Your Site:
Your website is your online shop-front, your virtual portfolio. First impressions last - so it is essential that you communicate effectively and immediately to your target audience. This can be achieved with a perfect blend of good quality, relevant content - beautifully presented. Your site should be fast loading, easy to navigate and present your services or product clearly.
A bog-standard website is easy to produce, but why would you want to present your business in any way other than top-notch? A wonderful meal is a wonderful meal but it certainly tastes better when eaten in plush, comfortable surroundings rather than a plain, dull, character-free environment. You are offering high quality products or services - and your site should reflect that in both it's appearance and behaviour.
How your website looks and behaves says a lot about you and your business and has a direct effect on your customers experience of visiting your site. A well designed site will increase the chances of your visitors returning time and time again.
How?: Stuart uses a variety of the following to create effective, easy to use websites: HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, Audio, Video and PHP. These are employed in order to produce the desired components and functions of each website and as standard, each site will include:
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Prices: a. Single page site £125 b. Bronze £350 (4 pages) home page (including and image and name) gallery page (including up to 15 images - client provide) about/background/cv/statement page contact page (including links to any existing social network accounts, email link, tel no etc.) c. Silver £500 (5 pages) home page (including random image selector - up to 5 images) gallery page (including up to 20 images - client provide) about/background/cv/statement page review/testimonial/film (link to existing film)/other page contact page (including social network links, email link, tel no etc) d. Gold £850 (5 + pages) home page (including random image selector or animated rotation of images) gallery page/s (including up to 30 images - client provide) about/background/cv/statement page film page (1 x film created for site - details) contact page (including any social network links, email link, tel no etc) |
Components: E-commerce. An online shopping facility can be included within your site dependent upon the client already offering an existing credit card payment method or owning a merchant Paypal account. Prices start at £50 for 15 items. Photography @ £20 per hour Films created for sites 2-3 mins approx duration. Social Network sites set-up (Blogger, Twitter etc.) £20 each Copy/wording for 'About' or 'Background' pages £30 per page if not client supplied. Additional email accounts (sales@... etc) £20 Forms/Mailing Lists £20-£40 Packages are totally flexible and can be modified to suit individual needs. |
Logo. If you have an existing company identity then the design of your site will be tailored to compliment and extend your existing branding. Need a logo fro your site? No problem, this can be included within the initial design process. Photographs and Images. Your own photographs, maps and graphic elements can be easily prepared for inclusion in your site - at very high quality with fast download speeds. Need your products or services to be photographed? No problem, all photography can be carried out by Stuart or one of a number of professional, specialist photographers in your area. Film. Would your business practice, services or premises benefit from a short film to inform customers of what, how and why? No problem, with over 20 years experience in professional film-making, Stuart can produce a high quality film for inclusion in your site. This film will not only help inform, hold your viewers attention and help boost traffic. |
Flash.
Animated elements can provide a visually strong addition to the presentation of information within your site. Often clients request 'animated galleries' - a rotating selection of images and/or text that can fade/mix/move etc. These can help hold the viewers attention if static or can engage if interactive. Social Networking: Stuart fully encourages the use of social networking sites as part of your online advertising campaign as they can all link back to your main website - helping to push more traffic (more potential customers) your way. All of the following sites are free and are relatively straight forward to use, each with it's own strengths and weaknesses, some being more suited to your needs than others. Have a read of the short descriptions to see which, if any, could help your business online. Stuart regularly uses all of these himself and can set you up with an account that will be integrated into your online presence. |
 Facebook. The big one when it comes to social networking! A few years ago Myspace and Beebo were used by certain smaller sections of society to communicate with each other online. Now an estimated 500 million people worldwide are active Facebook users with 50% using it everyday! Having a Facebook page for your business is an excellent way to increase traffic to your site and raise your public profile. Stuart can help set up your Facebook page that will 'tie in' to your website. Like a blogspot, your Facebook page can be updated, by you, as often as you like. When other Facebook users 'Like' your page (akin to signing up for updates) they become automatically notified of your recent posts. An extremely powerful marketing device - free of charge. >click here for example> |
 Blog. Blogger is Google's blog site. 'Blogging' is essentially keeping an online diary. Blogs enable anyone to self-publish on the internet without any previous experience of web designing. With just basic computer skills, users can write, add pictures, movies, link to other websites and publish online as little or as often as they wish. Blogging gives you the freedom to announce to the world any newsworthy items relating to your business, 24-7. click here for example> |
 Twitter. The text/copy only method of sending out messages to the world. Twitter is fast becoming an essential companion to Facebook with regards to online networking. Twitter works by 'following' or being followed by other Twitter users. 'Tweets' (maximum of 140 words) can be sent as reminders to all of your customers and potential customers that you have a new range of stock available or a new exhibition taking place. Although you are unable to include pictures or video in your tweets, you can easily link to any website or any online file that would like your customers to see. Facebook enables you to automatically 'tweet' your Facebook posts so you can double up your marketing messages to both communities at once. click here for example> |
 Youtube. This website is essential if you have a selection of films that promote your business. By creating your own Youtube 'channel', you are able to provide your audience with a single page to display your movies. These movies can then be embedded into your main site. Both the channel and each movie can be 'tagged' with keywords that will help your audience find you and your business easier online. >click here for example>  Issuu. This website is perfect for hosting catalogues and brochures. Do you have printed matter with examples of your products such as catalogues and brochures? Simply upload a pdf version and Issuu will convert this into a 'virtual' version of your publication that can be thumbed' through (with lovely 'page turns') either on Issuu or embedded into your main website. >click here for example> |
 Linkdin. Fast becoming a very popular 'business to business' site for individuals as well as businesses where by your cv and examples of work are available to potential customers, clients and employees. >click here for example> Tumblr. A very stylish blog site that has a vast selection of preset layouts and designs to suit a very wide range of subjects and styles. Easy to use, Tumblr is fast becoming a popular alternative to Blogger. |
Updates.
Content updating can be carried out on a regular or ad-hock basis whatever suits your needs. Update fees are very affordable (after all, you already have the site 'framework') and can be implemented at very short notice. Once files and information has been received, updates will generally be in place on the site within 24-48 hours! For those clients wanting to inform their audience of updates on a more regular basis, I recommend using a blog - >click here to see more< Blogging is a very simple and effective way of having complete control over your online output, whilst helping to direct traffic towards your website. Blogspots enable individuals without any webbuilding knowledge to manage their own web content. |
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