Can anyone build a website?

Anyone can put a new transmission in a car. Anyone can wire a new house for electricity. Anyone can file taxes for a large corporation. Given enough research and guts this might be true. However, a good car mechanic has years of practice and training, as does a good electrician and a good tax accountant.

A good Internet web designer or consultant is no different. Years of training and experience, a natural sense of design, and an affinity for the medium make the difference between a professional web designer and your friend’s kid brother using Dreamweaver.

With all of the software tools and information available today anyone can put together a Webpage – but a Webpage or two “does not mean a Website was made”. There is much more to a Website than pasting pretty pictures and a bit of text on a couple of Webpages.

A useful and appropriate Website is the product of a trained and knowledgeable professional. Your website can make you or break you. The look and function of your site is what either keeps your potential customer interested, or sends them to your competition.

Some aspects of Website design that are necessary, but often overlooked are:

• Navigation – logical, functional, accurate and working properly.
• Layout – the site must be organized in a logical and easy to understand way.
• Load Time – a site must load quickly, a balance between graphics and text.
• Ability to update or expand – the site should be scalable, able to change with time.
• Appropriate design – graphics, colors, the ‘tone’ of the message should say “pro”.
• Browser compatibility – should look the same on Navigator or Netscape, old or new..
• Meta Tags – should be designed properly for best search engine results.
• Legal implications – liabilities, privacy and security concerns are important issues to consider.
• Attention to detail – meticulous attention to detail is paramount, or the site fails.

Remember that customers will judge you by your Website.
Make no mistake about that.