When editing or adding content to your website, the best and cheapest way to get attention is to be picked up on a search engine. That is people out there search for a keyword that appears on different websites and allow the search engine to find sites that match those parameters. Search Engine Optimization or SEO (which can also mean Search Engine Optimizer) is both an act and a job description, one doesn’t need to hire an SEO if they are really intent on low cost web design. It is possible to do it yourself, and like momma always said, “If you want something done right do it yourself”; well momma might be right but momma probably never had to do SEO.
If you’re reading this that must mean that you have some interest in the ordeal, and what you’re doing is the first step to becoming a good SEO, research is always key. When editing the content on your site think of different key words that may be associated with the products, services or niches of your site and include them in the text. Don’t go overboard and keep repeating “funny painted plywood cut outs” every three sentences, this is considered keyword stuffing and is both unnecessary and potentially malicious to your website. Make sure the information you include in your site’s content is relevant to all the other information, there’s nothing more irritating when you’re searching the web for something and when you click on the site it’s something completely different than what you were looking for.
Another way to generate more traffic to your site is by adding descriptions to your pictures, always label the picture with accurate data and include relevant key words. This will make your site visible on image searches and easily reachable for users. Another huge no-no in a good web design is stealing content, you know, copying and pasting data found on other sites and posting it on your own without the permission of the original site. You may think this saves you time but it is unethical as well as illegal and may result in breach of copyright suits on your part. Paying legal fees is far from the idea of low cost web design, so as far as plagiarism goes, just say no (yeah like Nancy Reagan). At one point in time this was a good idea for websites and SEO since if they use the content from another more prominent site, their site would also appear on the same search results; however new systems in place in search engines eliminate this as a benefit, most of these search engines may black list your site for copyright violations.
Templates are a tool for low cost web design because they save both time and money to the end user, with proper selection anyone can maintain a professional looking site that operates like one as well. When choosing a template it is important that you choose a template that matches the feel of your site, colors are an important tool in design since they can subconsciously alter the mood of your visitors. Another important aspect of color is to consider the contrast of the text and the background image, text is always easier to read when they are visible and legible in the first place. The background should not draw attention away from the main content of your site, and as such it would be best to stay away from using photos as backgrounds. The presence of a photo in your background makes the page load slowly and to most people it’s a sign of immature amateurism on a website (much like a Myspace page).
Being a web designer is a mix between art and science much like clock maker, and as a clockmaker one should avoid putting too many unnecessary parts on a time piece. When choosing a template it’s best to look for one that offers space for a navigation menu on each and every page to make browsing your site a quick and simple ordeal. Drop down menus should be looked into when possible however a well designed plain text system is just as effective. Avoid templates that frame the entire site, this disables the people visiting your site from using the navigational buttons on their internet browsers; worse yet it makes it impossible to find specific pages on your site from a search engine. Always maintain a balance between functionality and aesthetics, in my opinion a plain looking site that has a good layout is much better than an over the top flash animated website. To me flash laden sites scream “look at me don’t you think this is cool”, and often fail to give me enough information; whereas a plain looking site with easy navigation and lots of easy to read text gives me all the information I need in a simple easy to read fashion. Going with the simple site also reaches a larger population of people world wide where the internet and computer capabilities are not always the fastest or smoothest, and in the end it is the cheapest web design.
Any mother’s son can tell you that the cheapest way to get anything done including web design is to do it yourself. This however is not a viable choice for everyone; sure it’s simple to do these days with all of the free templates and simple programs for DIY’ers. Some people simply do not have the time to start a website from scratch and maintain it, even if having a site would be extremely lucrative. Luckily there are many different choices when it comes to low cost web design, there are many companies and even more private contractors that can be consulted. To get the best bargain it is necessary to examine all possible sources and to weigh the balances between what you’re paying for and what you’ll get.
The cheapest option is usually to seek out a company or firm that can provide the service, make sure they are good at communicating and will listen to your input every step of the way; make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for. These larger companies ideally get the job done faster than private contractors, however the work on your site may pass through many hands and inconsistencies may arrive as such. The use of templates by these companies may speed the process up even further and lower expenses which lowers the cost of using their services. If you are not concerned about how unique your site looks and just want a well functioning product, this may be the best choice for a low cost web design.
Private contractors are best when you don’t need your website up quicker than fast in a hurry; they will often do all the work by themselves and should also communicate with you every step of the way. They can cost more than a large firm or take longer or both, but having a personal web designer may be the best way to conduct business if you want consistency. Another aspect of a solitary web designer is that your website’s business doesn’t shift through so many hands and will often resort in a more customized outcome than in companies that may use cookie cutter systems to punch out a large volume of sites. It is also possible to find quality qualified people to do the work for you online, there are many sites that will allow you to outsource designing your website to a global market. When outsourcing it is always important to check the competence of the people you hire, make sure they also have a firm grasp of English (further more it is best that you yourself write the content for your website and allow them to encode it for you).