web site fundamentals
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Master Slide
WEB SITE FUNDAMENTALS
…AN INTRODUCTION FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
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Media Available for Business Presence
• eMail• Blogs• Video (You Tube)• Audio, RSS (Podcasts) • Wikis (Wikipedia)• Social Networks
• Web Sites
Today’s Focus
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Before Developing a Web Site
• You should have:– A written Business Plan that:
• Defines core products/services • Identifies target clients• Has a 3 year pro forma P+L Statement• Includes a Marketing/Sales Plan• Legal organization• Operating Plan
SCORE offers seminars that
address these issues
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Marketing Plan
• Details your competitive strategy• Documents a pricing strategy• Establishes a marketing budget
– brochures, newspaper, web site, promotions
• Defines your web site’s role in your marketing effort
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Techie Stuff - Elements
Technology Terminology Internet components
People Skill sets
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Techie Stuff – Terms
You must know to communicate:
• URL
• Domain name
• Banner
• ISP
• Search Engine
• Hosting service
• SEO
• PPC
• Organic Search
• SQL
• HTML
• Browser
• Navigation
• Hits
• Page views
• Hyperlink
• CSS
• Flash
• Conversion Rate
• Google analytics
Use Google or Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org for definitions:
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Techie Stuff: People Skills - Basic
Logic, use of variousProgramming tools
( On-going)
Artistic layout,color, graphics, etc.
( 1 time)
Site Owner (you)
Graphic Designer Application Developer
For every web site Primary Content Provider
(On-going)
Planning: Your Web Site’s Use
Typical Options:
– Build awareness of your brand and product line • online brochure
– Distribute information that saves staff resources• hours, location, services
– Build relationships through information gathering • offer a newsletter or free report in exchange for an email address and othe
r information
– Manage events, using online registration
– Perform e-commerce, sell and deliver product/service
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Planning: Effective eCommerce
If you sell online, see these examples of eCommerce sites with selling-focused navigation:
• www.realityplusclothing.com• www.inflatablemadness.com • www.overstock.com • www.sophiasstyle.com • www.designerathletic.com
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Planning: Identify the Users
You first think of:• Existing customers• Potential customers
But there will be:• Competitors• Vendors• Potential lenders • Potential investors• Potential employees• Existing employees• Press
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Planning: Two Types of Costs
• One time costs - capitalize• Web site creation/setup• Graphics, photos• Domain name(s), building client databases• (your time) for site content development
• Recurring operating costs - expense• Hosting • Maintenance/modifications• Web site management (you or your delegate)
– Keep content fresh and monitor site
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Planning: Sample Costs - 1
– For a small custom developed site, expect to spend $1,500 to $7,000
– Your time: 20 – 100+ hours
– Costs dictated by:– Whether prepackaged or in-house or custom– Complexity: brochure ware to a transactional site
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Planning: Sample Cost -2
Domain Name $15-$30 (annually)
Hosting Service $8-$200 (monthly)
Web Site Development $300-$5000+
Site Maintenance $0-$500 (monthly)
Search Engine Listing $0-$2000 (annually)
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Planning: Recurring Costs
• Hosting of your web site:From $4 - $300+ / month depending upon services provided, amount of disk storage needed, data transfer rates, and host-generated statistics
• Technical maintenance: $60+/hr for 1 – 4 hrs/ monthsmall logic and graphic changes, correct any errors
• Content updates (you as provider, large time demands) provide industry news, “what’s new” articles, photos, new products/services/ promotions…etc.
Your site will live or die on fresh and changing content!!!
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Planning: Development Phases
Phases Est. % Total Cost
% Owner Can Do:
1. Five Discovery Steps 30% – 50% 80% - 90%
2. Programming 20% - 30% 0 - 100%
3. Testing 10% Little
4. Documentation 5% Some
5. Training 5% Some
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Planning: 5 Discovery Steps
Five Discovery Steps:
1. Write Business/Marketing Plan2. Complete Creative Brief3. Develop Business Rules4. Find “Look and Feel” sites5. Assemble documents and pictorial content
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Planning: Creative Brief
#2 Owner completes a “Creative Brief” A written “business plan” for a web site
See a completed and blank for example at:
www.tinyurl.com/SCORE34-CreativeBrief
• Project description, goals, team assigned• Primary objectives• Target market• Specific functional and content requirements• Available text and graphics• Project timeline• Project budget
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Planning: Business Rules
Site User User Needs How Site will Respond What you will Provide Developer
1 2 3 4
Potential Customer
See your selection of dress shirts
Shows illustrated price list Catalog information, pictures (jpeg), text and other supporting information from sales materials
#3 Owner documents how the site is to react to various user requests ( “Business Rules”)
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Planning: Look and Feel
#4 Owner documents what visual impression the site is to convey to the user. (“Look and Feel”)
• Evaluate sites of competitors• Find five sites, competitors or not, that appeal to you visually• Write down what “specifically” was the desired feature
#5 Owner assembles site content and graphics ( brochures, customer pictures, logos, price
listsetc)
OWNER establishes, Developer implements
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Planning: Cost Minimization
Steps Est. % Total Cost
% Owner Can Do:
1. Discovery Process 40% – 60% 80% - 90%
2 Programming 20% - 30% 0%
3. Testing 10% Little
4. Documentation 5% Some
5. Training 5% Some
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Acquiring – 2 Decisions
The owner has two major decision to make
in acquiring a web site:
1. How do I get the site developed?
2. Where do I have my site hosted?
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Acquiring: Development Options
Two basic approaches are:
1. Do it yourselfCan I spare the time from my core business?Do I have the skills/money?Do I want the site to look “home-made?”
2. Hire a professional web developer Do I have the money to hire someone?
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Acquiring: 5 Options
The 5 ways of acquiring a site are:
1.0 Self Code
2.1 Site-builder Kit (Free “cheap”)
2.2 Site-builder Kit (Fee based - General)
2.3 Site-builder Kit (Fee based - Industry specific)
3.0 Professionally Developed
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Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail
(a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links)
1.0 Self Code
a. You make site yourself using either/or HTML, CSS or a development language (Front Page, Dreamweaver). Hosting will be additional cost.b. You have time, money and skill or a geek-web friendc. See for free web development tools: Online help available
NOTE: most of the site-builder kits below are more difficult to get graphics placed where
you want them on the page.
2.1 Site-builder Kit (FREE/cheap)
a. Use a web based kit that has no set up nor hosting cost by the provider, but MAY have provider advertising around your site; perhaps even show in the site URL or require upgrades for more features. Site Builders are drag and drop.b. For the non-technical beginner who simply wants to get the experience of trying out a site and/or does not mind the ads.
c. See: Microsoft Office Live, Wix ; www.google.com/sites
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Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail
(a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links)
2.2 Site-builder Kit (FEE based – GENERAL USAGE)
a. Has a small setup fee ( $0 - $100 ) and a hosting fee ($20 - $80/mo). Costs may vary by # pages or usage or features engaged. Usually has a free trial.b. For the non-technical beginner who needs an inexpensive starter site without ads.c. Typical: www.coolbuild.com www.Homestead.com www.godaddy.com
www.samsbiz.com www.dexaweb.com www.weebly.com www.doodlekit.com Yahoo! www.coffeecup.com
2.3 Site-builder Kit (FEE based – INDUSTRY SPECIFIC)
a. Has a setup fee ( $100 - $500) and a hosting fee ($20 - $80/mo). Costs may vary by # pages or usage or features engaged. Usually has a free trial. b. For the non-technical beginner who needs an industry web site with industry specific features. Provider usually has many many custom “looks” to chose from and often pre-developed free content aimed at the site user. Has spent $$ to provide graphic layouts options
c. Examples: for Church: www.webmedly.com for Veterinarian: www.vetmatrix.com [great example of metrics options]
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Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail
(a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links)
3.0 Professionally Developed
a. Site requires professional and multiple skills for desired result. Development costs ($500 - $20,000) based on # pages, logic complexity and features required. Monthly maintenance fees ($50 - $300) and hosting fees ($20 - $80/mo).
b. Used when: you need a very unique look/feel is desired; over 50 pages; complex eCommerce steps; uses video, audio and animated graphics; requires integration with other business software (accounting, inventory, CRM – clients volunteers, donors, vendors, employee passwords); owner desires advice based on education and experience of a professional for graphic look, layout and navigation, SEO tuning, use of data base storage.
c. Suggested developers on upcoming slide, but ask five friends for recommendations
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Acquiring: Comparison of Options
# Options Difficulty
0 – 10 Hard
CostDevelopment/Setup
+ Hosting/Maint
1.0 You code 8 - 10 $100- $1,000
Hosting extra
Lots hours
2.1 Site Builder - Free 7 - 9 $300 - $1,000
Hosting + maint included?
2.2 Site Builder – FEE
General 5 - 7 $10 - $500
Hosting + maint Included
2.3 Site Builder – FEE
Industry Specific2 - 5 $100 - $500
Hosting + maint included
3.0 Use professional developer
1 $500 - $20,000
Hosting + maint extra
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Acquiring: In-depth Comparison
Parameters/Features of Way (7 of 24 )
1.0
You Code
2.1 Free
2.2 FEE -General
2.3 FEE-Industry
3.0 Prof
1 Cost 7 + time 2 3 4 8-10
2 Personal URL Y ?? Y Y Y
3 Tech Skill Required 10 2 3 3 1
4 Implementation Time - wks 20+ 1 wk 1 wk 2 wks 10-20 wk
5 You have access to HTML? Y 2 2 2 Y
6 SEO provided You do it 2 4 6 10
7 Google Analytics Possible You do it 1 2 6 10
Rank: 0=low 10=High
See link for full report: www.tinyurl.com/SCORE34-Comparison
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Acquiring: Professional Developers
Local Firms:
Cybervise Limited
- www.cyberviselimited.com (513) 351-6710
Go-Concepts
- www.go-concepts.com (888) 664-6938
Web Feat
- www.webfeat.net (513) 272-3328
Core Five
- www.corefive.com (513) 723-0101
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Acquiring: Developer Contracts
Issues to be addressed with your developer:
1. Use a written contract
2. Establish the development price, handling of changes and extras, project schedule, and maintenance costs
3. Establish a payment schedule • Partial payments at milestones • Withhold final 10% until after training and 30
days of successful operation
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Acquiring: Custom Deliverables
4. Included in the contract deliverables:
• Release from the developer so that you both own the code – copyright issues
• Assurance that the developed package is portable to other hosting sites.
• Documentation, and keys to all security systems (user names, passwords, etc.)
• Contact information for customer support• Guaranteed response time for support
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Acquisition: Hosting Options
# Option
A Hosting and maintenance may be bundled as a monthly fee with the Site Builder options
1 Free Hosting: BraveNet, FreeSite Generally ad-supported
2 Basic Hosting (from $2.95/mo.): Cheap Reliable Website Hosting, 123
3 Premium Hosting: GoDaddy, IXWebHosting Add ecommerce, provide a secure site
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Acquiring: Hosting Variables
• A hosting company (ISP) provides disk space and access to the net for your web site.
• A variety of issues to be considered include:
– The ability to grow (scalable)– Daily back-up of site– Technical support– Email accounts– Online shopping carts– Secure server– Traffic statistics– FrontPage extensions– Uptime
• Note: all other issues being equal, choose a host in your area as that my improve your being found on a search that includes physical location details: city, state, county etc
Compare details by searching on “web hosting” and reading the details.
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Acquisition: : Resources
One of the best information sites for both owners and developers is: www.wilsonweb.com
Helpful resources include:www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/pkg-con.htm[ blank web site design contract ]
www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/pageplan.htm[ blank web site planning worksheet ]
www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/store-worksheet.htm[ blank online store planning worksheet ]
Also see: www.techsoup.com for general articles.
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Site Management: Owner’s Tasks
• Client Feedback– Use a separate web site email address – Respond daily!
• Content management– Change 20% of site content per month
• Site Management– Avoid “linkrot” – check each link monthly– Analyze traffic (hits by day/week/month, etc.)
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Summary
• Techie Stuff – Technology and People Skills
• Planning the Site– Uses/Users, Costs and Process
• Acquisition of Site– Make or Buy: Development and Hosting
• Site Management– Site Content/Site Maintenance
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Owner’s Must-Do List
• Write a Business Plan with a Marketing Plan• Complete a Creative Brief • Document the Business Rules on worksheet• Assemble sample web content: brochures,
product/service information, and pictures• Identify five web sites with a
“Look and Feel” that you particularly like• Use a written contract with a web developer• Get a SCORE counselor !