If you have a client that wishes to build a directory website, it is important that they fully understand what is involved, how much it is likely to cost and what needs to be done to make it successful. There are a number of successful directory sites out there, but many have taken time to build up and businesses have had to invest a lot in marketing. Directory websites can be useful as it allows people to look up and compare products or services in their area in one site. If for example you were looking for a hairdresser, you could search a directly site and find all the ones closest to you. You then may be able to compare prices, view images and read reviews to help you make your choice as to which one to use. Setting up a directory site is often not cheap and you will need someone on the ground who is able to go and talk to businesses or... Read More »

Deciding on which photos and images to use on your website is a very important step. The images can change the whole look of the website and can make a difference between a successful site and one that fails. Often people go through all the hard work of having a great website designed and then ruin it by using images that are pixelated, dull or simply not very good. When a visitors first lands of a website, the images may be the first thing they notice, especially if it is a header image. If it is stretched or pixelated and doesn’t look professional, that is the first impression they will get of your business. You can usually hire a photographer to come and take pictures of your premises, products and staff members for around £150 for half a day. This will usually give you enough images to use on a standard brochure site. If you have lots of products then you may need to hire... Read More »

Having a new website created or having amendments made to your existing site can be costly. What may seem like a small job to you could require hours of programming and therefore come with a large price tag. It is important to understand what costs are involved and what elements are the most costly. You need to ensure that you have a budget in mind and that know if you have any flexibility on that. If for example you have a maximum of a thousand pounds then you should make that clear when agreeing to any additional work. Often additional costs spring up when the brief has not been fully understood. It is important to give the design and programming team as much information as possible as even send them examples of sites that you like. If you feel like the costs are spiralling then arrange a meeting with your web agency to discuss what is happening and how you can keep costs low. They... Read More »

If you are a website design and programmer and are self employed or run your own business you must get used to pricing projects. It is not always easy to price a web site project as often the client does not always know exactly what they want or need. Ideally you want to be able to show them an example of what they will get for their money and have a detailed plan as to what you would include in the initial build. If the client is a very small business or self employed person then they may not have a huge budget to spend. They will likely not need a massive site to start with so it is important that you price it accordingly. Setting you prices too high will mean that you may miss out on these sorts of sites which can often be relatively easy and hassle free. Try and stage your package prices accordingly so there are multiple options available. Be... Read More »

When you decide that your business would benefit from an online presence such as a website you may decide to design and launch it yourself or employ a web designer to do this for you. Some business owners fail to think about the ongoing maintenance of the website that is required to keep the functionality and relevance on track and to ensure that visitors to your site convert into sales. It is time consuming to make sure that your website is optimised on a regular basis but if your company relies heavily on business generated through your website it is vitally important to do this. Employing a web content strategist to keep your website up to date and optimised is a sensible move as they will have expert knowledge about the most effective way of achieving the results you need and the cost of using their services will easily be recouped from extra business that is generated. As a business owner you will need to... Read More »