web development:
how to
What is the reason for a web
site? Why are you investing time and money into an Internet presence? We
think it is about quality communication. Today you must have a solid, high
quality design. The site layout, navigation, language, and download time all
play vital parts in achieving a design that will communicate well.
The Internet is a medium unlike anything we have known before. One of
the major cornerstones of the Internet is the hyperlink. The hyperlink
allows visitors to jump from one area in a website to another- even from
website to website- with the click of a mouse or stroke of a key. If you are
unable to keep a visitors attention, or have a poor design,
one mouse click and your new prospective client is gone.
Our Web Development team can layout and design your site from the
ground up. This process involves custom design of graphics, logos, and
layout of pages. This design is tailored to your own companies or personal
needs and the final product can be quite remarkable.
Site Programming:
A cost effective alternative
to Custom Design & Development is to have Western Canada Internet
program a site based on your layout.
We have all seen web
sites that after one look (or you have to wait 10 minutes for it to finish
loading) you simply click away from. That is the type of design that does not
send the appropriate message to the client. Actually this may cause the
client to look at a competitors products just because your page was to slow.
There are many things to be considered in the design process, the equipment
that your audience will be using to view your site is important as well. How
the website looks to you is not necessarily the way it will look to your
visitors. For instance, some of the things that can affect how your site may
look are:
- MONITORS- How
will your site look on a 14", 15", 17", and 21"
monitor, respectively?
- COLORS- The
colors that you painstakingly select, may not be the same shades that
others see. First, colors vary from monitor to monitor- unless the
monitor has been calibrated. Also, PC's do not display colors the same
as Mac's. Another thing that is of very important consideration, is how
many colors the computer is set up to display. Most typical setups are at 256
colors upon purchase, but a semblance of photo quality is not even
attainable until about 64K colors are displayable.
- BROWSERS- How many
browsers are out there? Even between the two major players, Netscape and
Internet Explorer, web pages are displayed differently. Some of the
differences are minor- sometimes they can be major.. Each has its own
peculiarities.
- NAVIGATION- How
easy is it for someone to find the information they want from your site?
If they have to search to find some way to contact you- most likely they
will not. If the information is buried 5 levels deep under a header that
is obscure, will they even try?
Looking for someone to lead you through the design process? Just send us an email today!
We ask you provide
us with:
A site layout (flowchart) on 8-1/2 X 11 paper.
Each page of site (as shown on the flow chart) should be defined in layout form on 8-1/2 X 11 paper and include the following:
- Layout of text
- Location of logos
- Location of tool bars
- Layout and design of tool bars
- Background colors
- Button colors/design
- Text color
- Sites you wish to link to (URL's must be provided)
Any photos/logos already scanned must be in GIF or JPEG format. However, we can scan your materials. Once a photo/logo is scanned does not necessarily mean that it is ready to be uploaded. The scan can require minor or major reworking. You may do this work on your own, request Western Canada Internet to upload as is, or request Western Canada Internet to rework your scan. Rework can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours.
ext should be in notepad format (available
through the accessories programs on Windows 3.1 or Windows - 95).
Shop Alberta is available for typing services, however it is billable at our
normal rate of $45.00/hr and this will increase the cost of your site.
You need not have access or hosting services with Western Canada Internet in order for us to publish your site.
In order for your web site to
succeed
You
must have a workable strategy. That is where we can help. If you know
exactly where you are going, and what you want to achieve with your website,
GREAT!. We will be happy to implement your concepts.
On the other hand, you might be unclear as
to what steps would be most appropriate. Perhaps you only have some loosely
defined goals. We can help. There are some a basic things you need to do to
be effective on the internet, and we will be happy to help you implement an
effective strategy.
Some basic steps for effectively
promoting your internet presence are:
- Search Engines-
Registering your site with many search
engines will be of great importance in letting the public know that your
site is out there. Of course, a search engine will only find the
sites/information that correlates to the keywords submitted to search on.
Planned and targeted use of keywords will help make your site easier to find.
- Url Usage - Place your url
(website and email address) on ALL company literature. This goes for
ads, letterhead, business cards, etc. If people know that you have a
website up, they will be able to use it to find more information about
your company, and when they contact you, they will be much more informed and
focused on what they need or want.
- Newsgroups - Newsgroups are read
by many on the net. Newsgroups are like an online bulletin board, and
are specific to subjects and interests. Someone who finds your link in
one of these groups will be someone that is most likely a
demographically suitable prospect. However, blatant advertising is discouraged
in newsgroups. A posting in your signature with your company link and
perhaps some basic info is accepted- but tread very lightly or you will
get flamed. :)
- Banner Ads- Banner ads are very popular. They can also be expensive. Banner ads are the online equivalent of the large advertizing boards you see along the highway. The cost for these are negotiated by the owner of a site, and will vary according to how much traffic the site receives, and how the charge is calculated.