Domain Name | Special Features | Architecture | Layout | Programming | Graphic Design
Databases | CMS | Hosting | E-Commerce | Search Engines
When it comes to web design or development there are many steps involved in the entire process. In today's competitive economy it is important to hire a professional designer/developer to help achieve your goal and jump ahead of your competition. We have the means of helping you do just that. Below you will find every step of the design process explained along with examples and ideas. Please read as much as necessary before contacting us for a free quote. Once you decide you would like to get a free quote, fill out our on-line questionnaire and info form. Or, you can fill out a PDF version of the same questionnaire and email it to us as an attachment. Filling out the questionnaire will help and speed up obtaining a proper estimate.
One of the very first steps in developing a web site is securing a domain name. Usually your domain name is in a format of www.yourname.com. While it may seem like a very simple thing to do, registering a domain name is not a simple process anymore. First of all, since internet has been around for some time now, there is a very high chance your name has already been taken by someone else. This is why it is important to secure your name as soon as possible so that no one else can get a shot at it.
To register a name you can use one of many registrars on the web. Each of the registrars may charge different prices for registering names and very often those prices differ with the number of years you register for. You also get different levels of technical support and flexibility with managing your domain name(s) depending on the registrar you select. There are many services associated with registering a domain name and many of them require some level of technical knowledge. This is why we recommend that you let us handle registering your domain name on your behalf for a small one-time fee of $10. By letting us do this for you, you ensure that all the settings and services are configured correctly. We prefer to work with Network Solutions as our registrar of choice. Their level of service is the highest we have encountered and they provide great support. You can visit their web site to see if your domain name has already been registered.
To add to the confusion of registering a domain name, domain names can be registered with various extensions such as "com," "org," or "net" to name a few. Depending on your line of business and how serious you are about protecting your name you may want to register your domain name with several extensions. Once you have done that you can point all of your domain name variations to the same web site. That way no matter which one someone types in their browser, they will always end up on your web site. But, you can also register variations of your domain name with same extensions. Here is an example:
www.yourname.com
www.yourname.net
www.your-name.com
www.yournames.com
As you can see, there are many possibilities and ways to protect your name but it can get expensive if you select many variations of your name. Another thing about domain names is to select a name that's easy to pronounce and that is not too long. Domain names may only include letters and numbers and hyphens. No other characters are allowed. For example, Barnes & Noble registered a domain name of www.barnesandnoble.com but, to make it easier for their customers, they also registered www.bn.com. This way regardless of which one you use you are always taken to their web site. If you haven't created a name for your business yet it may be a good idea to register a domain name first and then register your business since the available domain names get more and more scarce by the day.
You need to decide what functionality and features will be implemented on your site. Most of our clients select some or all of the special features that we offer as part of the design of a web site. All or most of the special features need to be selected during the planning stage of the design before any work is done. The main reason for selecting all the special features first is to save additional costs later due to reprogramming of the site. Most of the special features of a web site mean that they have to be well integrated into the web site. If a feature is not implemented from the beginning it may mean a huge reprogramming task if a particular feature is added later. Sometimes it may not even be possible to implement something at a later time.
Some of the special features include an internal search engine for your site, a glossary functionality, a send this page to a friend, bookmarking and printing links, availability of printable versions of your documents, customization of the site feature, popup menus and popup windows for parts of your site and many more. Many of these features are available on our own web site so you can see what they are. To learn more about the special features and what they do go to Special Features.
[more]
The structure or architecture of your web site is the key ingredient in its functionality. This step requires a lot of planning and it is important that you answer our questionnaire to help us in figuring out how to set up the structure of your web site on the server. By structure or architecture we mean how specific files will be arranged in a directory or folder structure on the server. The physical arrangement of folders and files such as documents, graphics, forms and libraries can often be associated with the navigation and layout of your web site. A proper plan will determine things like the download speed of your web site, easy navigation and ease of future updates.
It is vital that this step is taken very seriously. It is better to spend more time on this step, than to end up with a product that needs to be revised later. During this step it is also important to plan for the future expansion of the web site. In other words, it's important to think about possible new sections of the site that may be added in the future. If planned correctly, future expansion of the site will be painless and inexpensive. The architecture of a web site often depends on the type of server and technology used. You can read more about this in the section about programming. At Amerinet Services we have mastered this skill and our technicians with years of experience know exactly how to best approach each project. You can click the image shown here to see an example of what a possible structure of a web site may look like. We also invite you to download our web architecture form in PDF. You can fill it out based on an included sample. This will also help us give you a free quote. We always work closely with our clients so after you submit to us your idea of a web site we will contact you to give our suggestions and questions and together we will be able to find the perfect solution.
[more]
Layout means how things are arranged on your web site in its final stage when it's ready to be launched. Having a list of components and features is as important as knowing what will the architecture of your site be. Once we know what features you plan to include on your web site we can take all that knowledge and sketch a representation of your web site with all the different components.
Even when the final layout is set, individual design of graphics needs to be made and the site needs to be programmed so that the proposed layout is presented correctly on the actual web pages of the site. Aside from the look, the functionality has to be programmed in the way that integrates the look with navigation and usability.
[more]
Programming a web site is a very complex process. It is usually a combination of many computer and web languages that work together in order to achieve a perfectly functioning web site. The programming languages selected for a specific site often depend on the type of a server used to host the web site. We usually work with Windows-based servers running systems such as Windows NT or 2000. Occasionally we work with Unix or Linux servers as well. The technology we use includes ASP, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, VBScript, HTML, XML, XHTML, DHTML, CSS1 and 2, FLASH, RTML, CFML (Cold Fusion), Java and others. Almost every project includes some combination of these technologies. In any case, we always select the best tools for the job.
When it comes to programming the web site there are many factors that influence our selection of tools. If a web site is e-commerce enabled, if it has an integration with a database and how dynamic it needs to be are just some of the things that affect the technology needed to accomplish the job. For example, our web site uses ASP, DHTML, HTML, JavaScript, VBScript, SQL and FLASH. As part of the programming phase we thoroughly test our designs on a variety of platforms and browsers. We always test on Internet Explorer 4 and above, Netscape 4 and above, Opera, Safari and AOL on platforms such as Windows 98, Me 2000, and XP, Mac OS 9 and 10 and Linux. This thorough testing ensures that your web site renders and functions flawlessly on all possible combinations of computers and programs. There are so many companies that skip this step and their clients end up with a web site that functions well in Internet Explorer on a Windows platform but it breaks and often doesn't work in Netscape or on a Macintosh. We pay so much attention to detail that you can be sure that your customers will be able to get the best experience visiting your web site regardless of their software or computer.
[more]
When it comes to graphic design in general it's important to preserve your unique identity. It is also necessary to make sure the overall design is eye-catching and pleasing. The last thing we want is for the visitors to your site to turn away due to a bad look and feel. When you combine the general guidelines for good design with their application on the web, you need to be even more cautious since this design will be viewed by many visitors from all over the world. As far as web design is concerned, graphics is the true meaning of the word "design" here. This is what makes your web site unique and different. You need to stand out from the rest of your competition and we make sure you get exactly that.
Graphic design on the web can be very simple or it can be very complex. It all depends on the type of business you are, the type of your audience and your goals. For example, when we design a web site for children it is usually colorful and fun. On the other hand, when we design a web site for a law firm it is usually very professional and low on graphical content but still pleasing to the eye. Some web sites may require more colors than others. Some need animation as well. This all depends on specific needs of each of our clients. When thinking about the web, this is where the creativeness of our designers collides with the technology of our programmers. The two need to work together and become one.
Graphic design for the web is a form of art on its own. We need to make sure all the graphics display correctly on all platforms. We also optimize all web graphics for the web. This means that even though the graphics need to be pleasing to the eye and look sharp the also have to load fast even on the slowest connections. So there is always a balance between quality and size of all web graphics. When we first start working on designing your site graphically we consult with you to find out what is the company image that you already have. We try to work with the colors and any art you already use in your business. Sometimes we are able to develop a completely new look which some of our clients adopt for other parts of their business as well. Our questionnaire also has several questions pertaining to graphical look of your site. The key is to find the right balance and preserve or improve your corporate image. You can view some of our web designs in our portfolio.
[more]
Database integration is often a part of a Content Management System. However, integrating a database into a web site may have many other applications as well. Some of such applications include having polls on your site, counters, member areas, password management, guestbooks, search engines, glossary and others. Choosing the right database solution for your site depends on many factors. For example you need to predict how much traffic your site will be getting. The hosting plan that can handle database integration is always more expensive but gives you more control over what you can do on your site. Very often thanks to a database your web site can become dynamic and a large part of your site may in fact be generated on the fly right form a database.
The purpose of a database is to store content and information. This may range from simple things such as counters placed on your pages to storing entire articles or user information of the members of your site. Regardless of what information you want to collect in a database, you need to plan it well. If your web site requires any type of a database, the planning stage makes up about 60% of a good database design. A bad database design may mean reprogramming of all pages involved in the integration process. To give you an example our glossary requires a database to run. When a request for defining a term is made the database that holds definitions is queried and a result is returned if there is a match. This is an example of a very simple case of database integration. To see how it works try to define term in our search box on top of every page or click on the Glossary link on top of any page.
[more]
A CMS requires a database to run behind the scenes. It may also involve publishing files to the server and some other features. The purpose of a good CMS is to give you, the user, as much control over your web site as possible while at the same time make the process easier and save a significant amount of time. It is possible to design a CMS that will give you full control over what goes on your site and where it goes all without any programming knowledge. A CMS is a password protected secure system that allows you to create documents that will get published to your site all within a browser. It may include many features such emailing you when something happens on the site and allowing you to take action. It may give you control over what goes on your home page and how it is displayed. In some cases a basic knowledge of HTML may be required. But best of all, you don't need to have any special program to access your CMS. You can manage your web site from anywhere in the world as long as you have web access. All you need is a browser.
Many of our clients choose to include some level of CMS. This means that the cost of their web site is higher at the time of design but it saves them a great deal in the long run since they do not have to call us with every change and update. Our advice is that if your web site will require frequent publishing and changing of information it is best to include a custom CMS that allows you to control those parts of the site. Even though we use templates to start working on a CMS, all such systems are custom-made and unique for each web site. This is because each client has different requirements even for the same types of database management. If such system is required it will be included in your free quote.
All our CMS systems are open source and depending on your server settings, can be in ASP, PHP or CFML. Regardless of the technology used all CMS systems accomplish the same thing and are integrated with whatever database system you are running. In designing a good CMS a lot of planning needs to be done and in case of migrating of a static web site or an old CMS to a new one a lot of content transfer needs to be done. In many cases you may not want to make every part of your site CMS-driven. We recommend that at the very least you enable those parts of your site to be CMS-driven, which are constantly growing and are being frequently updated.
[more]
We also provide hosting services to our clients through our partnership programs with good hosting providers. By purchasing web hosting for your site through us we guarantee to maintain and troubleshoot your web site as part of the hosting agreement. By doing hosting through Amerinet Services you allow us to handle all technical aspects of setting up of your account, mailboxes and many other technical things. Of course we do not force you to go with any of our hosting plans, but if you choose a third party hosting provider you will still need to give us access to that server to upload and maintain your site. In case you choose a different company to host your web site we cannot be responsible for any technical issues with your web site on that server. You will need to address all technical issues with that ISP (Internet Service Provider). Most of our clients go with our hosting plans since they feel more comfortable letting us handle all technical issues concerning their web site.
We offer a variety of hosting options depending on what you need for your web site. You can see our plans in our Hosting section. We don't provide prices since these change constantly. Please contact us for the latest hosting prices.
[more]
Many businesses do some kind of selling on the web. It can be a store with thousands of items or it could be collection of donations on-line. It could even be selling of a single product or service. Regardless of what level of e-commerce you wish to conduct on your site we have a whole range of solutions for you. We have experience in working with Yahoo Store®, using PayPal® to handle your online transactions or going with your own shopping cart and merchant account.
The type of service you need to choose depends on your needs. It depends on factors such as how you wish to track your orders, the type and number of items or services you sell, if you already have a merchant account and many other factors as well. We have experience in providing various levels of e-commerce solutions and integrating them into your web site. No matter what your needs are we can handle them with ease.
[more]
One of the final steps after launching your web site is to register with various search engines. There was a time when this process was simple and often free or very inexpensive. Over time search engines evolved, competition increased and technical requirements got tougher. Registering with search engines and making it work for you became an art in itself. It is important to let professionals do this for you so that you get the desired results. After all, what good is a great web site if no one comes to visit it?
Getting traffic to your site involves more than just search engine registration. The success of your web site depends on other forms of advertising of your site as well. This means that all your business publications and ads should include your web site address as well. You need to get involved in promoting your site and we can help you achieve your goal. We make sure your web pages are optimized to get the highest possible listing with top search engines. In addition, we can help you design printed media such as business cards, envelopes and letterheads. We can also help you design posters and pamphlets for print. No matter what the job is we can make sure it's done right.
[more]
