The Process
Here you can learn about the process we will go through to create your web site. The main purpose of a web site is to convey information. You have information that you want to share with others about your business, hobbies, etc, and a web site is an efficient way to reach a large number of people. Once you know the subject of your site, you will need to choose a domain name. It is best to choose a domain name that relates to the subject of your site. This could be the name of your business, your full name, or anything else you want. You may also want to choose a few alternative names in case your first choice is taken.
Once you have choosen a domain name, you need to register it and choose a hosting provider. Many times you can do both with the same company. I recommend using Ace-host.net. They provide a well priced hosting package with an abundance of features. I can help you with this process if you are unsure of what to do. You won't actually need a domain name and hosting provider until your site is finished, so this step can be completed anytime before the site is done.
When you know the subject of your site, contact me and we can begin the creation process. You will need to decide what information you want the site to contain. For a business, this can include information about the company, industry information/news, the products/services you provide, examples of your work, links to related sites, ways to contact/find your company, and anything else you can come up with. Every business is different, and nobody knows your company better than you, so what to include is up to you. If you are unsure of something or have a question, contact me and I can try to provide guidance on what I think is best. This step will end when you have a "site map" for your site. The site map will list each page that your site will contain. It is important that you spend enough time creating this list. When I develop the pages for your site, I create a page for each item on the list. These pages will all link to the other pages on the list. Once these pages are made, a change to the list will require going back and changing every single page. If this is needed, an extra charge will be incurred, so I encourage you to take your time and think carefully about what you want. It is also a good idea to start thinking about the specific information that you want on each page. Occasionally, after the specific information is written people find that they want to change or add a page.
At this point you can send me the list of pages and the logo(s) of your business. If you don't have a logo/letterhead that people associate with you or your business, we can discuss creating a new one. Once I have these things I will begin designing your site. I will create a "template" page that will have the basic look of the site. This takes some time as I will be creating the extra images that will be used and doing a large amount of coding. During this step you should write the specific information that will be put on each page (if you have not already done so). When I have finished this template page we can review it and discuss any changes you may want.
Next, I will need the actual information for each page. All the pages of your site will be created based on the template page, and the content for each page will be added. After reviewing and testing the site myself, you will need to go over it again and note any minor revisions that need to be made. Once those revisions are complete (if there are any), the site is finished. Payment arrangements will be made at this time. The site will then be uploaded to your hosting provider's server, and one last check will be done to ensure the site still operates correctly on the new server.
If you have any questions about this process please contact me.