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How did you become an equine website designer?
I built my first reining horse website for
my and my husband's horse business back when the world wide web was just
beginning to really take off within the horse industry, around the late 90's.
Originally, I had hired a non-horseperson to develop a website for us. But that
just didn't work. After much frustration and inferior results, I finally
decided that anything he could do I could do better. For several months, I spent
every waking moment reading and experimenting until I got a satisfactory version
of our website on-line. The do-it-yourself approach is not always the easiest,
but after a lot of effort improving my design skills, plus constantly reinventing our
own website, people began noticing and complimenting the results and my website design
business was born. I have since built and redesigned dozens of horse related
websites, as well as websites for other types of businesses.
Why are professional looking websites
important to a horse business?
In this competitive age, a high quality website is critical. Think of a
website like your very own magazine. First, your customers should be able to
find it easily on any newsstand. Then, you should have a cover which makes folks
want to pick it up and read it from front to back. You should have content that
is informative, easily accessible, and keeps a viewer's interest. And you should
present your product in upscale fashion, no matter the size of your operation.
If you do this, people will respect you and want to be part of what you're
doing.
If you think your business is too small for a website, remember that even the smallest
scale breeding or training operation can come off looking vibrant and grand with
a great design and layout. Your intent should not be to mislead customers, but
rather let people know that, no matter the size of your business, you are
professional, knowledgeable and a cut above the competition.
What does the average equine website
cost?
I can't speak for other designers, but I
charge a flat rate of $2,000 for the first 20 pages, then $50 per page.
Most websites do fine with 15 to 20 pages. This flat fee includes everything
needed for your site; all
domain name and website hosting set-up, configuring email addresses, original logo
and slogan design (for use in the rest of your business), the design of custom
menu buttons and artwork, photo editing, all editorial and layout work, advanced
searchability features, and inputting all content. I require half down to start
a project with the balance due upon completion. After completion, I offer 30
days free maintenance to allow for any adjustments and corrections. After that,
on websites I have built or redesigned, I charge the minimal fee of $10 per page
touched for simple updates and $50 per hour for advanced updates. I put
everything in a written contract and post all my prices for easy reference.
I also
think you can get into trouble with web designers who charge strictly by the hour.
In my opinion, the basic structure and functionality of a website should be bid
by the job, not at an hourly rate. That said, it is common for additions or
changes to be adjusted at an hourly rate. But I believe you should have a firm
basic bid to start from.
What are some hidden fees that may
come up later?
I seldom have any additional fees beyond what I quote up front. I hate
hidden fees myself, and know my customers do, too. But some hidden fees
that other web designers may charge would be for logo development, photo
editing, editorial work, or redesign. Logo development may not be included in
your website design estimate, so be sure and investigate this (it is included with
me). An example of photo editing fees would be the work of altering a
photograph's poor background to make it more presentable (I include this most of
the time). Editorial fees may include editing any text items you
submit for use on the website, or writing such items for you. People never seem to
fully realize the incredible amount of text on websites. And last but not least,
redesign work is almost always an extra charge. For instance, say your website
is 75% complete, but you see a cool new graphic and want it incorporated into
the design. This may seem like a simple change to you, but it often requires
extensive rework of all the existing graphics and can take many hours to
complete.
What are a few guarantees a website
designer should offer?
I believe the most important things a website designer should guarantee in a written
contract are sound searchability components, a time frame deadline, and a
customer satisfaction guarantee. It is important to realize that
searchability components are completely different from actual search
RESULTS, but rather refer to the CONTENT of a website which help enhance its
searchability. I offer a printed diagnostic reflecting the site's searchability
component performance. This shows people that their website is constructed correctly, and
that it ought to perform favorably in search engine results. Without exception, a time
line should be guaranteed, and a clause should be included as to who pays for
what if the website is late or unsatisfactory. Another important thing that I
guarantee is ownership. My contract states that all content on a website is the property and
responsibility of the owner, the only exception being if the owner is
financially delinquent. In that case, I can hold the site 'hostage' until things are made right.
Are there some simple programs that a
person may want to buy to create a website themselves?
There are hundreds of do-it-yourself website design options on the market. These
range from web hosting companies that offer canned templates into which you
submit your information, kind of like a blank greeting card into which you print
your message, to full fledged website design programs that are used to build custom
websites from scratch. But I find that often people will buy a design program
and try to build a website themselves only to find they lack the technical
knowledge and artistic expertise to do the job right. Like any other
do-it-yourself endeavor, some people do have what it takes and can do a great
job. But often the project is ruined or neglected and it takes more time and
effort to fix and re-do stuff than if they'd have hired a professional in the
first place. In the end, it all comes down to what you want, need and can
afford.
When would a horse business need to hire a website designer versus build a site
themselves?
In my opinion, if you are implementing a
website just to communicate to the world about yourself, you can probably build
it yourself. But if you are trying to make what you do a bona fide business,
hiring a professional web designer will pay for itself many times over.
What are the most important three things that a website's home page should
contain?
Every home page should include your business name or logo, a way to contact you,
and a clear and simple means of accessing the rest of your site. I think an
equally important question to ask is what should a home page NOT INCLUDE?
It should not include any busy, distracting items like flashing animations and
sounds, and it should never direct viewers to any other site but your own. In
addition, it should be explanatory, but the pages should not be miles and miles
long. Think clean, simple, brief and pretty. This will allow visitors to quickly
access the part of your website they are most interested in.
What's the deal regarding search engines? How does a website rank high in the
results?
Having your website show up on search results is a must. But search engines can
be
tricky and search engine scams are lurking in every dark corner.
While I am reluctant to give away my in-depth searchability strategies, I will
say that the average horse business does not need to pay for sponsored search
engine results. A website that is designed properly will show up on search
engines all on its own. The important aspects of searchability lie within the
'guts' of the website, and no matter who promises you what type of result, it
simply won't happen unless your site contains the proper elements in the first
place.
What are some design features and
qualities that you strive for in your websites?
Personally, I love a style that is understated yet beautiful. I lean toward
creating a classy, custom, fine art look which captures the imagination and
invites a viewer into a website. As far as content, I continually strive for a
balance between maximum images and minimum text. I think people are extremely
visual these days. Particularly on equine websites, I think people want to SEE
horses, not read about them. To me, the best websites are not only visually
pleasing but very clearly arranged and easy to navigate. In my mind, a website
needs to present an item clearly, briefly explain that item, and allow for the
easy navigation to other items instantaneously. This sounds deceptively simple,
and is something we all take for granted as we explore the internet, but the
logistics of coordinating website content in such a way can be extremely
challenging.
I think the biggest attributes that have set me apart in the equine website design
business have been my eye for style and the fact that I know horses and how to
make them look good on-line. Since building my first website years ago, I have
worked hard to broaden my vision and keep my design skills growing. I continually
experiment with cool new technology which makes for great presentation, yet try
to stick with tried and true methods that keep websites technically sound and
functional for the widest audience. I also make it a point to provide
exceptional customer service, which is often an overlooked aspect of a website's
success. I don't quit until every customer is totally happy with the results of
my work, then I make it a point to be promptly available for follow-up services.
If someone is contemplating building a website,
how do they begin?
Every website designer will have a slightly different approach, but I would advise a
person seeking to build a new or redesign an existing website to contact a web
designer you admire for some simple information, not necessarily making a firm
commitment. Its like buying a new car or new home. You need what is right for
you, and even though a particular designer may do lovely work, their style may
not fit your needs. Find some different websites they have built and explore what
those cost, how long they took to build, and how long they have been in
operation.
Once you've settled on a website designer,
the most helpful thing you can do is have an idea of what you want. Prepare a list of websites
that you like, and be ready to explain why you like them. Is it the colors? The
navigation menu? The overall layout and look of the site? This will help your
designer find a style and format that will make you happy.
What are the most common mistakes
people make when designing an equine website?
In the area of design and eye appeal, the most obvious mistake I see on horse
websites is the use of terrible photos. It doesn’t matter what type of horse
business you're representing, high quality, professional photos are a must. The
other common mistake I see is the use of too many distracting features on web
pages, like animations, sounds and banners. The goal of your website should be
to show a high standard within your industry.
I also see a big mistake in the area of actual website management, namely, lack of
maintenance. When viewers re-visit your website and the information is stagnant
month after month, they will simply quit returning, and for good reason. The
single most important thing a person can do after completing a new equine website is
find some reason to update it at least monthly. Things to update include fresh
photos and videos, show results, customer comments, congratulations messages,
etc. Just like the horses in your barn, your equine website needs routine care and
grooming. Your site will never grow into the asset you desire unless care and
attention are given it regularly.
Bottom line, I feel a good website designer's job should be to construct your
site in a tasteful, professional looking fashion which pleases you, be on
hand to keep it operating smoothly as possible, and help you keep your business
fresh and appealing for the long term.
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