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There's kind of problem that exists in the web design world. It's ignorance.
Let's step back into the late 1980s for a moment. Remember then? There was a revolution with desktop publishing. I got into computers at a young age and remember this time well (yeah, I remember seeing a demo of VisiCalc - one of the first spreadsheet programs at a local library back in the day - I was a nerd... but it paid off, of course). People could then publish materials themselves - all kinds of things. But does that mean that they should do desktop publishing? No, not everyone is a designer (don't get me started on the Comic Sans font).
Just because you can publish from your computer doesn't necessarily mean you should. It took a long time for people to realize this. Honestly, when you make something, you're proud of it (usually). It's hard to hear that what you've made isn't up to par. I know. I've been there. We all have.
Fast forward a little bit to the web design era. Microsoft vomited up a program called FrontPage. Of course, it couldn't just write good HTML code, it had to do it its own way. You had to get the Microsoft server for it to work and it truly created more problems than it solved if you ask me. I'll be honest, I'm very biased against Microsoft and am very for Open Source Software. Anyway, FrontPage brought web publishing to the masses and the general line of thinking was that anyone could make a website. Did that mean that everyone should?
Website Design Today
We're now in an era where website publishing has evolved again in the form of blog websites. It's easy again. I'll admit, server software (blogging software or content management systems (CMS)) like WordPress and Joomla do make things easier and they do run much better than using FrontPage. They are also cheaper. These systems do well but to a point. What if you want more? What if you want your website to do some pretty complicated things? Should that be done at home or only by professionals?
Here's an article I found today that's at least worth a skim if you're thinking of installing and running WordPress yourself:
Crimes Against WordPress: How to Be a Real Jerk if You Make WordPress Themes and Plugins (blogs.sitepoint.com)
Some would have you believe that the WordPress ecosystem is a veritable Shangri-La of themes and plugins. I want to destroy this illusion: it’s not. If you’ve had to manage a WordPress site or two, you’ll know what I mean when I say WordPress themes and plugins can be a labyrinth of compatibility problems and a morass of bad programming practices; full of empty promises.
In that article, you'll see just a glimpse of all the problems that can arise with WordPress (and I am a huge WordPress fan). Some plugins and themes are incompatible with others. Sometimes, you don't know what's wrong and you have to spend hours diagnosing it and then even more time fixing it. This is the hidden world of website design that not too many people are privy to unless they've tried to do it themselves and have run into problems. This is the ignorance I speak of.
Easy Website Design?
On the surface, website design can look easy. There are lots of commercials on TV about how anyone can make a website in 5 minutes and stuff like that. If you think that's what it takes, then go ahead - try one of those. When you're frustrated and are left unsatisfied, then we're here to help. We sort of like these kinds of clients because they have a better understanding of what we do and all the services that we provide (of course, that's not required to be one of our clients).
I always have to come back to my automobile repair analogy (sorry, but it works really well). Today, most people have a basic understanding of how a car works but cars have also become more complicated. I'll do things like change the oil, some fluids, wipers, tires and even brake pads but beyond that, forget it! They're complex and I don't want to break my car or risk my safety... just not worth it. I take it to the professionals and have it done right to protect my investment.
The "one man shops" out there might not be able to handle website work like they used to. They now have to be designers, website administrators, search engine optimizers, programmers, marketers and handle support - and maybe also do sales. There are not many people wired to do all of those jobs proficiently. It takes a lot of work to publish a website that has few to no errors and works well.
Website Upgrades and Patches
Then there are upgrades (thanks, hackers). New patches and upgrades come out all the time. Your website's sitting on a public server basically. It's out there for anyone to try to tamper with. They're being attacked constantly. Since these CMS websites are really software running on the server (not just static pages), the software needs to be kept up to date daily. There are patches and upgrades coming out all the time. With each one, things that once worked can break - pretty easily. There is a cost of ownership if you want a successful website.
Different Web Browsers, Too!
Let's not forget that new versions of web browsers are coming out all the time. It's not easy keeping up with Microsoft's different way of doing things (yeah, they still do that) and there are a bunch of web browsers that people are using (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Safari, Opera, etc.). Your website needs to look good in all these browsers on different platforms and operating systems (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac / OSX, etc.). If a new browser comes out after your site launches, then having it stay compatible is not included. Tweaks may have to be done to keep up with browsers. Nobody can see the future, so adjustments have to be made.
Conclusion
I'm really not trying to go on a rant here. That was not my aim at all. The main point that I was trying to get across is that website design is not as simple as most people think it is. With all that's seen on TV about getting quick websites done, it's no wonder. You will get what you pay for, though.
A website is not the kind of thing that you can sink $100 into once and be done with it. I don't know why anyone would think that. With the World Wide Web appearing everywhere now (smart phones, TV sets, small devices, etc.), people are turning to the web to find things. There's wi-fi everywhere, too. Why would anyone want to go cheap with website design - especially because it is relatively cheap?
If you want a return on your investment, then you must invest well. We have many very successful clients. They are the ones that are constantly working on their websites. We give them the tools to do it. It's really up to them if they want to make their website successful or not. We can help, too. We have many clients that have us update their sites for them even though they can do it themselves.
We can work with you any way you want. We have the team, expertise and desire to work with you - just don't try it at home! :-)
-Tony
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