Cheap Web Design
The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is true in most all scenarios. Web site design included.
I shake my head when I see web design (developer / programmer / et al) classifieds on craigs list offering $8.00 - $10.00/hr. Or, the individual (or start-up) that is willing to fork out a whole $200.00 for a dynamic web site.
Am I A Perfectionist?
Maybe so. Or maybe I read too many books and blogs. I don’t think I ‘know-it-all’. Far from it. But, it aches to see fellow web designers dive into a new project with ‘mocking up a killer graphic design’ as their primary goal. If you haven’t really identified the needs of your intended audience, how do you really have a clue on your layout?
Navigational Mazes
Site Layout? Don’t be so quick to arbitrarily slap up navigation links with the standard ‘home | blahblah | yadayada | about | contact’ links. Or worse yet, a baker’s dozen links because noone has thought about how to properly categorize them.
You. Are. The Professional.
And doggone it, don’t just do exactly what the client says without thinking things through. If you’ve built just one site or 1,000, chances are you have picked up some knowledge of what are good practices and what aren’t. Share these with the client and lead them down the best path. You do a disservice to them if they tell you exactly what to do and you do it, no questions asked.
Here’s the ’short list’ of things you don’t get with low cost* web design.
- Goal planning and in-depth site objectives
- Audience definition
- Intuiative site mapping and navigation
- User testing
- Search engine optimization
- Well thought out and effective copy
What you may or may not get:
- A graphically pleasing page
What you do get:
- A web site
*My one addendum is that low cost and quality is possible on the chance you have the good fortune of catching a savvy (albeit less experienced) student or individual on their way up doing some portfolio building / gratis work for you and they are well studied.