Website Design
Through the looking glass into cyberspace • Illustration by Janina Lamb • with apologies to John Tenniel
Have you googled them?
Ah, the Wild, Wonderful Web! It's where everybody hangs out and does business these days. We expect to be able to find everyone and everything on the web.
There are exceptions to every rule, but if you have a business, organization or project, you need a website—one that works equally well on a computer and a tablet or phone. There may be small word-of-mouth enterprises that can function well without a presence on the web, but they are rare.
Today, looking for a business on the internet is what looking in the phonebook used to be. It's your face and your calling card. It’s not enough to have a page on Facebook. You can do a lot with social media, and for some situations, that might be enough. But Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. work best as an addition—as pointers—to your website. If you want your business or project to be taken seriously you need a web presence. A good web presence.
There are exceptions to every rule, but if you have a business, organization or project, you need a website—one that works equally well on a computer and a tablet or phone. There may be small word-of-mouth enterprises that can function well without a presence on the web, but they are rare.
Today, looking for a business on the internet is what looking in the phonebook used to be. It's your face and your calling card. It’s not enough to have a page on Facebook. You can do a lot with social media, and for some situations, that might be enough. But Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. work best as an addition—as pointers—to your website. If you want your business or project to be taken seriously you need a web presence. A good web presence.
Bad design is smoke,
while good design is a mirror.
~ Juan-Carlos Fernàndez
What is a good web presence?
- It tells a story. Whether you are selling earplugs or enlightenment, people want to hear a good story.
- It's easy to use. Your clients and customers can find what they are looking for.
- It's informative. It has pertinent, well-written content.
- It's professional. The visual design is aesthetically pleasing and suited to the nature and goals of your business/organization. It is in sync with current web standards.
Design is everywhere...
So how do you get that great website that you need?
Doing it yourself, even with a drag and drop system, is not easy. Because it's not a matter of drag and drop. It's a matter of creating something that is a succinct, meaningful, well-designed, user-friendly distillation of your work/services. And most people who need websites are busy doing something else.
What kind of website is right for you? Source: Public Domain Review
I can help.
I can analyze the site you have now and help you figure out how to make it better or I can help you start from scratch figuring out what kind of web presence you need. I can help you create that web presence by developing a message and presentation based on what you offer, what matters to you and where you want your business to go.
Working with you, I create integrated structure and content. This is a different service than “You give me the content and I'll put it on the web for you."
Unless you are a writer, designer and marketing consultant, and have plenty of time on your hands, please get professional help so that your website will be as good as you are. You need a website that lives up to the high standards you bring to your own work.
Working with you, I create integrated structure and content. This is a different service than “You give me the content and I'll put it on the web for you."
Unless you are a writer, designer and marketing consultant, and have plenty of time on your hands, please get professional help so that your website will be as good as you are. You need a website that lives up to the high standards you bring to your own work.
Life is conversational.
Web design should be the same way.
On the web, you’re talking to someone
you’ve probably never met
—so it’s important to be clear and precise.
Thus, well structured navigation
and content organization
goes hand in hand with
having a good conversation.
~ Chikezie Ejiasi
Why I use the Weebly platform
This site, Lamb & Lion Studio, is made using a platform called Weebly. Other Weebly sites I have built are: ticesautomotive.com, essense.com, nancysheridantherapist.com, chimneymanllc.com, oldfriendsgenealogy.com, and tamworthfoundation.org.
There are other hosted platforms similar to Weebly. At this point it is the one I am most familiar with and which I believe offers good value and enough flexibility to be a worthwhile option for most peoples' needs. Its greatest advantage, in comparison to Wordpress, or even some of the other hosted platforms like Squarespace, is that for the average business owner, it is practical. It is hosted, which means you don’t have to purchase hosting separately, and you don’t have to worry about upgrading your software, or protecting your site from hackers, and it is also very easy for you to access the back end to make small changes when needed.
Everything has its pros and cons. Weebly has a combination of ease of use and pricing that makes it attractive for many simple website needs.
There are other hosted platforms similar to Weebly. At this point it is the one I am most familiar with and which I believe offers good value and enough flexibility to be a worthwhile option for most peoples' needs. Its greatest advantage, in comparison to Wordpress, or even some of the other hosted platforms like Squarespace, is that for the average business owner, it is practical. It is hosted, which means you don’t have to purchase hosting separately, and you don’t have to worry about upgrading your software, or protecting your site from hackers, and it is also very easy for you to access the back end to make small changes when needed.
Everything has its pros and cons. Weebly has a combination of ease of use and pricing that makes it attractive for many simple website needs.
Design is in everything we make,
but it’s also between those things.
It’s a mix of craft, science, storytelling,
propaganda, and philosophy.
~ Erik Adigard
Fees
My fee for developing a new website is based on a specific situation. Although fees could be more or less, depending on what is needed, and who the client is (I charge less to small businesses/nonprofits), the average range for my services is between $2400 and $7000. If you think I may be able to help you, please get in touch using the contact form below.
When I contracted to work with Janina Lamb to create my website the process that unfolded was not what I expected – it was better. It is an understatement to say that Janina thinks deeply and broadly about her clients and their needs. Janina asked questions that made me think. Her intuitive, curious and creative process drew ideas from me I had not considered for my website design. The result was a process, design, and product perfect for my business. ~ Nancy Sheridan, MSW