Over the past year and a half, I have heard it all about some of the things they experienced with trying to get their website online.
#1. ALWAYS get your domain name and hosting package in your name and through your credit card or bank account. I cannot stress this enough. What if you wanted to make changes to the account? I have had clients tell me they can't access their own website that they paid for because of this situation. They can't switch hosting companies, can't switch designers...etc. Get your website information in your OWN name or have the designer do it for you, but makes sure it goes through your OWN account. Sheesh!
#2. Use a contract and get your agreement in writing. Another item I can't stress enough. First of all, a contract benefits BOTH parties. You have your agreement in writing and so you can always go back to it if there are any misunderstandings or issues.
#3 Make sure the website license is switched over to you at the end of the project. I have had people ask me if they will actually own the website when it is online and completed. OF COURSE you do! You would not believe some of the things I have heard with clients not owning rights to there own website after it is completed. As far as I am concerned, when the project is completed to both parties satisfaction, the site is yours to do whatever you want with.
#4. How about the web designer who disappears in the middle of the project, not answering phone calls or emails? I have seen a few unfinished sites that I have been asked to finish because of this very reason. Granted, I do get busy at times, but I do my best to answer my calls and emails within one business day and if there is a delay there is usually a good reason for it.
#5. How about the site that is NOT submitted to the search engines after it is done and does not have ANY meta tags and key words in the title tags of the pages? Granted search engine optimization is a bit more than have good title tags and submitting your site, but it certainly does help. I've done some updates for people whose site was designed by another party and there are NO keywords in the title tag and description of each page. No wonder nobody visits their site!
#6. Designing a site not taking into consideration the clients likes and dislikes. Make sure your designer asks you questions about how you want to be percieved, colors you like...etc. If they don't, they are just going to create something they like, but not necessarily something YOU like.
Seriously folks, web designers are not ALL flakey and dishonest. These are just some of the things I have heard from people before they came to me. I am not the know it all, do it all, but I do know I give pretty good value for the buck and will do my best to give a project the integrity it deserves.
This is very interesting information for so many of us who rely on others to design and maintain our websites. I sure wish I could do it myself! Thanks for the inside info.
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