Web Site Development
OK, when I first hung out my shingle, it didn't say a word about web sites on it. Sure, I had created my own web-site, but what self-respecting techie turned entrepreneur wouldn't do that? Since then I've done a fair bit of commercial web site work, and have given up telling clients I don't really do that. After all, the client is always right, right? I'm just a guy with common sense, analytical and technical ability and computer experience.
However, you should note that it doesn't say web site design up there in the heading, does it? If you don't know pretty much what you want, you'll go broke paying me to help you find the perfect design, and that can be pretty frustrating for both of us. Moreover, your ideas could outstrip my artistic abilities but before they do I will refer you to a professional designer to see if that makes more sense for you.
Still with me? OK. Thanks. What I do is create simple, easy-to-use, no-frills web sites. Often, I send people to a template site to pick a look and feel which I then take and customise. Or, I can take your existing web-site and update the content.
Site Clean-up
When I work on existing sites, I often find a very confusing mess of images and pages mixed helter-skelter with a large proportion of debris (unused files) left from previous workers. Whenever possible, I clean up as I go (with back-up, of course) and I also convert to a template-based CSS structure if the site isn't too large to make this impractical. The end result is a much smaller footprint, with pages that load faster, and a design which allows the overall look of the entire site to be changed in minutes. For instance, all headings can be changed to pink 28pt Ariel by changing one line in one file, although why you'd want to do that is beyond me.
Site Review
Something I've done for a number of organisations and individuals is a review of an existing site. How easy is it to navigate? Do all the links work? Is it consistent? Is it easy to read? Can the major search engines find it? I can work to your budget and provide a report by e-mail, usually within a couple of days. Sometimes you just need a second set of eyeballs.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
I also have a fair handle on the process for coding pages which work well with search engines (SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation), without wasting a fortune on pay-per-click advertising. This is not to say that if you're into selling male performance enhancing medications I can get you in the Google top ten, but for less ambitious keywords, I can usually get you nicely visible.
Every part of this site: logos, web-icon, photos, design and text is my own work, so if that's the kind of style you're looking for, maybe I can help. Get in touch and we'll see if it makes sense.
Domain Name Registration, Hosting
You can use this handy tool to find whether your favourite domain name is already taken. Just type in a name without the "www" or any ending (like .com), click on "find" and you will be see a new page with the information you need. If you find an available name you want, you can go ahead and sign up for it, and I'll make my fortune at a buck a year!
I personally register my domains with these folk and I find their rates, especially for .ca domains, to be among the best.
Articles on my Web Philosophy
To get more of a flavour for my web philosophy, here are some of my published articles on the subject:
Why do you need a web site?
Beyond the basic web site: Perils and Pitfalls
Marketing your web site
How much will my first web site cost?
Web site management
Search engine visibility
Web Site WYSIWYG - not!
Avoid web site hijacking
| Software Tools | Dreamweaver. Flash, Fireworks, GoLive, Photoshop, Illustrator |
| Technologies used | HTML, XHTML, CSS, phpBBS, phpList, PHP, mySQL, audio, video embedding, analysis of site statistics |
| Specialties | Site Review; Search Engine Optimisation (SEO); site cleanup; simple, standards-driven usable sites; photographic image editing |
| Locality | Typically, I work with email, and occasionally phone and this works well for web development. If you don't have a hosted site, I can put up a test-viewing site in a directory of my web site while your site is developed. For face to face contact, you'd need to be in Oakville or possibly Burlington or Milton. I tried commuting, and didn't like it. |