DBS WebDesign

A few years ago, having a website was an extra edge over a competitor without one. And while that still holds true today, it's not as much of an edge anymore, but a necessity. I could go on about the benefits of having an online presence, but I'm sure you already know what they are (otherwise you wouldn't be at this site). Instead, I'm going to impress how much of a negative impact not having a website can have.

It's comparable to not having a business card or a yellow page listing. When you hand someone a business card that has no website listed, it relays a message to them that you're not up with the times, and it's considerably close to being a credibility crusher. Additionally, your business card will be the only thing a potential customer has as a reminder of you and your business. And there's not much room on a business card for much information. A website provides a place for the customer to investigate more about what you have to offer, while their interest is peaked.

Do I have to be a business to get a website?

No. I can design and host a website for anyone, whether it's for a professional business or for personal purposes. Sites can be completed for non-profit organizations, sports teams, families, high school reunions, individuals such as artists, musicians, writers, or anyone with a message for the world.

Will there be ads popping up on my site?

No, not unless you sell advertising and put them there yourself. When you pay for your hosting, it's your site. There are no support ads or commercials that will interfere with your viewer's experience.

How much is this really going to cost me?

Okay, you might've noticed that I said, "prices starting at" $250". This comment might lead many people to believe that the $250 is only for a cheap service that nobody would want, or that it's a ploy to get them to come in and purchase more expensive services. This is not the case. While the cost could go up for some folks, depending on their needs, this price covers my only package, appropriately called "the Basic Package".

Think of it like a meal at a cafeteria; for a single price you can get a specific meal, but you always have the option of adding an appetizer, or a side salad, a dinner roll, perhaps some extra gravy or a piece of pie for dessert. And just like the meal, your website can include as much or as little as you want.

What's included in the basic package?

The Basic Package includes the site design, logo enhancement (or a simple logo creation), three web pages (a home page, a contact page, and an additional content page of your choice), a contact form and five site emails which include webmail access.

Website design - This includes the theme, layout and color scheme that will be used to create the pages of your website
Images & Graphics - Some web designers limit the graphics included in their original design price and charge for additional images. I don't think this is fair because different sites require different elements. For example, an attorney's website may be mostly information based with the need for very few graphics, while a restaurant may need images of their establishment rather than excessive description. I simply include what's necessary to create an appropriate, effective design.
Logo enhancement - Most small businesses have logos that were created by the printing company who made their business cards, brochures, etc. And a large percentage of these businesses were never given a "master" copy of their logo, in any form. As a result, I will re-create your business card logo to use on your website. And I will add any necessary enhancements needed, such as drop shadows, reflections, color alterations, etc.
Simple Logo Creation - If you don't have a logo that is already "branded" to your business, I will create a simple logo using your business's name.
Copy creation/editing - I will use whatever information you provide to create concise, effective copy to be incorporated into your website
Site enhancements - It's my goal to create an impressive, creative design. And to do so, I use several different enhancements on a regular basis. For a complete list of these enhancements, click here.
Three web pages - This includes a home page, a contact page, and an additional content page of your choice. For more information on web pages, click here.
Contact Form* - On the Contact Page, in addition to the pertinent contact information, I will set up an interactive contact form to give your visitors the option of sending you a message directly from your site. The contact form can be configured to send/copy the messages to as many different emails you'd like. *contact form is only available if I host your site
For more information about email forwarding, click here

For an example of a site that was designed as a "Basic Package", look here.

Why would I need more than one page on my site?

The main reason is navigation. Sometimes a single page is appropriate for a small site. However, I've seen, too many times, a single-page site that is so long your hand cramps up from scrolling down for so long. When you break a site down into organized pages, it becomes easier to navigate and people will find what they're looking for in a quicker, less frustrating manner.

I include three pages in my basic package because a website is like a brochure. The home page acts as the front cover which is intended to grab someone's interest and entice them to read further. The second (additional content) page is similar to opening up the brochure to reveal more detailed information. And finally, a contact page serves as the back of the brochure.

Why would I need additional pages on my site?

I include three pages in my basic package as an adequate minimum starting point, but you have the option of adding content to suit your specific needs and requirements. Some additional pages would simply utilize an "add-on" (such as a calendar, gallery, etc). Other pages to consider would be a direction/map page, product pages, event pages

What's the difference between parent & child pages?

A web site is compiled within folders, just like the folders on your own pc. Your entire website will be contained within a single folder that is associated with your domain name. Within that folder will be your main pages, otherwise known as "parent pages". These are generally the pages that are listed on the main menu located at the top (or the side) of the website.

Along with the parent pages, also located within the main site folder, are more folders... or sub-folders. Pages that are added to these subfolders are known as "child pages", because they are one level down from the parent pages. You could keep going by adding more folders within the sub-folders, each time going one level down.

Example: If there were a link on the menubar of a niteclub website for an "events page", that page would be comprised of a list of available events. Each listing on the page would have a brief description of that event, including, perhaps, a thumbnail image, and maybe a link to a page that features more information about that event. The events page would be the parent page, located within the main site folder. The various linked event pages would all be in a folder called "events". These would be child pages.

So why am I telling you this? Partly because it's good for you to have some knowledge of how a website is set up, but also to clarify an issue of cost per page. A parent page normally (but not always) has more content than a child page, and usually requires an additional link to be added to the site's menubar. A child page is generally less work and the cost per page would usually be less than a parent page.

An instance when the parent page might cost less than a child page would be when it's a link page, consisting of nothing more than links taking the viewer to the more detailed content on the child pages.

Will you charge me to update my site later on?

If the change is minor, such as a small change to an existing page, then most likely I won't charge you. But there will be a charge if it's something that will take me a significant amount of time, such as adding an entirely new page, adding additional products to a page, etc. I honestly try to be fair about this. I can't work for free, but I also won't take advantage of my clients, as long as they don't take advantage of me. You can find prices here.

I already have an email... why would I need another one?

Similar to not having a website listed on your business card, the same applies when a potential customer sees a "hotmail" email address listed. It's a credibility killer. Anyone can get a hotmail account (or gmail,yahoo, etc), and in some folks mind, an account like that may make you seem "small-time" and untrustworthy.

When you own a specific domain, you can have whatever emails you'd like using that domain. For example, you could have "joe@yoursite.com", "betty@yoursite.com", "info@yoursite.com", "sales@yoursite.com", etc.

And all email accounts you have with your site can either be accessed via the web, using a browser, or can be configured to use with your POP email program, such as Outlook Express, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc)

And if you're worried about constantly checking five different emails, please read the next topic about Email Forwarding

What is "Email Forwarding" and why would I need it?

Email forwarding is just what it implies.. email is forwarded from one email address to another. When you host with me, you can create an unlimited amount of email forwarders. And the choice is yours whether they get forwarded to different existing email accounts or they all go to the same one.

You could have "joe@yoursite.com" forwarded to Joe's Yahoo email. And you could have "betty@yoursite.com" go to Betty's AOL email address. Additionally you could have "info@yoursite.com" forwarded to both Joe & Betty. And you could have "sales@yoursite.com" get forwarded to everyone on your sales team

Another great benefit of email forwarding is longevity. Let's suppose you have a current business card with a Comcast email address on it. You handed these cards out to clients for years, planting seeds throughout your demographic areas. And all is well until one day you find it necessary to change Internet providers. There could be many reasons for doing this, but let's say you simply moved to different area and Comcast wasn't available. If you switch providers to Verizon, the Comcast email on all those business cards no longer does you any good.

By having "joe@yoursite.com" listed on a business card, Joe can simply change the forward from his old Comcast email to his new Verizon email, without his customers ever knowing a difference, and always being able to contact him.

What will be required from me?

Most importantly, you will need to provide me with the information regarding the content of your site. Every web site says something to the world and you need to tell me what yours is going to say. You'll also need to provide a copy of your logo (if you have one). This can be as easy as emailing me an image or giving me a business card that has your logo on it. Optionally, it would benefit you to provide me with keywords for your site. Look here to learn about keywords.

Do I have to write the copy for my website?

No, you don't have to. But you can if you choose. You can provide me with information in whatever format you feel comfortable with, and I will edit it and use it to form your site layout. You can provide me with complete written copy, or you can give me a list of items and ideas. I even have a questionnaire that will help you come up with content. All you do is answer the questions, and that'll provide me with enough information to work with.

What is logo enhancement?

Many folks who have a logo don't have a decent version of it. I can take the logo from your letterhead or business card and enhance it to make it more appealing and suitable for your website. I'll even give you a copy of the enhanced version to use for your marketing publications and business cards. In fact, after I enhance a logo, many people are inspired to have new cards printed. Look here for an example.

What if I don't have a logo?

I can create a suitable logo for you. It could be as simple as your business name done in fancy text, or it could be a more involved logo design that incorporates a brand graphic. A simple text logo is included in the basic package, but a graphic logo may incur additional costs. Look here for examples.

What is a domain name?

Without going into technical jargon, a domain name is basically an easy-to-remember address for a website. It's the ".com" you type into the browser to get you where you want to go. For example, the domain name of my site here is dbswebdesign.com. A computer that hosts a website is identified by a number, just like your computer at home. And since a number would be too difficult for people to remember, it's replaced by a name... a domain name.

Where can I get a domain name?

You need to register a domain name with a registrar (a company accredited by ICANN to register Internet domain names). There are literally thousands of registrars on the Internet, but like everything else, some are better than others. It's best to find a larger reputable company, because once you select a company, you'll have an account there and will need to go back to manage & renew your domain, as well as set the nameservers to your hosting site.

The best place to get started looking for a registrar would be here. If you can't decide which registrar to use, I recommend Domains Priced Right. I've used them for years and I'm very happy with their service. The price is right (as their name suggests) and they provide ongoing email reminders to assure that you don't forget about upcoming renewals to assure that you don't lose your domain name.

Before you register a domain, I urge you to read this.

What is a nameserver?

A name server is a numerical identifier for the computer that contains your website, otherwise known as the hosting server. Once you've registered a domain name, you'll need to log in to your registrar account and set the name servers to specify where your site is being hosted. (I'll supply these numbers for you). This is a very simple process that only takes a few minutes. And if you need help, I'll either walk you through it, or do it for you.

How do I choose a domain name?

The domain name you select is very important because it's how people will identify your website. And if you'd like, I'll be right there with you to ensure that you get one that's effective and practical. It's obvious that the your domain name should match or be associated with the name of your business or organization, but it's not always quite that easy.

To begin with, your domain name should be simple enough to remember and short enough to type quickly. A long domain name is easily forgotten and commonly misspelled. The longer a name is, the more chance someone has of not remembering it correctly or typing it wrong, ultimately coming up with a "not found" page instead of your website. For example, imagine if John Smith has a company named "JS Automotive Restorations", and he chose the domain "jsautomotiverestorations.com. Now take a look at that domain name. It looks jumbled together and not at all recognizable. And if someone misses one letter, perhaps the "s" on the end, they won't find the site. A few decent alternatives for this might be "jsar.com", "jsauto.com", "jsrestore.com", jsrestoring.com", "jsautorestore.com", or jsautorestoring.com"... anyway, you get the idea.

The next potential problem is that a domain name must be available. Every domain name is unique, much like a telephone number. And if someone else has the one you want, you're out of luck unless they'll sell it to you. When you go to a registrar to get a domain, you can do a search to see if it's available. If the one you want isn't available, you need to be flexible and maybe get a bit creative.

The registrar you do your search at will give you plenty of suggestions, but many of them are generic and may not be appropriate for your needs. One way to overcome this is to add your location. If John lives in Clicksville, he could try "clicksvillerestoring.com", or "clicksvilleautorestore.com" , etc. Or if he lives in Sasquatch Valley, he could try for "svautorestoring.com", or "svautorestore.com". So, what if you already have a domain name that's too long or confusing? Is it too late? No. For examples of how to deal with this, continue reading the next topic, "What is a redirect?"

What is a redirect?

A redirect is essentially a website with the sole purpose of sending a browser to another site. So, why would anyone want to do this? It's a way of having multiple domain names all taking you to the same site.

Here's a true example: In 2002, when I initially decided to put my first website online (featuring my art & photography), I acquired the domain name, "dbsullivanstudio.com", simply because the name of my business was going to be DB Sullivan Studio. After a short time, I discovered that a lot of folks never made it to my site due to the reasons I discussed in the previous topic "How do I choose a Domain Name?", but mostly because it was too long to remember. You should've seen the look on peoples' faces when I rattled my site off to them. Their first response was always, "Wait, I need to grab a pen!". I didn't like that my website wasn't easy enough to remember. After all, business cards and pieces of paper get lost. The problem was that I was already dug in with this original domain name. My site was already live and it was listed on all my business cards. Plus, who knows how many folks had it bookmarked in their favorites.

To solve this, I went back to my registrar and did another domain name search. I discovered (to my good fortune) that "dbsullivan.com" was available. This was much easier for folks to remember. So, I set it up as a redirect. Now when someone types "dbsullivan.com" into their browser, it takes them to my site "dbsullivanstudio.com". But even this has it's downfalls. When spoken, some folks think I'm saying "dvsullivan.com", because it's difficult to distinguish between "B" and "V", so I always make sure they have it right.

I've since taken this even further. I market most of my artwork here in Bethlehem PA, so when I found that "bethlehemartist.com" was available, I bought it and added it as a redirect. This is the name I give people on the fly if I don't have any cards on me. It's very easy for them to remember and associate with.

You can also have domains redirect people to a specific page on your site as well. "bethlehemsteelartist.com" takes people to the page on my site that features my pen & ink drawings of the Bethlehem Steel. "bethlehemsteelpictures.com" takes them to the page on my site that features my Bethlehem Steel photography ("bethlehemsteelphotos.com" wasn't available.)

What's the difference between ".com", ".org", ".net", etc

These different domain extensions designate whether the site is being used for business (.com) non-profit (.org) or as a technology based site (.net). However, as the Internet became an increasingly more viable venue for businesses, many companies and individuals began cross-registering domains (ie. yoursite.com, yoursite.net, yoursite.org) as a way of protecting their interests.

As it stands now, .com, .net, and .org names can be used for any purpose. It's not necessary, but it might be a good idea to get all three and add redirects to two of them. If Tom's Carving business gets the domain, "tomscarving.com"... do you think he would want someone else to own the domain names, "tomscarving.org" or "tomscarving.net"?

How will people find my site?
Will you submit it to search engines?

Although they can go hand in hand, there is a difference between website design and website marketing. Some web design firms have the ability to market your site, but keep in mind, these are the companies that will charge you thousands, not hundreds. As a part of my service to you, I will add appropriate keywords to your website and will submit your site to the major search engines. (Google, Yahoo, etc)

Of course, with technology the way it is today, this submission is not necessary. Google, for example, has "web-bots" that "crawl" the Internet and find sites to add them to their database. The best way to get your search rankings higher up is to hire a company who is familiar with doing so. And they do this by structuring the code that's used in your web design. I won't mislead you... I am not one of these companies. What I am offering you is a web presence that will work in conjunction with your own marketing plan. It gives your potential customers a place to get more information.

What are keywords?

Keywords are specific words that are added to the "head" of your site to provide a description of your business for search engine bots. (the head is hidden code that doesn't appear on your web pages) Adding the proper keywords can potentially raise your search rankings. The idea is to target the types of words that your potential customers might be searching. If Tom's Carving business is in Elksville, MO, it might be helpful to add keywords such as... wood carving, woodcarving, animal carving, duck carving, wood sculpture, gifts, Elksville, Elksville Missouri, etc.

I will help you come up with appropriate keywords from the information you provide to me.

How long will it take to complete my website?

At the time of this writing, I would be thrilled to think I'm going to design more than a few sites each month. And if that happens, I could possibly get busy enough to have a back-log of work, in which case it might take longer than a week to get your site up and running

But as it stands now... from the time you provide me with the information and materials I need, I can have your site live within a week. Keep in mind that this applies only to the basic web package. Sites that require additional pages and/or content will also require more time.

Where will you get images for my website?

This varies, depending on what type of site you have and how many/what type of images are required. If you are a local business, I can come over and take photos myself. Or you could provide them for me. If you are an authorized vendor of a brand name product, you should have no problem including the brand name company's logo and/or products, in which case they can be found on the internet. For an example of this look at www.ajvend.com.

What are Site Enhancements?

What I refer to as Site Enhancements are small additions that are not necessarily needed, but will give your site a more professional presentation and make your viewers' experience more enjoyable. These enhancements I'm referring to are really a creative use of javascripts and styles. I won't bore you with specifics, but generally these elements create different effects. For a complete list of examples, look here.

Can I have a store on my website?

Yes, but with certain limitations. I can provide you with a simple "products page" that incorporates Paypal to handle the purchases. Or at an additional cost, I can provide you with an online store that's more involved, but will give you the ability to add or remove products as you wish. This will prevent the cost of me updating your site for you.

If you've ever bought anything on the internet, then you should be familiar with a "secure site". A secure site provides encryption to assure that personal information is not viewed by anyone who shouldn't have it. At this time I don't offer this service, but that's where Paypal (or a merchant company of your choice) comes in to the picture. I can provide you with the store, but you need to have a secure means of receiving payments. Paypal is probably your best bet for this.

Can I put samples of my music or artwork on my site?

Absolutely. I can provide artists & photographers with an image gallery that they can update themselves, or I can set up a static gallery that stays the same (and will incur additional costs for me to update it). Musicians & DJs can have samples of their work as MP3s on their site, but these (in most cases) will need to be added by me.

Can I have a personal blog or a forum?

Yes. Instead of a "three page site", I can install and configure a blog or a forum for you. This will require additional time on your part as you'll need to learn how to use it. I will be happy to teach you what you need to know.

Can I update my own site?

In most cases, no... but there are certain instances that will allow this. If you have a forum or a blog, you'll be able to update it using your browser. But with a static site, you would need to have some familiarly with html and have the appropriate software. If you're interested in doing this, please contact me for further details.

Can you host a site that you didn't design?

Yes, if you designed your own site and are looking for affordable hosting, I can set it up, provide you with the ftp login information, and you can do what you do.

Will you design my site if I host it somewhere else?

Yes, I can design a site for you and give it to you on a cd for you to do with what you want, but there are limitations. For instance, I wouldn't be able to configure a contact form or any other interactive components. Besides, I don't think you'll find a much better deal on hosting.

Do you offer discounts to non-profit organizations?

Yes. I'm all for a good cause. If you have a non-profit organization that needs a website, I'll either provide you with discounted web design and in some cases, I'll donate the hosting free of charge. Contact me to find out if you qualify

How would I make my payments?

I accept checks and credit cards. If you want to mail a check, contact me for my address. If you'd like to use a credit card, you can go to my payment page

How do I get started?

All it takes is an email or a quick phone call.
You can do both from my contact page

Site design by DB Sullivan