If you don't know a lot about web design it can be intimidating to hire a web design company because you might not know what you are suppose to ask in order to judge if they are really qualified to build the kind of website that you want for your business. When you're interviewing prospective web design companies here are 5 crucial questions to ask that will help you decide if they are the right company for you or not.
1. What other companies have you built websites for? This question is important because it's a good indicator of what types of websites the company has built in the past. If you are wanting them to build you an ecommerce site that you can use to sell your products on the Web and they have never worked with any companies that sell products online then you'll know that the company probably isn't experienced enough to build you the kind of ecommerce site that you want.
2. Do Web marketing techniques do you use? If you ask this question and they stare at you blankly then you will know right away that you need to choose another company. A web design company doesn't necessarily have to know a lot about Web marketing in order to build you a functional site but a good website design company will stay informed about the latest trends in Web marketing so that they can make sure the sites they built are compatible with Web marketing techniques and are optimized for web marketing.
3. What other web services are included? If you want the company to do additional website work for you like regular updates, website hosting, website maintenance and so on you need to clarify that up front and make sure that those services are including in the initial price quote.
4. How long will the building of the site take? If they can't offer you a specific time table for completion they should at least have an outline of benchmarks that they can offer so that there is a definite beginning and a definite end to the completion of the project.
5. What are your rates? You will need to find out if the company works on an hourly rate or if the price is per job. Some website design companies charge per designer, per hour and other charge a flat fee for the entire project. If the fee is a flat fee per project make sure that you ask if revisions, maintenance, or any other "extras" are included in that price or not.
These questionnaire will help you to evaluate the company profile and services
Article source : Click here
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Tips to start your own blog for photographs
Photo blogging is becoming very popular as more and more people want to show their images to others and consequently, several completely free blog site-hosting services are available.
Setting up a blog site is very easy to do. All you will need is an internet connection and a blog hosting service like the one provided by Google. Just type in "google blogger" into your browser and follow the on screen instructions to set up your own personal blog site in four simple stages.
For those who are unfamiliar with blog sites, you can take the tour that Google provides. To start, all you have to do is to create a Google account (if you don't already have one) which is free and you will be on your way to creating your blog site in just a few minutes - it really is simple.
Once you have created your blog site, you can start to upload your pictures and add your comments or invite other people to comment on them. You can either restrict viewing of the site to your friends and family or allow anyone to view it. You decide who can see your comments and pictures and who can write to it.
You may want to restrict viewing of your blog site as a means of showing your shots to your friends and relatives in other parts of the country or the world. Alternatively, you may want to post your shots online to find people with similar interests to you, like landscapes, nature, portraits or unusual lighting effects and so on.
It can be fascinating to see the feedback that your images get but you must be brave. Some people will love your shots and others may not be so impressed - you have to take the rough with the smooth.
If you choose a theme, say, weird or unusual subjects for example, you will soon start to attract others who are interested in this topic. The challenge will then be to keep finding images in keeping with your theme so that you can post them on your blog site - so keep your camera with you at all times.
With the Google site, the latest posting appears at the top of the page where your viewers can see you newest work and comment on it.
Whether you choose to use the blog for private viewing only , or you are happy to show your work to the world at large, you will create a new outlet for your style of photography that will stimulate you to take and post more pictures. As I said earlier, this can become quite addictive and it won't be long before you are striving to take a picture a day.
It doesn't cost anything to set up a blog site like this, so give it a try and see how much more enjoyment you can get from your photography.
Article source : Click here
Setting up a blog site is very easy to do. All you will need is an internet connection and a blog hosting service like the one provided by Google. Just type in "google blogger" into your browser and follow the on screen instructions to set up your own personal blog site in four simple stages.
For those who are unfamiliar with blog sites, you can take the tour that Google provides. To start, all you have to do is to create a Google account (if you don't already have one) which is free and you will be on your way to creating your blog site in just a few minutes - it really is simple.
Once you have created your blog site, you can start to upload your pictures and add your comments or invite other people to comment on them. You can either restrict viewing of the site to your friends and family or allow anyone to view it. You decide who can see your comments and pictures and who can write to it.
You may want to restrict viewing of your blog site as a means of showing your shots to your friends and relatives in other parts of the country or the world. Alternatively, you may want to post your shots online to find people with similar interests to you, like landscapes, nature, portraits or unusual lighting effects and so on.
It can be fascinating to see the feedback that your images get but you must be brave. Some people will love your shots and others may not be so impressed - you have to take the rough with the smooth.
If you choose a theme, say, weird or unusual subjects for example, you will soon start to attract others who are interested in this topic. The challenge will then be to keep finding images in keeping with your theme so that you can post them on your blog site - so keep your camera with you at all times.
With the Google site, the latest posting appears at the top of the page where your viewers can see you newest work and comment on it.
Whether you choose to use the blog for private viewing only , or you are happy to show your work to the world at large, you will create a new outlet for your style of photography that will stimulate you to take and post more pictures. As I said earlier, this can become quite addictive and it won't be long before you are striving to take a picture a day.
It doesn't cost anything to set up a blog site like this, so give it a try and see how much more enjoyment you can get from your photography.
Article source : Click here
Monday, June 9, 2008
Web Design and Web Usability
Websites are primarily for humans and visitors who we must remember are also the potential customers and future clients with needs that they are trying to fulfill by getting into a website. It is the duty of every website owner to make his website a good experience for any online visitor. Therefore web designers must realize the need for incorporating the concept of usability in the design of websites. This concept of making the site useful has to be thought about right from the beginning of the site's production process. The philosophy is very simple. A useful site will mean better end user satisfaction, more business, and more revenue.
Thinking should be done on these lines before starting the design process.
* What are the objectives of the website?
* What is the user looking for?
* How is the competition?
* How to interview/survey the clients?
Over the years there are many lessons learnt by web designers. It is by now well known that certain types of web design can be very strenuous to the visitor and as a result he gets away from the site quickly. Websites with very bright colors and complicated navigation can never appeal to anyone.
The usability of a website can be evaluated. First a mock design has to be made and tests should be made using focus groups. The different features of the website design has to be seen from a critical point of view and one must find out how much it appeals to a user. The results should be used to create more mock ups and necessary changes have to be made before the process is repeated until total satisfaction is achieved.
Here are some general usability tips;
* Pages must load quickly
* Minimal work for the user
* Inform long download time
* Avoid forcing pop up windows
* Articles must have citations/ references
* User must know where he is on the site
* Avoid keyword stuffing in content
* Use easy terms on web page without taxing visitor memory
* Printing has to be an easy affair
* Provide linking to outside materials
* Use a common sequence / style through out site
* While having to wait, feedback must be provided
One can be sure that a nice and usable site that gives a good user experience will in itself tempt the online visitor to back again and again to the website.
Article source: click here
Thinking should be done on these lines before starting the design process.
* What are the objectives of the website?
* What is the user looking for?
* How is the competition?
* How to interview/survey the clients?
Over the years there are many lessons learnt by web designers. It is by now well known that certain types of web design can be very strenuous to the visitor and as a result he gets away from the site quickly. Websites with very bright colors and complicated navigation can never appeal to anyone.
The usability of a website can be evaluated. First a mock design has to be made and tests should be made using focus groups. The different features of the website design has to be seen from a critical point of view and one must find out how much it appeals to a user. The results should be used to create more mock ups and necessary changes have to be made before the process is repeated until total satisfaction is achieved.
Here are some general usability tips;
* Pages must load quickly
* Minimal work for the user
* Inform long download time
* Avoid forcing pop up windows
* Articles must have citations/ references
* User must know where he is on the site
* Avoid keyword stuffing in content
* Use easy terms on web page without taxing visitor memory
* Printing has to be an easy affair
* Provide linking to outside materials
* Use a common sequence / style through out site
* While having to wait, feedback must be provided
One can be sure that a nice and usable site that gives a good user experience will in itself tempt the online visitor to back again and again to the website.
Article source: click here
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