Every website requires two identifying pieces of information: the Domain Name and the IP address.

The Domain Name is the literal name of your site, like 'widgets.com' or some other easy to remember identifier. Once you purchase your domain name, it is unique to your site and it then functions like a large sign saying 'Here we are! Come on in!' We can help you find the perfect Domain Name, or the next best thing if the perfect one is already taken.

The IP Address points to the actual 'physical' location of your site, i.e. the computer server where all the files that make up your site live. In the same way that the Domain Name acts as a big sign in front of your business, the IP Address would represent the actual physical address of the building you work in, and just like any building in the real world, you have to pay rent to keep your stuff there. You do this through a Hosting Service, who will provide you with space on their servers and an IP Address to link your Domain Name to. We can handle all of this for you or you can choose to do so on your own.

Before a single bit of code is set down, you and the designer will meet on the phone and, using the information you provide, try to nail down exactly how your site will look and function. After this meeting, the designer will create a Design Composition, or Comp, for short.

A Comp is a single page mock up that will give you a good idea of the look, feel and functionality of your site. A Comp allows you to change things that seemed like a good idea in your head at the time but didn't work out quite so well in practice. Making changes at this stage is much quicker and cheaper than trying to change it up after the code has been written.

SAMPLE COMPS: CLICK FOR FULL SIZE IMAGE...

A typical Comp takes 2-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the design. Minor changes won't add much to that and there is rarely a need for a second Comp. To ensure our accuracy, be sure to fill out the Online Design Form as thoroughly as possible.

The Layout is the ‘shell’ of your site. The Jabberwock above, his tail below, the menu tabs, the title, pretty much everything you see on this page that is outside of the white area is part of this site’s Layout and remains the same no matter what page you’re on or which content you're viewing. As such, it is important to establish right up front how it fits together.

A webpage Layout is technically made up of a bunch of 'boxes' that hold content. The basic fundamental choice you're going to make about your layout is 'how many boxes do I need?' If you need seperate areas for your logo/header, menu and main page content, you need a three box site. If you want to add an independent 'news' section that shows up on every page, you need a four box site, and so on. The example below contains the 9 layouts that are most common on the web.

Now, just because our layout is made of boxes, this doesn't mean your viewers have to see it that way! Each 'box' can have it's own size and position as well as a unique background that can be made to blend in seamlessly with all the other 'boxes.' Click on any one of the layouts above to see the truth in this (click it a second time to reset it). They really can go anywhere and look like anything so if you can imagine it, we'll help you to realize it.

The cool thing about layout is that once it is built, it is easy to duplicate over and again by the use of a blank Template containing the layout information. If you need a new page, we can create it in as little as 15 minutes if the content is simple, ready to go and requires little in the way of formatting.

The Content is the meat of your site. It includes the text you're reading, the images you're seeing, the Interactive Layout in the section above as well as all the links, menus, tables and any other bits that are unique to this page (like the little flying dude to the right).

Content is important. You need text to provide information, you need pictures to illustrate that information, and you need tables to organize your information. The trick is to have 'just enoough' content and to not get carried away with it. Too little and you might not get your point across, but too much and you not only overload the viewer but slow down the speed and efficiency of the site.

We can write every word of your site and design every last graphic, you can provide all of the content yourself or we can do a bit of both. Also, if you would like to pick your images, we have an account with Bigstockphoto.com. You can go there, peruse their libraries, give us the numbers of any images you like and we will purchase them for your site.

Back-End Software includes various behind the scenes programs that improve the functionality of a site. Examples include form handlers, shopping carts, databases and the like.

While not all sites require this type of functionality, most business sites will require at least some form of contact or comment form and if you plan to pass any kind of secure information along the internet a Secure Server with a valid Security Certificate is a must.

If some sort of special Back End Software is needed, let our designer know. We can implement a wide range of solutions for a wide variety of needs.

Once your site is ready to go and you have signed off on it, we'll upload all the files to your Domain and your web site is complete!

FROM COMP TO WEB: CLICK TO SEE THE FINISHED SITE...

Our service doesn't end there, however, and we will be available to make changes as needed when needed...