What exactly is involved in getting a web site launched?
Its been over 8 years now that my business has been in operation, and I get asked a lot of questions by potential clients. One of the most common question would have to be: "What exactly is involved in getting my business on the web, and why can't I do it all myself?" With this article I wish to tackle this question and all the other questions that you should ask before choosing a web site design company to design your web presence, or doing it all yourself.

Getting Started
You've decided to get a web site to promote your company. Now what? I would suggest first doing some research and finding out what other people are doing with their online presence. Check out your competition as well to see what their web site includes. Taking a look at web sites which you frequently visit and seeing what special features may work on your site and what your web site might look like. Make many notes, sketches and print out web sites you like the look and feel of. This is all part of doing research, which will help you understand what your site should include.

Doing It Yourself
With many different computer programs, online training sites, and books available to teach you the HTML internet language, why not take it upon yourself to do all the work? This really depends on whether you have the time to learn how to do it, and whether you have the time to do it. You may think that you are saving money by designing your own site – but can you afford to do it yourself? Professional web site designers make sure that they always are up to date in the latest technologies involved and are able to make your web site function and get the results you are after. There are some things you can do to save money and time before hiring a designer to put your site together.

Saving Time and Money
Make sure to have all information ready for your site, which the designer will need before you get started. This may included: a rough layout of how the web site will look and function, text for the web site's contents either provided written or on a disk/email as text, any photos and drawings you wish to include on your site (logos, product photos, map, charts…), a short description about your company (this will be necessary for the search sites), and a list of 20 - 30 keywords that people may type into the search engine to find your site. As well, it is always a great time saver to have an idea of how many pages your site will include.

Tell the Designer What You Want
Now that you know what your web site should include, focusing on how to put it all together and what type of an online presence your company should have, it is necessary to go over all the information with your web site designer. Make sure that your ideas will work and function the way you have imagined them to work. Work on the web site with the designer in steps to insure that you always have the opportunity to see what the site is looking like as its progressing. Professional designers will accommodate all of your needs and special requests, just don't leave them until the last minute.

Finding a Design Company
Asking around and finding out who other people have had good experiences with would be your first choice. It helps to ease your mind to know that the designer you choose will be able to handle your needs in a professional manner. Ask for references and check out the designer's portfolio of work he/she has done. If basing your decision on the cost factor, make sure that there are no hidden fees or extra charges, which may arise. If you can't find a local web design company, see whom local companies are using for their web designs. Many design companies operate out of smaller towns all over the province and are easy to find by searching for "ontario web design" in your favorite search site.

Web design companies usually charge for doing your web site either as a "per page" price or a "per hour" price. It would be wise to request a written quote or estimate allowing you to make sure you are not spending more than anticipated. A per page price may seem very cheap if your site will only have 2-3 pages… but don't forget if you decide to have your whole product catalog on the site this may all of a sudden get quite pricey. A per hour price makes more sense giving you a clearer estimate of what your overall web site will cost.