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Web Site Design
In the early days, a website design was always a job for a professional. Only few individuals had the tools and knowledge to create their own website design, so it was necessary to hire someone to do the work. While the first website designs were very rudimentary, often little more than black text on a white background, they still required knowledge of HTML at minimum. But as technology advanced, so did website design. Graphics, ActiveX controls, pop-ups, and Flash players all changed the course of website design. Now, more than ever, website design was beyond the ability of the average user.
In the early days, a website design was always a job for a professional. Only few individuals had the tools and knowledge to create their own web site design, so it was necessary to hire someone to do the work. While the first website designs were very rudimentary, often little more than black text on a white background, they still required knowledge of HTML at minimum. But as technology advanced, so did website design. Graphics, ActiveX controls, pop-ups, and Flash players all changed the course of website design. Now, more than ever, website design was beyond the ability of the average user.
It did not take long for someone to come up with the idea of pre-made website designs, or templates. Users with no technical ability could go online and choose a website design to customize. Of course, initially there were few designs to choose from, and so there was a spate of website designs that were pretty much identical except for the text. This problem was pretty well solved by the boom in website design templates, which now number in the tens of thousands. Many sites even allowed users to use a template for website design at no (or extremely low) cost.
This may work fine for you if all you are doing is putting up a personal page, or one that is pretty much just a blog about your favourite restaurant. However, before tackling a more complex website design, there are a few things you should consider.
First of all, examine just what you need in a website design. Are you proposing a retail site that offers ten thousand items, a shopping cart, and online credit card purchases? If so, you might want to reconsider a do it yourself website design. For one thing, just loading the pictures and descriptions of those ten thousand items is going to be a very time consuming chore. This is one area most people underestimate when opting for a do it yourself website design. If you have the time—and it could take several weeks, depending on the speed of your connection, as well as your own speed—you might want to do it. But you’d probably have to neglect other aspects of your business while you’re doing it.
Next look at all the bells and whistles your retail website design may need. Are you planning to accept Paypal as a payment option? What provisions are you offering for mail in orders? Are you going to offer shoppers a wish list? Do you need to provide links to other sites? What about email? Is there a need or desire to have online chat available? Once you’ve decided on all the options, you need to see if the company offering your do it yourself website design also has the tools to add all the additional programming you need.
Maybe you aren’t going to do a retail website design. Perhaps you plan to offer information and ask for donations. Do you know how to accomplish this easily? Do you want to have a chat room or blogs available to visitors, and can you handle this with a do it yourself website design?
Another question you need to answer concerns the ownership of the website design you create. Many online website design templates are only yours as long as the company who provided it to you is your hosting service. If you need to move to another host, will you be allowed to do so without paying a fee? And is the website design you are using truly yours, or are you only being allowed the use of it for a specified period or under certain conditions?
And perhaps the most important question is this: What kind of impression do you need to make on your visitors? Obviously, a company soliciting potential shareholders for a two billion dollar initial stock offering needs to make a much better impression than one posting pictures of the family reunion. This is where a great website design can make all the difference. If you are trying to present a serious, status conscious image, you probably do not want to use a do it yourself website design. A seasoned professional can prepare a website design that will far exceed any pre-made template, however well done the template may be.
While many people cite cost as the reason to use do it yourself website design templates, a professionally created, customized website does not have to send you to the poor house. There are many excellent programmers who can create a unique website design for you at a minimal cost. If, after you evaluate the option of do it yourself website design, you feel that you need more than a template offers, contact one. He or she will be happy to assist you in creating the website design of your dreams. |
