Traps For All
IT'S TRUE ..ANYONE CAN BUILD A WEBSITE (of sorts)
It's not that hard to build a website. You can do it yourself with Front Page or MS Word and load it onto the free space provided by your ISP. Unfortunately, it will look like all the other 'DIY' sites because Microsoft base these programs around templates and only a couple of these look any good so they become popular. The real problems happen when you try to customise the site with your logo etc.
There are some excellent updatable online website packages available that only require you to add your own content. However, there are not many outstanding designs and people with taste tend to choose the same design template. The potential for formatting the look of these sites is usually limited.
We all know someone who has a friend or knows a student who can build them a website for nothing. Their motivation is the fun of putting it together... it is fun. However it's not all fun. There is a lot of hard work and boring stuff along the track. Search engine management is one, but others involve troubleshooting and fixing things that stop working. When content needs updating it needs to be done NOW! Not when the website builder has the inclination.
If you are serious about having an effective website use an experienced full time professional. It will pay off!
A good web developer will try to understand what you want to achieve with your website. A website without a reason is about as useful as a business card kept in your wallet.
Because the Internet is so new, it has become a breeding ground for dubious practices by companies who rely on ignorance to gain an advantage.
These are some examples related to me by clients who had bad experiences elsewhere.
- One was charged $1000 to have a Domain Name registered.
- Another was told by a large national web development company that his website couldn't be updated because they used university student and they didn't know how to contact him.
- Stand over tactics were used by a Brisbane web developer to obtain payment before a website containing dozens of mistakes was even completed.
- Promise: Some SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) companies claim they will get you to the top position on Google.
Reality: Logic would tell you that if they have more than one client in the same industry they couldn't ALL be number 1.
The lesson here is to ensure you are informed about the potential pitfalls. It's a lot less painful than having to pay twice to have your website developed.
Eventually, 'bargain' websites cost more!
No matter how much your website costs, it is still the least expensive way to present your product or service to the world IF it is getting results.
Google Adwords Warning
Please do yourself a favour and contact us before signing any AdWords management accounts.
I can't name names here but there is at least one large SEO company who represent themselves as Google NOT as an accredited Google Agent.
Do a search for 'company google complaints'
Unfortunately some of our clients have found this out the hard way and ended up paying outrageous amounts of money with no improved success in search engine positions or sales.