Tidbits

“When I took office, only high energy physicists had ever heard of what is called the World Wide Web....Now even my cat has its own page.”
— Bill Clinton, 1996

In the last 20 or so years, the World Wide Web (or internet) has basically become a staple to everyday life. As such, businesses and individuals alike (if they haven't already) should take time to think about their online presence. That may mean creating a Twitter account or starting a Facebook page...or you may decide that you need a website or blog.

But starting a new website or blog can be a daunting venture. How should you start? What will you need? And a hundred other questions start filling your mind.

Well, first of all, you'll need to decide if you want to hire out the design work or try to create something on your own. As a web designer, my recommendation is to leave the stress and website coding to professionals. You may spend a little more up front, but you'll get much better, custom results and can have him or her add features or change design details to help you best represent yourself online. He or she can also advise you on optimizing your site for Google.

So, let's say you've chosen me to be your web designer. What next? Below is a list I've put together with the important materials/facts I would need from you to get started.

Basic Information/Files Needed:

• Several examples of websites you like — they should give me a feel for the “look” you're going for on your new site.


• If applicable, any existing company/product/service logo files and colors.


• Images you may want me to include in the site. It's better to send more images than less, because that gives me plenty of options to work with. If you don't have images, I may need to find and purchase stock images.


• A list of the pages you'll want included on the site.


• At some point during the design process, I'll also need the text you want included on the site.

Other possibilities to consider:

• Will you want one or more e-mail addresses associated with the new website?


• Facebook/Twitter links and/or social media interconnectivity?


• Do you want a blog on the site?


• Do you plan to sell things on the website? If so, do you have a PayPal account already set up?


• Will you want the site to be accessible/formatted for mobile devices such as the Ipad and Iphone?

Hopefully, this post helps you better understand the website design process! If you already have a website or blog, but are in need of an update, these thoughts will also apply to you.