Having a website gives you the ability to be a presence ...without being present!

Custom Web Design Service

The secret to being fast is in being organized . . . Details are very important to me because I try to include any and all of the fine points that could enhance your website business presence. Having a lot of  business and marketing experience myself, I can also provide suggestions to add to your own ideas and help guide your focus when it comes to your website. 

During the development of a website, you will be able to watch your website project as it unfolds and can provide valuable feedback during the entire design process.

I'm very fast and don't like unfinished projects that drag on. Once you've done your part in providing me any special content and photo elements you have for your website, it will be done in a very timely manner. (I can give an estimate of time once I know the scope of the project.)
 

There probably are some really great young guys who are techie web designers. They really like to make website features with a lot of movement, noise and flashy stuff, but quite often those features sacrifice a lot of a website's effectiveness in search engine ranking, and also serve to annoy viewers who just want information, not entertainment. Frankly, a  website isn't much good to you if it doesn't function right or isn't found in the search engines. Together we will design your site to be user friendly and optimized.

Upon completion of the website project, I will use special software to submit the new web site to the search engines. I do not, will not, and cannot guarantee your ranking in the search engines! That is something I have no control over (no one except the search engine companies control rankings). I always do my best to observe and suggest things that are most advantageous for client websites to keep moving them up to the best of my ability.

Marketing TIP: Once your new website is completed most local papers will accept an email press release to announce your new website in their business section.  Always remember to capitalize the first letter of each word so it's easier to read (as in LadyWebPro.com), and you don't necessarily have to add the www. anymore.

Things you cannot expect from your website

1) Your web pages can't print out to use as a brochure or flyer. Web pages and graphics are different from those created for printed materials and have very different layout parameters. There are specific pages that can be duplicated as "printer friendly version" but they need to be simple, basic and will have some limitations in functioning as a web page.

2) Search Engine Ranking . . .
I have had terrific results with search engine positioning for my clients through the use of conscientious words, phrases and elements that will help make your website optimal. Compiling comprehensive hidden "keywords", applicable links to other high ranking sites and text that is rich in key phrases on every page all work towards that goal.  I will also use special software to submit your site to the search engines once it is finished. There is no extra charge for this. It's all included.

Search engines all use different methods of indexing websites, so there isn't a set of rules that apply across the board. There's a lot of controversy about the legitimacy of companies that charge people claiming they can get them ranked higher in search engine listings. How can they promise everyone first page placement unless you pay for a dedicated listing? (If you want to know more, do a little research on the internet.)

Your role and participation is important because you can help your ranking by directing more traffic to your site through your own advertising efforts to increase the number of hits you get. The more hits your site has, the faster you move up in search engines. Sometimes ranking can take up to six months (or longer depending on the competition in your industry). Patience is a huge necessity. You wouldn't expect to be able to instantly move up through thousands of websites to get to the top, so just know that your website is an investment that takes a little patience. The longer it is on the internet and the more traffic it has driven to it from your ad campaigns, the better. You understand that if you choose to ignore my suggestions about good optimization, you cannot hold me responsible for failure to be found on the internet.

3) Updating your website yourself . . . 
There is a reason web design is a profession, and it's not just the technical aspects that have to be learned—designing a page that is attractive, clean, and coherent—“professional-looking” is something that has to be learned as well. Most people understand that if they didn't know how to create their website in the first place, then they won't be able to update it without hurting something important about their website. But oddly enough, many people expect that it should be an easy thing for them to pop in and take care of their own updates. It honestly is not as simple as that. You would have to own the correct software and have in-depth knowledge in using it or you can junk up the codes. You would need to know how to optimize photographs for the web and have that software or you can overload the pages.. In short, you can ruin the lovely custom website you paid me to make for you!

There are so many different ways that you can hurt your website when you don't know what you are doing, but you do have an option or two.
    
Option One: Don't have a custom created website. Instead, get a build-your-own-site template at a hosting company that offers them, then you can make the whole site plus make your updates, too. The problem with that option is that I get a lot of clients who have tried do-it-yourself website templates and they end up hating them because they are elementary and limited. It turned out that it isn't as easy as they thought and they are not happy with the results.  They don't end up with a website that represents their business in a professional manner, so they give up in frustration and call a professional web designer.
     
Option Two: I work with a programmer who can custom create the specific functions you need to be able to make your own updates to certain parts of it without altering the website or damaging it. This is not an inexpensive option, but if you do need to make a lot of updates, then you would need to have this capability anyway. You are welcome to contact Dave Smith about your project, and tell him exactly what you need so he can give you an estimate of cost for those functions. If you are sure you will need his services, we normally all meet together to plan and discuss your project. (His cost is separate and in addition to my fees.)

If you have any other questions about making your updates please contact me. I can make updates for your site (as I do for quite a number of clients). The billing structure is done in 15 min. increments at $45 per hour. Once the website is established it's usually a very fast thing for me to do. If you want to contact any of my clients about this process, it's fine. I don't gouge people... and in fact often end up under charging or not charging for minor things.

4) ALLOWING A SEARCH ENGINE COMPANY TO MAKE CHANGES
If you are approached by a search engine optimization company who convinces you that you need their services, I urge you NOT to allow them to access your site and make changes. There have been many cases of these companies really messing websites up, because they ARE NOT web designers. For the most part they are unethically selling search engine optimization services that may cause your rankings harm. GOOGLE HAS ADVICE ON SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION SCAMS.

The things I do to optimize your website when I create it are really all you need done for a good ranking. In the event you do allow a search engine company access to your website and they make changes to the site, you agree to notify me immediately so I can remove your site from my portfolio as the changes have typically degraded the quality of the site and I do not want your changed website representing my workmanship any longer.