To solve this problem, the best thing to do, is to get your site listed on a website that already is visited by Google or Yahoo etc …

A COUPLE OF OPTIONS

One way to do this is with link exchanges. Another is by submitting your website to a directory. The problem is that good directories (that get visited a lot,) usually take their time to list new websites, or you have to pay.

For example: Yahoo! cost about $295 just for them to consider your site – there is no guarantee they will even accept you!

…

To make a long story short, killersites.com has a brand (spanking) new web designers directory. If you have a website and you are looking for web design contracts and exposure to the search engines, now is the time to get your website listed since it is FREE … for now.

Web Design Firms Directory

I will at some point, stop accepting free listings because each entry has to be validated by human eyes … that takes time! To be clear, if you list your site now, it’s free. It will also always be free, for that level, for you guys and gals.

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I have an article comparing AJAX (the hot new name for a type of JavaScript programming,) and FLASH. There is some collision between the two, and it is an interesting read to see how these technologies compare.

This will be out within the next few days.

Thanks,

Stefan Mischook

It comes down to 3 things:

1. Blogs/CMS software: these are turn-key template driven web sites. This is not just a visual component – Blogs/CMS systems have built-in functionality (’engines’) that makes maintaining a website trivial.
2. Web site templates: purely a design template, whereas Blogs and CMS offer both visual and functional aspects.
3. Pod Casting: the emergence of audio and soon video content on the web at levels never seen before.

These three developments I believe are changing the face of web design, in a way that we have not seen since the first web design software came out years ago.

The days of building websites from scratch will soon fade, and become something very specialized – there are just too many advantages in using a CMS/Blog or a website template.

THE POINT:

As a web designer, you should jump at this opportunity – begin to learn about how you can use web templates and Blogs/CMS to build your own killer websites faster than ever before.

Technology is there to solve problems, so if the problem warrants the use of a particular piece, then by all means use it, but not just for the sake of using it!

HOW KILLERSITES USES XML

I use XML daily for application server (web servers on steroids) configurations and for simple data storage.

Typically you wouldn’t use XML directly in a web page unless for example, you wanted to create an RSS feed – RSS is not really meant for human eyes, though it is human readable.

You can check out the killersites forum’s RSS feed if you’re curious about XML.

XML’S PURPOSE

Remember that XML is just a way to structure and describe data. Programmers use tools built into programming languages to help them read and use the data.

Many programming languages have built in support for XML reading and manipulation – languages that include Java, C#, PHP among several others.

On the other hand …

There is an XML based mark-up language you can use in your web pages: XHTML. I should mention though, that there are problems using true XHTML – IE6 doesn’t handle it properly.

CONCLUSION

Don’t go crazy about XML, it is much more of a tool for programmers to exchange data, configure servers, and perhaps used as format to save data.

When it comes to making web pages, think HTML, CSS and maybe a little JavaScript for some DOM manipulation.

Originally published: January 20th, 2004

I always look for these elements in web sites:

1. Clean easy to update design/structure.
2. Good usability in the design – and all that implies.
3. Fast loading ‘light’ pages.
4. Intelligent use of technology – using Flash when it makes sense not because you want a ‘cool’ intro!
5. The website’s ability to convey the meaning/message of the website quickly if not instantly.

THE DETAILS

1. Clean easy to update design/structure:

Just a few short years ago the web was full of dancing mice, spinning globes and animated construction workers, things have now changed where design principles are now actually put to good use … amazing!

A problem with many websites, is that the design is not flexible. Websites constantly change; if you find that putting in a new navigation button is going to take a lot of work, you have to reconsider your design.

You should be able to freely and add and remove elements from your pages with little to no trouble – that only makes sense.

2. Good usability in the design – and all that implies.

Usability is one of the new buzzwords that people like to use, but what does it mean? In a nutshell, usability is referring to (in web design) how easy someone can get around your website … how usable is it.

If someone has to ‘hunt’ for your ‘home’ link or your contact information, then you have a usability problem.

3. Fast loading ‘light’ pages.

This is one of the oldest rules in the book! People will leave your site like a flash, if your site takes over 10 seconds to load on a 56k modem. That means your pages have to be less than 60k – images and all.

Being that this is such an old rule of web design, you would think everyone would keep their pages light, right? Wrong! Just take a look around and it’s not hard to find 250k Flash websites!

This checklist is just a reminder of what we all know; sometimes in the excitement of building our masterpieces, we can forget … so check the checklist!

4. Intelligent use of technology – using Flash when it makes sense, not because you want a ‘cool’ intro!

I think this is obvious to most people. All the technology used to build websites are just tools; we use a screwdriver when we need to, not because we want to. (Of course, I’ve been known to hammer nails with a screwdriver and saw wood with a steak knife).

…

The point is, that you need to let the goal of the website dictate what technology you are going to use, and not what the flavor of the month happens to be at the time.

5. The websites’ ability to convey the meaning/message of the website quickly if not instantly.

The one thing that gets on my nerves (the most,) when I’m surfing the web, is when I come to a web page where I can’t figure out what the website is about. (Ok, maybe pop-up windows are worse, but this still ticks me off!)

Typically, these turn out to be what I would call ‘artsy’ websites, where the design is pleasing to the eye, but I have to ‘dig’ to get the point of the website.

Make sure that your visitors can easily figure out what the website is about, otherwise you won’t be conveying your message at all, because people will just be leaving your website.

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Originally published: January 20th, 2004

People have been asking for this one, for a long time – I’ve been a total scatterbrain lately with heaps of half-written articles and tutorials!

I must have about 60-70 pages worth of material on everything from web design tips, PHP programming, how to create a database in MySQL, negotiating a web contract – all of them about half finished!

Before I go on with the article on the web design business, I have to say that I have relearned one thing in the last 3 months: do one thing and finish it! I think this is so important, that I’ve even come up with an expression:

‘If you’re half way there, you’re nowhere!’

Wow, I’ve coined my first expression! Keep it in mind when you’re doing your thing – whatever it may be.

GETTING YOUR FIRST WEB DESIGN JOB

One of the first question people ask, is how do you actually get a web design job? This has all to do with your presentation – how the client perceives you is more important than reality!

MAKE THE CLIENT CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY

The first thing you need to do is make the client (prospect) confident that you know what your doing. Besides being able to speak clearly and present yourself (don’t wear flip-flops) in a professional manner, you will need a few props:

• A good business card – not one you make with your home printer! These days you can get great looking business cards made for 50 USD from a professional printer, there is no excuse for cheap looking home made jobs! When you hand
  someone a do-it-yourself business card it screams AMATEUR!
• You’re in the web design business – you better have a kick ass site! If your artistic skills are not the greatest, please use a website template designed by someone with the artistic skill!
• A portfolio would be nice! Having a great looking website is usually not enough, you need to show prospects examples of your past work – they will always ask for it.

So, what’s a new web designer to do? What happens if you don’t have past work to show? Just do what Bill Gates did to kick-off Microsoft: exaggerate!

I would create a couple of free websites for friends, family or even yourself.

If you can’t find anyone to give a site away to, then just pick a subject you know about (outside of web design) and build a site for your ‘new business’.

Example: build a website that sells books and become an Amazon.com affiliate while your at it! Besides having a working website to show prospects, you will learn about the growing business of affiliate programs.

SETTING THE PRICE

You don’t want to set the price in the first meeting. You need to be able to go home and evaluate the work. They may push you to give a price; you should hold your ground and just let them know that you will need all the details (how many pages, who does the artwork, any special features like Flash or database stuff et cetera,) before you can give them a final cost.

Asking for these details typically holds the clients off, since they have a few things to think about. But if you really have to, just give them your
hourly rate.

GIVING YOUR HOURLY RATE

How much should you charge per hour? This depends on where you live – it cost a lot less to live in China than it does in New York City! You should be able to gauge the going rate for your part of town by calling up web design companies checking newspaper ads that your competition has placed etc.

YOU HAVE TO ‘PAY YOUR DUES’

I am assuming you are new to the game of web design, so you will probably have to ‘officially’ charge a little less than the average to get your business going.

Example: if the going rate for web designers is $50 hour, you should TELL your clients $35. That will make them feel like they’re getting a deal, and this will help you to land the job.

Some of you may have picked up something I’ve been hinting at – did you see it?

When I’ve been talking about the hourly rate, I’ve been talking about what you should TELL your client, not what you should actually charge!

Consider this: we all got to eat, even you! Working for slave wages doesn’t put food on the plate – your client probably has no idea how long it takes to build a website! Now that I think of it, most web designers have no idea either!

The point is, you have to earn a descent wage; you should exaggerate the hours you need to complete the job. But remember, if you’re new to the field, you will need to work longer (and harder hours) than someone with years of experience, simply because you need time to develop your skills.

My business experience: I’ve found that web designers with a few years experience, can produce better websites in half the time of a web designer fresh out of school.

That’s part of the reason an experienced designer can charge twice as much and still produce a better web site. Nothing beats experience.. so build, build, build!

PRICING THE JOB.

Calculate the hours to complete the web design job and then multiply that number by 2.4! Only then will you have an accurate cost. Trust me, it always takes longer than you think!

Ok, I had enough writing for tonight! But you know what? I finished an article!

Stefan Mischook