| No matter what business you're in these days, you | | | | Design refers to how the website looks on screen |
| need a website. Most people go directly to the | | | | and how all the visual elements work together. It |
| Internet to find businesses, services, products, even | | | | involves the graphics, photos, fonts, color schemes |
| contact information for people they already do | | | | and overall layout of the site. It's often referred to |
| business with. It's essential to have a web presence, | | | | as the "front end" of the website. |
| but how do you make your website stand out? | | | | Development is the technical aspect of web design |
| What do you need to know to get it done right? | | | | and refers to the computer code, programming |
| This article answers common questions about | | | | modules and applications used to implement the visual |
| creating and maintaining a business website. Some | | | | elements. This is where the functionality of your site |
| companies are fortunate enough to have in-house IT | | | | is created: how quickly pages load, how smooth page |
| experts, others are left to wade through the | | | | or animation transitions are, making interactive forms |
| jargon-laden information on the World Wide Web or | | | | work, etc. It's the work that happens behind the |
| in trade publications - which generally assume you | | | | scenes, often referred to as the "back end". |
| already know what they're talking about. A good | | | | Navigation refers to how information is organized and |
| web developer will walk you through the process. | | | | how people move through the site. It refers to the |
| Unfortunately, a lot of designers don't understand the | | | | different sections, how to get to them, and how |
| "big picture" either. Our goal is to give readers enough | | | | they interact. Navigation is usually facilitated by |
| knowledge to get what they need out of their | | | | clickable tabs at the top or bottom of a page, |
| websites. | | | | drop-down menus, or lists at the side of a page. |
| The most important thing is to not be intimidated by | | | | Most business want at least home page that |
| what you don't know. A website is just a set of | | | | introduces the company, a page that outlines |
| interconnected digital "pages" pertaining to a business, | | | | products or services, and a page with contact |
| person, topic, etc. that exist at a single "address" on | | | | information. Especially for large or complex sites, |
| the World Wide Web. Once you have a site | | | | navigation is often clarified by a site map, which |
| developed, you really only need two things to get it | | | | simply provides a clickable list of the pages accessible |
| on the Internet: a domain name and hosting. | | | | on your site so people can get to the information |
| The domain name is simply the name of your site, | | | | they need quickly. |
| which is generally the same as your Web address, | | | | The first decision is what you want the site to |
| such as The Web address is also called a URL | | | | accomplish. Is it a static information site that won't |
| (Universal Resource Location), and it pinpoints the | | | | change much, or do you need frequent updates to |
| specific set of page files that for a particular site. | | | | text or photos? If so, you might consider a Content |
| The site is hosted on a specific computer, called a | | | | Management System (CMS). It's more expensive |
| server, which stores all the files for any given | | | | because it requires additional programming, but in the |
| website. Some businesses have their own servers | | | | long run it's generally cheaper than hiring a developer |
| for data back-up as well as web hosting, but most | | | | every time you have an update. Interactive forms, |
| pay a hosting company to take care of it. This is the | | | | audio-visual elements, RSS feeds and other |
| most secure way to go and it generally provides | | | | applications will also affect how the site is designed |
| more uptime, which refers to the amount of time | | | | and developed. |
| your site is available on the Web. The opposite, of | | | | More and more websites employ online ordering, |
| course, is downtime, which occurs when servers are | | | | inventory and payment systems 'referred to as |
| updated, require maintenance, or suffer the | | | | e-commerce - so customers can make purchases |
| occasional crash (don't worry, your data should be | | | | directly from the website. These are usually database |
| backed up and restored within a short time). Most | | | | driven and, like CMS or other applications, best to |
| good hosting companies boast 95% to 99.9% uptime | | | | integrate from the outset to ensure smooth |
| and they generally deliver, though some claims are | | | | operation. |
| exaggerated. No one can guarantee 100% uptime. | | | | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is another critically |
| Essentially, your website sits on the server until | | | | important, though often overlooked, aspect of a |
| someone types your URL into the address bar of | | | | good website. SEO means optimizing your pages so |
| their Web browser, a software application such as | | | | the major search engines - Google, Yahoo, Ask, etc. |
| Internet Explorer, Safari, FireFox, or AOL, that | | | | - can find your site quickly and determine what it has |
| accesses the Internet. That computer requests the | | | | to offer. You want your website to appear near the |
| server to load the website, and your potential | | | | top of the search results page for relevant queries. |
| customer is now your online audience. | | | | Effective SEO involves design, content, and coding |
| All websites - good and bad - are accessed the same | | | | elements, as well as an understanding of how search |
| way. What makes a website good is how it looks, | | | | engines work and what they're looking for. |
| how it works, how easy it is to find, and how | | | | Whether you're starting from scratch or re-designing |
| relevant it is. And this is where it gets tricky. All of | | | | an existing site, it's best to have a framework for |
| the elements should be so well integrated that the | | | | understanding how websites work, and how they |
| user has a seamless aesthetic and functional | | | | don't. This is just an introduction, and some of the |
| experience that is glitch-free. There's a lot involved in | | | | concepts will need further elaboration. We can't make |
| achieving this, and hiring a respected professional web | | | | you a tech expert overnight, but we can prepare |
| design firm is the best way to get the results you | | | | you for what's involved, how to communicate with |
| want. Still, there are a few terms and concepts you | | | | your designer, and how to get the most out of the |
| should be familiar with to make sure you get what | | | | Internet. |
| you need. | | | | |