I don’t just want to build you a website and I won’t just throw a template together for you.
I won’t make a copy of somebody else’s work and I won’t work on spec.
I want to provide a professional service that will make you smile and make me proud.

Please watch the video below.  If you find yourself laughing, get in touch and we’ll do business.

Why? Because it’s fun.

Here’s one I made earlier:

The faintly disturbing work of five minutes

It’s part of the envato group of websites, along with Freelance Switch – which I also enjoy following.

As an example, you may like to read this article on how to monetize* blog posts – short, clear and to the point advice.  You may not plan on taking up blogging in a big way, but even so, there’s advice here that could help you formulate a strategy for productive blogging as part of a marketing effort.

There are many blogs out there with long, rambling general pieces that make me lose the will to live – this piece from NetSetter is not one of those.

I’m desperately fighting the urge to say, ‘Check it out’ at this point, so I’ll stop there.

*Yes, I’m sorry for anyone on the UK who prefers to spell it ‘monetise’ but that’s what the article’s called.  Personally I’d prefer to say, ‘how to profit from blogging’ but there we are.

Proud to be a NetSetter

To check it out, visit http://www.westciv.com/xray/

Simply drag the bookmarklet to your bookmarks toolbar, load a page, click your XRAY bookmarklet and then click on any element on the page to see its attributes

It works, it’s free, what’s stopping you?

I know that you can do something similar (and more) with firebug, but this strikes me as a quick and convenient alternative that won’t take up any of your browser window.

If, at this point, you’re wondering where my list of 49 other tools are – then sorry, but I’m getting fed up with seeing that type of article in design blogs.  I just end up skimming through without really reading them.  So I’m going to stick to very selective articles and then at least you know that I really am recommending something specific.

If you have a useful tool to suggest, then by all means add a comment.

It’s worth checking out the info from google on a regular basis – they didn’t get where they are by sitting still.  There are a lot of myths about SEO and there are many cowboys making a living from peddling nonsense about SEO.  Do yourself a favour and assume that everything you hear about ‘SEO tricks’ is plain wrong.  Go to google for your information and remember that they are on your side if you want to make a great website that’s full of interesting, useful, relevant content.

Content is king – now more than ever.

I’ve been playing about with wordpress for a few years now and I use the word ‘playing’ advisedly.  WordPress is fun.  It works, it’s elegant, it’s reliable and best of all, the good people responsible really listen to their community of users.  I’m finding myself thinking, ‘How did they know I wanted it to be like that?’.

If you’re already a WP fan, then don’t forget to update – it won’t take you more than about ten minutes and that includes the obligatory pre-upgrade backup (you were going to backup first weren’t you?).

Here’s a video:

Stage 1 – They’ve got one, I want one.

Stop. Take a cold shower.

Better now? OK.  Listen.  Web projects are complicated.  Yes, I know your nephew made a website for his rockband and he’s only twelve but then, just because I can make a pretty good macaroni cheese, I don’t claim to be a chef.  If you want your site to be effective, it’s got to be done correctly and that will take time.  And it will cost money.

I may be shooting myself in the foot here, but please stop and ask yourself if you really do need a website.  Will it be a worthwhile investment?  Will it actually increase your sales or make your life easier in some way?

If you aren’t ready yet, then please wait.  So many small businesses have awful websites and, as a consumer, I find that bad websites put me off.  By all means, register a domain name.  Many registrars will allow you a free parking page and an email address and both could be useful.

Stage 2 – I’m ready to go online.

Great.  So your business is going according to plan.  You have some cash to spend and some time to spare. Your site can be up and running by next Tuesday – right?

Wrong.

It’s time to think and plan. But not about websites – about people.

Who will be the stakeholders in this project?  Who will take responsibility for it?  How will your users interact with your site?

Get all your stakeholders together and get them talking.  Try to value everyone’s contributions.  Do your best to get everyone involved.

Try to pin down some measurable objectives for your site, e.g. we will increase sales by 10% over 12 months.

Stage 3 – Talk to the Pros

Research your local webdesigners.  Try to meet with a few of them. Do they seem willing to understand you and your objectives?

You’re going to have to build a relationship with your designer so consider if you could work with them long-term.

Avoid anyone who promises you the moon (i.e. a number one ranking on google) for a suspiciously low cost.

If money is tight, consider using a one man band; they’ll have lower overheads.  Also, be prepared to balance cost and time.  A large agency can charge more but will employ several people to get the job done quickly.  If you can wait, you could save a lot of money.

Stage 4 – Go for it.

It’s time to commit.  Agree a timescale and a budget with your designer.

At this stage, don’t forget those stakeholders.  Keep them informed and share progress with them.  Ask for their opinions but don’t let them derail your project – remember those objectives.

A couple of pleas here.

Don’t expect your designer to work without a contract (if they are – be suspicious).

Please don’t expect a designer to prepare any preliminary work for no pay.

Stage 5 – Test and sign off.

Don’t sign off your project until you’ve tested it with stakeholders and users.  A good designer will encourage you to do this – but don’t expect them to hang around forever.  A couple of weeks of intensive updates and modifications should cover it, but discuss this with your designer.

Stage 6 – Review

Some web guru said that websites are never finished, only abandoned.  Monitor your website, check your analytics (or pay a pro to do this for you) and be prepared to pay for any modifications that you request after you’ve signed the project off.  Look out for new opportunities as the online world changes and expands, e.g. social media integration, advertising, e-commerce, email newsletters.  If your site has been well-built, it should provide a solid foundation for your online future.

That’s it.

Very brief I know, but perhaps you can suggest some additions?

Edububble is all about putting students, teachers and other educators in the driving seat of their online experience.  Having had the privilege of working with young people (as a teacher) for over ten years, I understand the constant pressure of time that staff feel; teachers want to create great online projects, they just don’t have the time.  That’s why edububble is a fully supported online solution.

Edububble sites are easy to maintain, but for a reasonable monthly fee, you get the security of knowing that I’m here to act as your Web Manager.

If you’re involved in education, then have your website the way you want it – have an edububble.

So if you’d like to check out an excellent hosting provider, just click on the following link: