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Latest Web News |
Yahoo, Microsoft Begin IM Testing
A limited public beta test of
interoperability between the instant messaging systems run by two major Internet players begins today; 350 million users
of Yahoo Messenger with Voice and Windows Live Messenger will be able to communicate across the two systems.
Yahoo UK Redesign Boosts Answers
A well-crafted front page redesign can
do wonders with redirecting traffic to other pages and subdomains owned by a site, as Yahoo UK's update has done.
No Ruling Yet On Google Plane Talk
A judge in Santa Clara County
Superior Court has decided to postpone ruling on a request from lawyers for Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page
to muzzle their former aircraft designer from discussing the massive Boeing 767 being retrofitted for their use.
MySpace Hits #1
Despite safety warnings, lawsuits, campaigns against, and proposed
legislation to limit its reach, MySpace.com has surpassed Yahoo! Mail as the most visited website in the United States,
according to Hitwise.
Google Tackles Click Arbitrage
Google is putting its Birkenstocks down
hard on AdWords clients with less-than-quality landing pages for their websites, in an attempt to clean up those
made-for-AdSense pages found all over the web. Click arbitrage is a modern version of the "buy low, sell high" advice many
have learned over the years.
Fresh Evidence Of GDrive
"I want to believe" has long been the motto of X-Files fans
and Google followers everywhere. From GBuy (real, and now called Google Checkout) to a line of Google energy drinks (not
real), the latter set of individuals will latch onto any word of future products. Now, there are not only words, but also
a picture. GDrive, codenamed Platypus, is real!
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07.13.06
Questions To Ask Your Web Designer
 By
Mark Johnstone
No business has an unlimited marketing budget. If you are having a web solution developed by an outside design firm it is crucial to ensure that you are getting the most "bang for your buck".
Oversights by you or your design team can prove to be costly down the road. As a rule of thumb, going "cheap" ends up becoming an unexpected drain on your precious marketing budget and you may have to hire a firm to fix unexpected problems.
The following issues should be raised with prospective web designers prior to initiating the proposal and quote phase of the relationship.
WILL THE TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGY USED AFFECT THE WEBSITE'S USABILITY?
Last week's article "Website Design Conundrum" outlined possible problems a website might face if a design team implements certain design methods during the creation of your website. Be sure to inquire whether or not your website designer is aware of the numerous pitfalls that can possibility take place. After all the goal is to have your message seen and understood by visitors to your website and you cannot afford to have technology come in the way of usability.
If you are not that savvy when it comes to the language used kindly ask the designer to provide you with the solutions they offer in layman's terms. Make sure you are totally comfortable knowing you are in the right hands.
WHAT WILL YOU PROVIDE ME? WHAT TASKS DO I NEED TO DO?
Although this question seems to be a fairly obvious one it might be a good idea to find out in detail what the company will offer you. For example:
If you do not have a logo or a company identity, can the web design company develop one for you in addition to the website's development?
Do I have to hire a copywriter to take on all of the written content?
Can I utilize existing marketing materials such as brochures or magazine ads to help with the content?
Do I have to acquire my own hosting and domain name?
CAN I BE FOUND?
You may have found the perfect design team to develop your website. They may come with a massive list of testimonials and credentials outlining their abilities. The end result might even consist of all the elements that you need to have a successful web solution. However, can people even find you on the Major Search Engines?
Most people even in the design industry do not know that the actual design of the layout and structure of a website can have significant results on how your website is ranked.
Ask your designers if they have the knowledge to implement a "search engine friendly approach" to the development of your project.
Be wary of companies that say they will "submit your website to all the search engines". It is vital that they have the knowledge to implement a "hands-on" approach when it comes to designing your website. Better yet, can they offer you a Search Engine Placement Campaign that will focus on a long-term strategy for your rankings?
WILL YOU CUT ME LOOSE?
All too often I hear from frustrated website owners commenting about not having the ability to update their own site. It is prudent to come up with a clear long-term plan for updating content, adding more sections, or other design elements you may want to change after the design contract has expired. Ask the design firm if they offer a cost effective solution for on-going maintenance.
Usually there will be three options that you will hear from designers:
Monthly Update Plan
This usually consists of a monthly fee that will have parameters attached to it, for example the amount of updates allowed and how often the can be submitted.
Retainer
This is similar to an Update Plan however it is a "bank" of hours that is prepaid based on an hourly rate.
Hourly Rate
An hourly rate for updates is a common solution proposed by design firms. Ask if you will be charged a minimum amount of time per update such as a full hour of service even if the task takes them a lesser amount of time.
DO I OWN IT?
This question does sound odd considering you have laid out good money for a high quality design. It is important to note that some design firms will actually retain ownership of the website created and even the domain itself. This could potentially make things very difficult if you wanted to move the website over to a different hosting company or if you wanted a different team to take over. Be sure that you have the right to do what you want with your website.
Next week I will tackle more questions to throw at website design companies before you commit to the development of your next website.
About
the Author:
Article by Mark Johnstone, StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc.. Mark is the Senior Web Developer for Pure Ignition - Search Engine Friendly Web Design.
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