We’ve put this section together as a result of frequently asked questions. If you are an experienced builder, or simply want someone to build and take care of your site, then you can use the ‘Contact Us’ buttons, and we can discuss your requirements in more detail.
When looking at a web site, the most important thing is the content, and how it all hooks together. Yes of course the site should be attractive, but not at the cost of the content, or limiting the type of browsers that can see it. ‘Speed is of the essence’ and nowhere is that more true than on the internet. Sites must therefore also be checked and optimised for downloads to ensure that people browsing don’t move on before you’ve had a chance to get your message, or service details to them.
Some of the most frequent questions we get include:
What’s it for?
A seemingly silly question – but in fact most people don’t really understand what they want the site to do. Web sites are simply another channel to advertise goods or services, they can be expanded to enable interaction and online purchase but this requires your interaction and makes the build more complex. If, as in most cases, the site is to provide information about you or your service, then a simple site will do the trick – after all people are usually coming on to the site because they are already interested in you, or what you are offering. We are able to advise you on what you need and guide you through the process, and the best news is that this advice is free!
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What does it need?
That depends on the nature of the site e.g. a homepage will typically be a very small site, perhaps only one page, with some pictures and thoughts, whereas a commercial proposition will need to describe you, your services and have details of the product you are offering, and perhaps an opportunity to get that product on line. In all cases it needs a professional look, good graphics and pictures, and optimisation to ensure quick loading. Above all the navigation should be simple and logical, don’t frustrate visitors by obscure links that take them to pages they didn’t want and can’t get back from! It also needs to be seen! The prettiest site in the world is useless if nobody knows about it. You therefore need to make sure it’s registered and the search engines are finding it.
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What will I need?
Depends on what you want to do! But if you are looking to build your own site, then you will need a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) html designer. Several are available on the internet as free, however you do get what you pay for. If you are looking for a professional feel and want to incorporate Java and Flash (these are the things that you use for those cool things like image viewers and flashy buttons), then you will need to look at a commercial package such as Macromedia Dreamweaver. You will also need to acquire skills and understanding, have a lot of patience, and a lot of time! You also need to have a variety of browsers and some checking software to ensure that you are building something everyone can see.
We use a tabular basis in xhmtl, also using Javascript and Flash. We can also use interactive stuff to enable you to sell on line, set up chat rooms etc. and of course we have professional graphic, photographic editing and building tools.
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What’s the ongoing process?
This is the updating and changing of a site. Updating it keeps it current in the search engines, and of course maintains interest in you and your service. If you are interactive, then you will need to monitor the site, and ensure you are checking your e-mail/site on a very regular basis – remember that the internet is almost instant, and the users of the internet expect your response in the same type of time frame.
What will it cost?
Again it depends on the goods and services you are offering – many providers offer homepages for free for example, but hosting yourself should not (at time of writing) cost more than £70 per annum, and can often be done for less. The cost relates to the service, the type of site and how busy it’s likely to be – again we are happy to offer advice in this area for you without charge.
Getting your own domain name (e.g. www.bearwebsites.co.uk) is very cheap and should cost less than £20 to purchase and register.
Having a custom site built, or banners made etc. will depend on the complexity. We consider ourselves to be highly competitive, so as a rough guide, banners are £20 to £40 (but are free in a web design), a medium site (about 5 pages including pictures etc) should be no more than £150, and are usually offered ‘free’ with a hosting package; overall however for this type of site, hosted, you should pay no more than £180.
After that, the cost is purely dependant on the complexity of the site, the amount of work required to build it, and the ongoing maintenance. We are happy to quote you on your requirements, either as a competitive bid, or for budgetary purposes.
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What do I need to do now?
Simply put, have a think, maybe give us a call, have a look around the web at what’s on offer. We firmly believe in the sharing of information and code, and are always happy to talk to webmasters, potential builders, and anyone who is unsure of what they want to do and frightened of the costs. Please look around the rest of the site, and if you have any questions, please contact us and we’ll do our best to answer them.
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