Questions

What do I need to include on my website? Most business websites consist of key information about the company including location and contact information, business hours and types of services. If you have professional affiliations, licenses or certifications, those should be included as well. Are you governed by a board of directors that you want to include within your information? Do you have a calendar of events or social events you need to promote? I have a home-based business that offers a service or product. What do I need? Most home-based businesses don’t have direct sales over the internet. You may offer landscaping, home decorating or painting, pet services, have a consulting firm, administrative services or similar. Most of these websites can just be very basic with contact information, service locations and a description of your business. Many of these types of websites should include a portfolio of previous projects completed or a few references from satisfied customers, as well as any guarantees you offer, payment terms or other policies. I want to promote a book I wrote, create a fansite for a celebrity or just have a fun site... There are no limits to the types of sites people create. If you are an author, photographer or musician, you should have a website promoting your art. If you have a cause you believe in, a favorite pastime or hobby, or just want to have a site for a combination of your favorite things, there are no rules. Personal sites, fansites and other types of sites can be a lot of fun to create and have out on the internet for others to enjoy. Experiment and see what you want to have online as a personal statement, whether it be for fun or for something more serious. Visual Web Design Tones, Styles and Colors The tone of your website depends on a few key factors. Some sites need to be very formal and have a strong business or corporate feel. Other sites can still be very professional, yet have a more relaxed tone and appearance. It just depends on the strength of the formality you want to use. This is usually done through the copy written on the site as well as the colors and types of fonts used in the design. Think about how you want your visitors to view you -- a more formal style is often used for large companies, attorneys and other professional occupations, while a relaxed style can be used for home- based businesses or other small companies such as contractors, landscaping, florists, or similar. Personal websites have no basic guidelines. It’s entirely up to you to set the style your want your viewers to see.

Design Questions