out my site, it was done in 2 hours and cost me nothing to get online, just domain name reg. that i transfered from another host co. so they wouldnt have acess to my credit card to charge me for anything in the future! it looks pretty good, for free,it has already increased my profits from the additional products & services ive sold on it, so far!
save your $500. do it yourself, its not rocket science, its a very basic thing to do,why pay when you can do it for free ! you have nothing to lose!
check-it out !</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
check out my site, it was done in 2 hours and cost me nothing to get online, just domain name reg. that i transfered from another host co. so they wouldnt have acess to my credit card to charge me for anything in the future! it looks pretty good, for free,it has already increased my profits from the additional products & services ive sold on it, so far!
save your $500. do it yourself, its not rocket science, its a very basic thing to do,why pay when you can do it for free ! you have nothing to lose!
check-it out !</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
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