Who you gonna call?

So its been a while since you last completed your hip hop website or you are in the process of planning a website, and the question has arisen who shall I get to create or upgrade my website. “Who you gonna call” springs to mind and somewhere along the lines you find yourself lost in some dialog between Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd in the 1984 Blockbuster…. Ghostbusters. The question still remains who is going to take my website to the level I expect.

Clients are generally non the wiser when it comes to the development of a website due to the misconceptions they hear from friends and family. Some of these being, anyone can design/develop a website, website development is easy, you can get the number one spot in google, website design is always cheap. These are the questions I am faced with everyday in trying to convert people with these mindsets into valued clients. Its my task my passion and the reason why I get up for work everyday, its the ability to know you made a difference in the development of that persons website, the work you did being displayed across the globe.

There are some truths in some misconceptions yes anyone can make a website (open up word type text save as html), yes it is easy to make websites (for the people who know what they are doing, you try and get a website to look the same across all major browsers taking into account the various ways search engines cache the website), yes it is possible to get the number one spot in google (search engine ranking is NOT a science, hence it cannot be guarenteed), however it is highly unlikely (very dependent on too many variables). So based on the above descriptions when you choose to create or develop a website, by all means feel free to open up word save as html submit your domain to google have your website only work in Internet explorer (assumed to work, after all you did use MS word…..) and watch your ranking drop from page 5 to page 10000 in google over the coming months.

Its time to face the truths you need help and you need it fast, here are some guidlelines I can provide when choosing a development company. These are based on the experience I have had as a lead developer working in the industry for over four years:

Portfolio

The sure way to prove a website development company can do what they cliam. This allows you to start formulating ideas and help you get accross the opinions you have for your website. example (I like what you did here).

Cost

Website development is two fold, design work and functiomality are you getting both for the cost you are paying. This is one of the most importent factors for clients it seems like a double edged sword, most companies (bad ones) only offer one and not the other. This leads to the explanation of why joe soap charges R1,000 and his competitor charges R5,000. Use the cost to help you eliminate the unwanted hastles a 5 to 10 page website should cost you anywhere between R4,000 and R12,000.

Size of company

This has no bearing in my expecience do not let it deter you. It comes down to skill set. it only takes three people to make a website correctly, a graphic designer, a programmer, and a Search engine marketer. If the company you choose has these three people you are a for a way.

Personality

Its important for you and the website design company to get along. You are interested in building a relationship with the company you choose not producing a once off job. Website search engine optimization and marketing will continue with your website till the end of time, this helps you get those clients and is the reason you develop or enhance your domain. I guess what im trying to say is if the website design company is not valuing you or your opinions its time to move on.

In the future if  you decide to make that website you have always wanted, or you want to upgrade your current site ask yourself the following questions is the price right, do i know what I need (not neciserally what I want), do they have the skills I require and is this someone I can rely on.

Doing business with the family

This is a mistake that people have made for decades, using family members for business that is and it has leaked into the technology realm. Yes using your sisters younger brother or your wifes uncle may be a great idea and it might win you a few “browny” points with the family but it is definately not good for business.

Most people use family members just because they are doing a favour or trying to get a cheaper price. It is very rare that you find this business relationship to be sound and actually have the family IT genius pull off the job correctly.

For many reasons this kind of relationship will fail:

• Often the family member does not have the knowledge or at least the qualification to do the job correctly.
• You generally won’t hold you family accountable for work not done on time or not done correctly which is never good for business.
• Cheaper is not always better. Quality is something worth paying for and getting a website done or IT support for a cheap price may sound great but in most cases the work your receive for that cheaper price will not be the quality that you will get from a company that is dedicated to that task.
• Often what happens is that the work gets done halfheartedly and  and also takes months to get the job done.
• The worst thing that happens is that after months of backward and forward discussions and a not to great website is put up you now have to see that person at family functions which makes it slightly awkward for both you and all the family members who know about this situation.

As with many things, web design and development is left up to the professionals, the guys who spend their lifes on the internet and continously better what is there already and create new and exciting features which get passed down to the work they do.