Archive for November, 2007

Dot the I and Cross the T: A Smart Web Design Contract

November 30th, 2007

Ask for a Signed Contract and a Project Schedule

Like any other business relationship, you should make sure you have a signed contract before the relationship begins. The contract should include the start and completion dates for the project, as well as a firm budget for the project; the complexity of your site will be the primary determinant of the overall cost. Obviously, if you require streaming video and flash presentations, the development time will cost more than a simple, informational site. It is also important to get a flat project rate rather than an hourly rate because then you know what the total cost will be provided that you adhere to the terms of your contract.

The contract should stipulate how many revisions are allowed; at what point phases are finalized; and specifically what is being delivered.

Additionally, it should be clear that you own the completed project and domain name (you should require that the contract states that all content and graphics, and the domain name, become your property). Accompanying the contract should be a timeline of the project, as having a schedule will help keep things on track.

Use a Website Design Firm that is a One-Stop Shop

Unless you have the knowledge to host your own web server, you ought to hire a web design firm that can provide more than site design and development. One of the best ways to know who the professionals are and who are not is whether they offer additional services like hosting, domain name registration, search engine optimization, and ongoing maintenance. That’s not to say you should wash your hand completely of these processes. Find out what the average price is for hosting a website of your size and bandwidth requirements so that you know you are getting a fair price. For example, our web design and development firm offers hosting packages starting from $10 a month – so there is a package made for all budgets. In addition, they should be able to guarantee reliable uptime for hosting, at least 95%. Receive, in writing, the cost for monthly maintenance and what this maintenance entails. Finally, as your company grows so will your website, and your designer should be able to keep up with those changes. If you are dealing with an individual or just two people, chances are they will not be able to meet your growing demands. If you plan on success and growth you will be wise to seek out a web design company that has a full team of designers, developers, programmers, seo specialists, and strategists.

Other Questions to Ask…

• Can you develop a Content Management System so that I can edit my site?
• How long will it take for my site to load?
• Do you validate your code?
• Can you develop back-end functions (such as a database)?
• Will my site be compatible for multiple browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.)
• Can you develop secure e-commerce solutions?
• Do you have the capabilities of using creating hybrid flash, streaming audio/video, etc.?

Having a presence online is becoming a requirement in nearly every industry. By having a strong partnership between you and your web designer, you will have an effective, attractive and user-friendly website that attracts customers, builds customer relationships and helps your company grow.

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website Tips
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How Much Does a Website Cost?

November 28th, 2007

Fees for website design and development can range from a few thousand dollars to half a million dollars. In trying to understand what costs are right for you, it might be useful to think of your website in terms of a car. Everyone knows that cars vary widely in price. A Hyundai is a car and so is a Mercedes Benz. But there is an ocean of difference between these two vehicles. In the same way that things like engineering, features, functions, design, safety, and service factor into the cost (and appeal) of a car so, too, does design and programming for a website.

Even when you select the make and model of a car, the cost of accessories can cause the price to vary drastically. There are choices to be made: 6 Disc CD changer vs. single CD, ipod dock vs. no mp3, dual-sided climate control vs. air condition, 1-touch automatic windows vs. automatic windows, heated leather seats vs. leather seats, and the list goes on and on. Each of these decisions will be reflected in the final price of the car.

A website comes with “accessories” too. We refer to these as “features and options.” Within each feature there can be any number of variables that dictate the simplicity or complexity required to develop a feature. Just like there is an extra fee for a car with a multi-disk CD player vs. one with a single-disk CD player so too is there a premium for a website that has Flash in the header vs. one that uses basic HTML in the header.

In nearly every aspect of website development, there are design features and programming options to take into consideration. To help you better understand the individual costs, below is a list of features and options that one takes into a consideration when developing a website. Typically a web design firm will bundle costs together so treat these are estimates. Cost will vary depending upon complexity of each item.

Website Programming Services

Customization type	Details	EstimatedCost
Contact Form	1 - 10 text fields without any controls such as radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes.	$200
Advanced Contact Form	1 - 15 text fields + controls (radio buttons, select fields or checkboxes)	$450
Sign up for a Newsletter	Script with the admin panel that includes the list of subscribers and the interface for writing emails. Options to choose subscribers and groups from the list of PHP admin panel, subscribe - unsubscribe	$850
News	Script that allows to update the following type of the news content: Text blocks on the existing news page, articles with the full text linking to read more on the main news page blocks	$810
FAQ	Script that allows to update ( delete/edit) questions/answers in the FAQ section, add new questions/answers, supports categories, search on the page	$820
Content Management System	Script that allows editing all the existing blocks on the page: text, images, titles	$1500
Simple Calendar	The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing	$130
Advanced Calendar	The calendar is presented like the “windows” calendar on the pages with the recent date showing. An event can be set for the date ( text format). When clicking on the date the pop-up will come up with the event description	$930
Date and Time	The recent Date and time shows up on the website	$150
Tell a Friend	The script that will send the email from the visitor of your website to his/her friends with comment and link to the website	$250
Google Search	The scripts that allows to use Google search engine without leaving your site and show search results on your website	$480
User Authentication and Management	Script that allows restriction to specific areas of your website, only registered/allowed users can access this section; includes login page, registration, user management, restriction of the pages ( same for all registered users)	$900
Basic Site search	Script that allows web site visitors to search for information on your website; includes search field (one parameter) and search results page	$750
Poll(Voting)	Online poll ( up to 10 questions), with possibility to view voting archives	$910
Image Gallery	Script that allows management ( add, replace, delete) of the gallery/portfolio or any other section of the website containing 5 or more images and the images description (text format)	$1,400
Mp3 player	Adding the mp3 player to your website allowing to play online multiple compositions	$650
FLV player (video)	Adding the FLV player to your website allowing to play video file	$250 per movie
E-Commerce Shopping Cart	Full functionality of standard osCommerce package ( the structure based on the selected features), installation included	$2,000
Blog	Full functionality of the standard Blog package ( wordpress software), installation included	$1,600

Website Design Services

Customization type	Details	EstimatedCost
Image animation	HTML picture in the header or body	$160
HTML header animation	Graphical customization	$450
Header flash loop development (text/images, up to 4 slides)	With customer’s images	$1250
Adding buttons	Flash menu	$210
Adding rollover effect	Flash effect	$280
Creating a drop-down menu	One level	$420
Creating Corporate Identity	Logo – print and web version	$1,500
Design a unique flash template	Homepage design	$1200
Unique banner design	Depends on banner size and details	$300
Unique icon design	Per icon	$450

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707.

Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website Tips
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Hiring a Good Web Designer: The Dos & Dont’s

November 28th, 2007

Unless you have been living under a rock or in Pakistan where the government can curtail or even cutoff your internet access, you know that the internet has changed the way we acquire goods, services, and information. If your corporation doesn’t have a website today, it is like you don’t exist.

However, even with this never ending explosion, many small and mid-size businesses are still hesitant about adding a website to their marketing plan. I am not telling you this just because I produce websites. I am telling you this because common sense dictates that I do. It is the common sense in me that says having a good website will not only give your customers access to your services 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, but it will also expose your company up to a wider customer-base.

Unless you feel confident about designing, developing, and programming your own website, you need to hire a professional website development company. But, before you interview web development companies, you should first determine what your goals are for you website, including:

• Are you strictly interested in e-commerce?
• Do you want to attract more customers?
• Do you want to give your existing customers better service?
• Do you want repeat customers?
• Are you interested in showing video, commercials, interviews, etc.?
• Are you looking for an informational site that would introduce your company to individuals or companies?

Once you determine your goals, you are ready to begin the process of hiring a web development company. But, simply doing a Google search won’t do; you must find a web team who will help promote your professional image to your customers while making the online process as easy as possible for you. Below are some basic steps to take in order to find the website development company who will build the perfect site for you:

Do Your Homework: Examine the Competition’s Websites

Before you hire a web designer, you should have an idea of what you want for your web site. Sometimes the best place to start is with your competition. Research your competitors’ sites and take note of who designed them (it is usually listed at the bottom of the home page). Take notes about what you do and don’t like about their sites. What do you think of the design of their website? Does the functionality in their website make sense? Do they offer shopping or are they purely informational? Is there enough of what you are looking for or too little?

Then take your research a step further. Start combing the internet for any type of site that you like. A good starting point is reviewing a web design company’s portfolio. Two of the best web design portfolios are: Digital Peabody Portfolio and Unleaded Software.

Do Identify Your Individual Business Needs

Once you have done your homework and have selected a web design firm that meets your needs, you ought to present your business’s key objectives to the web design firm. In addition, make note of your customer-base, as they may look for certain functional or design aspects in your website. Think about the types of information that you need in your website. For example, if you have a new or growing business you may want a section about “Employment Opportunities” Or another example is a “Terms and Conditions” section that explains your company’s policies. Each business is unique and will have a different set of requirements for a website.

Once you have a solid definition of your requirements, and your likes and dislikes in terms of website design, you will be able to present them to a web design firm. Hashing out all of this before you chose a web design firm will help you get exactly what you need in your company’s website.

Do Research the Web Designer

It is very important to work with someone you trust, so before you begin interviewing designers you should review designers’ on-line portfolios to see if you like their particular style. Ask the designers to explain design decisions in the portfolio and request a brief description of the overall process. In addition, make sure you check references. Ask the references if the web design firm meet their expectations, satisfied their timeline, and were they easy to communicate with. One of the reasons why you should work with a professional web design firm vs. a freelancer is that the professionals tend to be significantly more responsive than somebody who works by and for themselves. Talent is one thing – but reliability is equally as important. So while professional web design firms may cost a little bit more than freelancers do, the peace of mind that you will have is priceless.

Are you ready to get started?

If you would like to get started, please call Digital Peabody’s Web Strategist, Lauren Engel. You can reach her at 312-933-3430 or 303-468-5707. Be sure to ask about discounts for new websites!

Posted in Web Design, Website Development, Website Tips
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