Archive for the 'Life On The Web' Category

Setting up a Reliable Web Site

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

The initial project when you’re setting up a Web site is selecting an appropriate domain and employing the best suited registration for your specific market. All the same, it’s not a great idea to speed up this decision without some informed help. To cut a long story short, the most dependable method of ensuring that all your requirements are fulfilled is to carry out some thorough research.

When you go through the domain hosting reviews, how to establish what it is you are actually looking for? Don’t make any decisions before you discover the features that are most important to your market. One option is to host your Web site with the same company that you register your domain with. Support is another important consideration that can affect your Web site even long after registration.

Any customer review found on the provider’s Web site simply isn’t enough to base a decision on. It’s important to get an unbiased opinion before you make a decision. Take time to look into different domain hosting customer reviews paying attention to what every client has to offer. Do you find some of the issues over and over again? What do current customers think the company’s best points are? Is the overall feedback positive or negative?

Of course, you’ll discover both bad and good feedback. Keep an open mind and read all the info you can. No doubt, the significance of price should not be forgotten, but check if you have any extras you could want included in your targeted deal. We have included various questions to ask yourself when choosing the most suitable hosting for your project. Does the company have round-the clock technical support with a toll-free number, can you see any evidence that they answer speedily to any complaints or queries? What kind of server uptime will they commit to? Will it be >99%? How much bandwidth will be accessible to you? It’s possible to negotiate a deal providing unlimited hosting and bandwidth, besides all sorts of other rewards.

Do they offer a convenient way to make payments? Can each payment be approved separately or is there an automated option, and are annual payments accepted? What will they do when the server fails? The answers to questions such as these could well be killer criteria for your Web site. Only you are able to determine the best hosting for the needs of your business, all the same do what makes sense: don’t try to ignore the essential research, so do dot all your i’s. Taking advantage of those appropriate reviews will give you the chance to save lots of time and money further down the line.

Broadband Providers – Switching to Get Easier

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

You don’t have to look far to find a cheap broadband deal these days. With so many deals on offer, and with mergers and acquisitions between telcos paving the way for an increase in “broadband bundles” available to consumers, soon those without broadband will begin to feel left behind by the madding crowd.

Connecting to the Internet for the first time in your home or office is as easy as securing a fixed telephone line (which you probably already have) and signing up to one of the dozens of Broadband Providers offering deals on the market today.

Switching broadband providers, if you believe you have found a more suitable service for your particular needs is, however, not as easy.

Switching broadband providers more easily would certainly be a welcome addition to the market. Currently, if you decide to switch, your broadband provider will probably use at least one of the following ‘lock-in’ tactics:

  • cancellation fees
  • minimum 12-month contracts
  • equipment leases
  • not providing MAC codes

As a result, Ofcom have been conducting an examination of broadband services in the UK. The regulator wants to release customers from such burdens and ensure there are no obstacles in the way of customers who wish to move between companies and/or products.

With the current system, the customer who wishes to switch will be required to contact their current broadband provider (the one they’re going to leave) in order to acquire a MAC – a Migration Authorisation Code. The ISP must then hand over the code to the new company, so the broadband connection can be transferred. It is a process that is not always quick or easy – and some providers do not currently provide MAC codes at all.

Ofcom is proposing that broadband users should have easy access to their migration code and should not need to ask their existing provider for it. It could, for example, be printed clearly on monthly bills. This would eliminate at least the first gruelling step in the migration process.

If such regulations are put in place, consumers would be able to pick and choose more easily from a range of different broadband internet services and providers, without the need for a BT Broadband phone line.

If Ofcom is successful, the changes should increase competition in the already competitive telecoms marketplace. Early signs indicate that things are already beginning to change.

Since the regulator began shaking up the industry a few years ago and slowly putting an end to BT’s monopolisation, several major deals between industry heavyweights have occurred.

This includes the merger of NTL and Telewest, who currently offer phone, broadband, and cable TV packages. They are now looking to take over Virgin mobile, and if they succeed they will be able to offer mobile phone plans in their bundles, and of course utilise the powerful Virgin brand name.
Also on the cards is Wanadoo’s plan to re-brand as Orange, which will make the mobile phone outfit a single brand name for all mobile, broadband and other converged telecoms services.

Not to be outdone, the UK’s largest satellite TV provider, Sky, have acquired broadband Local Loop Unbundling operator Easynet in order to give it the opportunity to offer its existing eight million satellite TV subscribers the triple-package deal of TV, phone and internet.

The mind boggles when considering what sort of bundles and packages will become available on the UK telecoms marketplace over the next few years. Because of this, the ability to easily switch providers will become even more important for the end consumer.

Of course, consideration must be given to the concept that despite this enormous battle of the brands, customers may be happy to stay with their existing providers. There will no doubt be at least a small hassle-factor no matter how easy the switch is made by Ofcom’s pending regulations.

Still, it would be nice to have the choice.

Broadband-is-cheap contains up-to-date news, information, and Cheap Broadband deals from the UK broadband market.

One Way Links are better than Reciprocal Links

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

You probably know by now that where your website ranks in the search engine rankings dramatically affects how many visitors you have to your site. Did you also know that you can change where your site is ranked by being proactive and getting as many one way links to your site as possible? That is right, the more one way links you have on the Web that point back to your website the higher your site will be ranked. You are probably thinking this is amazing information and just what you need to get your site higher in the search engine rankings and more traffic, but how do you go about getting one way links and why would you prefer one way links as opposed to reciprocal links?

The answer is easy! All you need to do to get one way links is to list your website with web directories or even buy one way links in the form of advertising on other websites! It is really easy to get as many one way links as you want to your website with a small investment of time or even your advertising budget. Many a web directory will allow you to submit your information free and advertising a one way link to your site on other websites is rather affordable as well. So, getting those one way links is pretty easy after all.

One Way Links are Just Better

Now, you might be wondering why you don’t want to trade links or involve yourself in reciprocal linking. The answer is that one way links are simply better and weighed more heavily when it come to the search engines. Reciprocal links are in no way bad and will not hurt your website rankings at all. In fact, reciprocal links to help your site ranking to some extent. However, if you are going to put in your time and money to increasing your websites visibility then you will want to focus on one way links. It takes the same amount of tome, sometimes less, and you get the all important and heavier weighted one way links that will make your website receive search engine rankings you once only dreamed of.

So, start linking your website with website directories, buying one way link advertising on other sites, and soon you will see your website ranking with the big search engines soaring higher than you ever imagined. Remember, the more links you have whether they be in web directories or on other websites the better it will be for your website so you should start working on one way links today. As you watch your site increase in the rankings you can keep submitting to more web directories and buying more one way link advertisements and if your goal is to be the number one ranked website on Google then you can do it with a little bit of work and determination.

International Dial Up

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Sometimes, your business takes you on different trips to various states around the United States. You may be based in New York – however, your business could also take you to Miami, or anywhere in the world for that matter. The great thing is that even if you are far away, you can still access your files, information and basically your entire office – through the Internet. Instantly access any information that you might need for your overseas business trip by using any computer, a modem and a telephone line through international dial up access.

There are different companies that offer international dial up. With this type of access to the Internet, you can easily access any information in your home office computer wherever you are. You have access to all your important files from your office to you wherever you may be.

International dial up usually comes as part of standard dial up packages. You can ‘dial in’ from wherever you are using your ISP’s international access numbers. Now, you can keep tabs on your work, even when you’re on business trips abroad, check you email as often as you want, and update your website.

With international dial up access, you can confidently travel to any place in the world. You will always have instant and easy access to your files. The drawback is, like any dial up Internet connection, you may have to wait a while to log on, because this method of connecting is usually very slow.

Dial Up provides detailed information on Dial Up, Free Dial Up, Dial Up ISP, International Dial Up and more. Dial Up is affiliated with Dial Up Access Numbers.

Broadband Internet Services and Their Benefits

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Are you tired of the slow download speeds of a dial up internet?

In today’s world, you would probably want a high-speed internet to improve your way of life and your business. This is possible by using a broadband internet connection.

With the broadband internet’s popularity growing, it becomes more and more affordable and available for everyone. You would probably want to switch into a faster and reliable internet connection to catch up with the demands of present living.

Fast and reliable internet access is not the only advantage in getting broadband internet connection. There are many more benefits from this technology.

Here are a few examples of broadband internet benefits:

With broadband internet, you can download or upload files and software faster than a dial up has to offer. With broadband connection, you can also send large files like movie clips to your friends, family or your clients who wants a video presentation of your product.

If you are a student in need of a research, you no longer have to go to your local library for it. The internet itself is a library. With broadband internet connection, you can research faster and you can research more websites. With dial up, this can take a while; even waiting for a single webpage to load is often slow with dial up.

This technology changes the way you play multiplayer games. With the recent boom of the massively multiplayer online role-playing games, you can play RPG games with other people from all over the world and at the same time lets you talk to them. You can play either online game through your PC or gaming consoles. Some examples of these are the Playstation2 or Xbox.

One of the best benefits a broadband internet connection offer is you can easily view web cams with faster refresh rates around the world.

This means, if your family or friends have web cams you no longer have to just email them, but also chat either through voice or text and view them in real time. The best thing about this, it is free.

Broadband internet can enable you to watch streaming videos in the internet such as, internet TV, watch your favorite music videos and other online short films. In dial ups, this is possible but often results in choppy video.

Buying and downloading music is easier. With broadband internet connection, you can buy music singles or albums much cheaper than your local music store. All you have to do is visit a website that sells music downloads and you can directly download the music file, fast.

With broadband internet connection, you can now use your computer as your personal phone. With VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol, you can call you family and friends with little or no long distance calls.

You can also use VoIP for video conference meetings, fax, and other features free that traditional phones charge expensive fees for these features.

The internet can also be a radio station, you can now “tune in” to internet radio faster and without interference. With dial up, you can also play the internet radio but often encounters problem like choppiness due to low speed internet.

There are so much more uses for broadband internet connection, whether you use it at home or work the possibilities are vast. More innovations to benefit with this technology are being developed. Organizing your life and work is easier with broadband internet connection.

Since there are so many types of broadband internet services in the market today, it is up to you to choose which package that will suit you best. Research and compare broadband internet providers.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the Internet Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at Broadband Internet Service

What is Cable Internet Service?

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

Unlike your DSL internet access, cable internet is acquired through your local Cable TV provider. This usually provides internet access faster than most of the broadband services available.

This technology uses your existing cable TV lines to access the internet. You will pay an additional fee to your cable TV provider for this extra service. If you were previously using dial up internet connection, you will probably notice a huge speed increase when you access the internet.

The advantage of this broadband internet connection than other types of broadband is speed. It typically offers faster speeds than most broadband internet types such as the DSL and satellite internet.

However, your cable internet speed depends largely on how many people is subscribing in the same company. The more the subscriber, the more you will be sharing bandwidth, therefore, the slower your internet will be.

Cable internet is also slightly more expensive than DSL internet.

Since a cable internet has a high-speed internet connection, it offers many benefits, whether for personal use or for business.

Cable internet connection can give you the ability to download files and software faster than any other type of internet connection. This means you can share more files faster, like pictures to your friends and family wherever they are.

Another advantage is that you can play online multiplayer games and join small communities in virtual worlds.

With fast internet connection, you can use VoIP internet phones. This technology allows you to call relatives wherever they are in the world for little or no fee. VoIP also has built in features that your traditional phone company considers as additional features and charges expensive fees. Some additional features are the video phone calls, caller ID, call waiting, voice messages, long distance calls, conference calls and more.

With cable internet access, you can now play internet radio smoothly and high audio quality than dial ups can offer. You can also watch video streams like short online movies or music videos in the internet without interruptions in cable internet access.

You can also watch the latest sport events in the internet with this internet connection. Because it is fast, there will be no interruptions while you are watching.

Buying music online will be more convenient and cheaper than buying on your local music stores. All you have to do is go to an online music store and download your favorite music.

Download your favorite movies in the internet. With dial ups, these can take days or even weeks, therefore expensive. With cable internet, you can download full-length movies in a matter of hours.

Businesses can also benefit with cable internet access. Instead of traveling, they can do meetings using video conferencing. This feature can save them many travel expenses by just attending a meeting or product presentation to their clients. They can now easily close deals, therefore, more profit to their business.

Are you a student doing your homework? With cable internet, you no longer have to run to the public library to do all your research, the internet is a huge library itself and can provide you as much information as you want about your research. Since cable internet is fast, you can visit many websites to do your research and finish half the time than by using dial ups.

There are more advantages by using cable internet services. It can benefit your studies, businesses, or you can simply entertain yourself by listening to music, playing online multiplayer games or watch movies.

Communicating to your family and friends are also easier and much more convenient than a dial up internet can provide.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the Internet Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at Cable Internet Service

How to Drive Traffic To Your Web Site

Friday, June 5th, 2009

One of the most popular questions I get when I speak about online marketing is how to drive more traffic to a web site. Eight different techniques for doing just that are outlined below. Save this article, and refer to it for additional ideas whenever you try to expand your online marketing campaigns:

- Business Blogging. Start a blog for your business and update it on a regular basis. A business blog is an excellent tool to toot your own horn, let the world know about your new products, and tell your target customers why they should do business with you, rather than your competitor. A business blog is also a great tool for attracting potential customers to your blog and your web site.

- Search Engine Optimization (or SEO). SEO is the process of modifying web page content and meta-information to improve the search engine ranking of the page. Successful search engine optimization will greatly increase the number of visitors that come to your web site since over 70% of people who are looking for products and services use search engines to locate them

- Article Writing and Publishing. This is another great way to drive traffic to your web site. When you write and publish your articles, other web site owners pick them up and publish them on their web sites, while giving you a link back to your web site.

- Newsletter Publishing. Keep in touch with your clients and potential clients by sending out a newsletter on a regular basis. Every time you send out a newsletter, don’t forget to invite the subscribers to visit your web site.

- Online Networking. Mention your web site address in your signature when networking online. Make sure that your web site is prominently displayed on the page, provided to you by every online networking service that you participate in, so that your fellow networkers can visit your web site.

- E-mail Signatures. Every time you send out an e-mail to one person, you have a chance to get an extra visitor for your web site. When you send an e-mail to a mailing list, you have a chance to spread the word to even more potential customers. All you need to do is to append a signature to every outgoing e-mail message. Make sure that the signature contains a powerful tagline that invites the readers to click on the link and visit your site

- Pay Per Click Search Engines. Here you can control exactly how many new visitors you want to get. There is a catch, though — you have to pay for every click to your web site. Make a budget and stick to it an make sure to monitor your account – those clicks add up fast.

- Affiliate Marketing. An affiliate program is another way to drive traffic to your web site. Your affiliates are your commissions-only sales people who make money when they sell your products. They drive traffic to your web site in exchange for commissions on sales.

Today I have discussed eight different ways of driving traffic to your web site. Which techniques are you not using yet? Take one of the techniques and incorporate it into your marketing plan. You will get a whole new pool of web site visitors coming to your web site.

Disgusted With Dial-Up? – Compare DSL Service Providers, Cable and Satellite Internet To See If One

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Do you find yourself waiting around for your Internet pages to load or digital photo files and other attachments to transfer?

Do your friends and family complain that they can never get through on the phone line because you or your kids are always online.Chances are you are still using dial up Internet service.Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative method.

The main three types of high speed access include DSL,
cable and satellite Internet. At the current time, DSL service providers and cable are not available in all areas. Some parts of the country do not have access to either option. Good satellite Internet reception is dependant on an unobstructed line of sight to the south. So where you live can make a big difference in which high speed Internet service you choose.

Here are some overviews of each service and comparisons for those
fortunate to have more than one option available:

DSL Service Providers

DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, describes a
technology that taps into unused frequencies on copper telephone lines to
transmit information at much higher speeds. There is no dialup and accessing services. So access is immediate. With DSL, you can send both voice and high speed data over the same line. The bandwidth, or data transfer capacity, or DSL ranges from 128 Kbps to 1.544 Mbps downstream to your computer. Upstream transfer from your computer is usually limited to 128 Kbps. Bandwidth is dedicated so you don’t have to share with other users, but DSL is also more effective the closer you are to service provider’s facilities. If your local area has plenty of cable bandwidth available it may be a better option for those located greater distances from a DSL provider. Average monthly charges for DSL services are around $55-$65.

Verizon is one of the leading providers of high speed DSL
service, with a large coverage area. With Verizon DSL you get a monthly package for $34.95 that includes unlimited access with a personalized home page, 9 e-mail accounts, and 10 megabytes of web space. For those customers with multiple computers in the home, there is a home
networking option available. You can connect multiple home computers and laptops to a single high-speed DSL Internet connection at no additional monthly cost.

Earthlink DSL is another option. Their basic package, which includes the same features as Verizon’s offer also includes a free dial-up service which allows you to enjoy 20 hours of Internet access per month when you’re away from home. This package typically costs $39.99 per month. Earthlink also offers cable and satellite Internet.

As noted, DSL uses copper telephone wires. Rural areas and some cities do not have these wires available for large volume use, which means that DSL is not yet an option in those areas, even if Verizon, Earthlink or another provider offers services there.

Cable

If you have cable TV available in your area, chances are
that you have access to Internet through your cable provider. This service uses the same wires as your cable TV programming and depending on the provider and the area, there may be a good deal of bandwidth available or a more limited amount. Because users share bandwidth, this could be an issue for those living in areas with limited amounts available for Internet use. It is a good question to ask your cable provider before signing up. Your choice for cable Internet is typically limited to only those providers who offer cable TV in your area. On average, cable Internet does tend to be a bit faster than DSL. Service is often slightly less expensive than DSL, averaging around $45 per month.

Satellite

If you do not have DSL or cable Internet available in your
area, satellite Internet may provide a viable option. Its speed is comparable to other high speed Internet services, its always on, and you have the option of adding satellite TV service. However, it requires that you have a clear view of the southern sky from your home anywhere in the continental United States in order to receive good reception from the satellites. The service is typically a good deal more expensive than the other two high speed options discussed, averaging around $100 per month with installation fees of up to $400.

Some people confuse satellite Internet with what’s known
as WiFi. WiFi Internet services are actually provided by access nodes located in high traffic areas such as airports and hotel or through Internet cafes. If you have a laptop equipped with WiFi receiver, you can access services from within about 1000 feet of the node. There is typically a fee to use this service. It is a good idea for travelers but does not meet the need for home Internet use because it required the access node.

Although there are several satellite Internet providers,
they all use similar technology. DirecTV is a popular provider because they are also a top satellite TV company. DirecTV satellite Internet service is delivered through a wholly owned subsidiary, DIRECWAY. DirecTV satellite Internet costs $99.99 per month and requires customers to purchase a satellite dish and modem. Installation is typically available from the distributor.

Comparisons

Consult a comparison chart such as the High Speed Internet
Guide which should give you a fair idea of the speed and costs involved. However, it is important to note that the data transfer rates you can get from either DSL or Cable will depend entirely on whatever local providers are in your area.

About the Author:
C.J. Gustafson is a successful freelance writer for 1st-Dish-TV.net, a
consumer guide for free
satellite TV systems. She has spent hours of time researching cable,
DSL service
providers, and
high speed satellite Internet service providers for her home office. She
dreams one day attaching the satellite dish to her RV and spending the winters
writing from wherever it’s warmest that week

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the
author’s byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

Simplify your Home Page to Increase Your Sales

Sunday, March 8th, 2009

A well-designed home page that tells who you are and what you have to offer in a direct and simple manner, leads to more visitors converting to subscribers for your website.

It is very important to have a transparent and easily navigable web site design. The visitors should be able to easily evaluate what you are offering, without having to go through a number of screens and choices. If a visitor has to spend time finding out how and what it is that you are offering, and how to move about in your site, then they might get frustrated and abandon their trip of the site. Keep in mind that the potential subscriber is not necessarily interested in seeing every department and navigation panel of your site, so design the website, especially the home page accordingly.

The important elements you need to keep in mind while designing your Website Homepage:

Display your website story and what it offers clearly on the home page. As they reach the site, visitors like to find out immediately what you are offering and if interested in your product, they would want to know what it will take to subscribe to your site, without much fuss. Time is a premium commodity and no body wants to waste it by trying to navigate a website to find out what is being offered. Visitors do not like website mazes. Describe your products, your company and yourself in simple language. It is important to take the help of a professional PR or a marketing person to write the content for your website, especially the home page. Professionally written home pages can make a lot of difference to the readability of your website. Do not save pennies on such an important aspect like the home page of your subscription website.

Use colourful images, graphics or photos that look professional. Images and photos used should look professional and convey the theme of the website. For personality driven sites, you can use a professionally taken photograph of yourself. There are royalty free sites from where you can take free photos of models that will work in most situations. While using graphics, use colours that are accepted for business purposes like blues and greys and highlight colours like green and red.

Display testimonials from existing subscribers. Many potential subscribers are looking for testimonials from your existing subscribers, to help them make their decision. Testimonials can act as powerful persuaders, provided they look authentic. For the testimonials to look and sound real, you should include the writer’s full name and website address or company name. Also be sure that you want to be identified with the person whose testimonial you are putting on your site, because many visitors will click the link to the testimonials.

Display the ‘Subscribe button’, link, or department clearly. Be sure that the subscribe button or link is clearly visible and the subscribing procedure is not complicated. Information on subscription and its procedure should be prominently displayed on the home page of your website. If a visitor has to search for subscription procedure details then he might get frustrated and avoid navigating your site any further.

Display associations and affiliations to other important
businesses. Be sure to display the logos of the professional associations and memberships that your business maintains. If these logos are not available on the associates’ site then you should personally ask for it. You should also display the logo of your payment gateway and SSL issuer on the home page. Also, if your SSL issuer or payment gateway is well known, place their logos on your home page.

Display your Full contact information on the Home Page. Visitors and probable customers are interested in finding out your contact details because they feel more comfortable when they are aware of the physical location of your business. For security of their investment, they feel, a physical address of the company is a must. Many websites place the contact information at the bottom of the home page. The contact information details also carry the copyright notice, followed by the company name and address, and then the phone number and general contact email address on the last line.

The real estate on your home page has to be strategically designed and used, to convert more and more visitors to subscribers for your site. Save your detailed navigation panels and pull-down menus for the Subscribers area because existing subscribers need more details.

This article was written by Craig Dawber of smarket-associates.com
Need advice and guidance with your online
business check out the resources found in this website.

Things to consider before redesigning or redeveloping a website

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Its 2006 and you have made a few resolutions. You need your website to perform so that you reap the rewards. This article will be more useful to companies who have a web based business or a portal.

Does this sound familiar:
1. We have a website and have spent a lot of money but it’s too clunky.
2. It served us well when we had a tight budget and needed to have a website but its not performing.
3. The development company that built the website for us told us they could do all these wonderful things but left the site incomplete.
4. Our competitors have mastered the web business even though we can out beat them with our marketing and reputation.
5. When ever we ask the developers to add new features or functionality they turn around and claim it cannot be achieved or that was not the scope of the project.

The list can go on and on but if the above are statements that you have said or heard and you need to break free then read this article and let me know if it was useful.

When a business on the web is built. It is built to serve a target audience. It is built to serve a need in the marketplace. If the website was formed out of an idea and you were not sure if the idea would be worthwhile then the reason you are reading this is because your website and idea were worth the effort. You built the website for your visitors and not for yourself.

The decision to do something with your website or web portal needs to be after a full in depth analysis from someone other than yourself. The reason for this is because it allows you to get an unbiased opinion. The first steps before approaching someone to analyze your website is to list the objectives of this exercise. To help you with this process I have tried to list the questions I would ask myself

1. What’s the purpose of this website?
2. Is this website an information site or a transactional site?
3. The visitors who would like visiting this website would be IT savvy or not?
4. Has the website in its current state received a lot of visitors?
5. Have I received feedback from my clients or visitors about the site?
6. Have I analyzed the behavior pattern of my web visitors?
7. Am I IT savvy?
8. What websites do I find usefull and user-friendly?
9. Are any of these websites close to being my competitors?
10. What features and aspects of my competitor’s site do I like?
11. What I want the website to achieve?
12. How much am I willing to spend?
13. Do I have time deadlines and if not make it a point to have a time deadline.

Deciding if the site needs to be redeveloped or tweaked

After having listed the answers to the above questions you should either request or appoint an expert to give you an unbiased opinion of your website or decide that you do not need to do much about your website. If you do go ahead to get an in-depth report check to see if their report points out any of the following:

1. The site has usability problems
2. Information or content on your site is hard to find
3. Actions that need to be performed on your site are not performed by visitors as they do not understand these actions or find it too difficult.
4. The design is too cluttered
5. Users are not following a certain navigation path that you wish them to take
6. Pages take too long to load
7. Search engine optimization has not been catered for
8. Navigation flow on the site is not planned out well. This is crucial not only for a human to navigate through your site but also from a search engine point of view.

It is important to realize that your present website may not need a complete rework if the business goals are to simply make the site design to look good. If however you want all aspects of your website to function and in it’s current state they do not function then you probably have answered your own question. Yes its time to have a budget and plan in place to move forward.

Once you have got your report you need to take time out to analyze the situation before making the final decision

Goals from a Visitor point of View:

You goal should be to have your visitors
1. Find what they want easily
2. Get what they want easily
3. Easily perform the appropriate actions that you want the visitors to perform.

To accomplish this, the website needs to have:
1. An excellent navigation system.
2. The website should be user friendly. For example, does the website have a natural flow while placing an order or does it make it difficult for a visitor to handle this process.
3. The most important actions should be accessible within one or two clicks.

Goals from a Search engine point of View: Please note the below points are a rough guidelines as this topic is vast.

Flash : If your website presently uses a lot of flash consider the following before making a decision to redesign or redevelop. Most search engines cannot read text inside a flash animation. If core elements of your site such as your navigation menus are in flash you need to rethink about this. Consider a site whose navigation menus are all in flash. A search engine would not effectively index the pages on the site as it cannot read the flash links to each page. That is unless you also provide a duplicate navigation system without flash.

Incorrect or poorly structured HTML: If you are not very IT savvy and do not understand HTML. It is wise to have the HTML code reviewed roughly to check if there is any incorrect HTML code or overlaps as this has a negative affect on your search engine ranking. This can also confuse search engines.

Java Script: Again while most search engine can read java script, they cannot cause the javascript functions to activate. This can have a negative impact if your site navigation system is javascript based with no alternative. It is safer to have text links then have buttons which depend on Java script as otherwise your navigation links may be hidden to a search engine.

There are many other important factors such as: The use of frames or IFrames; Cross browser compatibility, Huge blocks of encrypted viewstate text at the beginning of each page; etc…

Making a decision to have the complete website redone is a tough decision as you need to have the right developers who understand your needs and not theirs. I have noticed many companies after realizing that the first development cycle was not the best they go about redeveloping the website by what I consider patch work.

Patch work can be affordable if the site does not have major errors or shortcomings, but if it does it is advisable to have the application redone or implemented using other off the shelf packages. The rationale to this is that you have a website already which needs to be improved so a development company or a developer can have a better understanding of what you require and the dos and don’t for your business. It is important to remember that especially in the case of website re-development it is the quality of the work that matters and not the size of the development team. A development company with a good project manager and true geeks in the development team is one that will get you places.

I hope the information here was useful is some way. If you make up your mind to do something about your website spend your budget wisely by first listing the objectives the site needs to perform for the next 2 years and what functionality is the bare necessity and what functionality is a nice to have. Speak to your existing clients and do not waste too much time in planning that the cost of planning exceeds the actual cost of implementation.

Good luck and all the best for your mission.
http://www.zapstrategy.com

Zuricka
Dot Net Web Design and Development by Zap Strategy
Outsource Web Design and Development to NewAge Web developments