Objectives of a website

[Chatmaster]

I have recently been asked to review the web designs of a SA web designer and it brought me to a question. Why do people pay for a web design if the site essentially will not mean anything for them.

If you look at www.propertiesnewcastle.co.za for example. The site is designed using frames, Site can hardly be indexed. Anchor links are used constantly to display info on a single page apposed to targeting specific keywords for each page. Use of on page styles and JavaScript throughout. Essentially a site designed by a newbie or by a really bad web designer can have various issues the customer is completely unaware of.

So what does this mean for the customer? To get me to my point. What exactly is the purpose of a website? Why would someone pay money to have a site that practically means nothing for them. When someone takes the step to get a web site designed for them, why do they do it? What do they wish to accomplish having a website. Perhaps it is a case of not understanding the web? Perhaps a total disregard of the importance of the web.

Bringing me to my question. From your experience how can we make the world very small for bad web designers? What approach should we have educating business and website owners?

[Blazingpie]

people often want a website because it's something to ahve, and with several of my freelance clients they simply ahve one because it's the done thing (looks professional, etc). Most don't even know the first thing about the workings under the hood - it's just there and they're happy with how it looks and makes my life easier and I don't ahve to do much maintenance :p (no way in hell I'd do SEO for them without complete redesigns)

In the end most don't realise how the web works, so they seem completely astounded when I tell them that it's theoretically possible to make a lot of cash via passive income from the web.

These bad web designers often prey on smaller clients who don't know much or don't care :(

[Koz]

I sure those terrible looking sites (using frames for example) are mostly for novelty. they don't understand the web and that a site can actually make money. often you'll find a friend or family member designed it for them.

I think the best way to show them that the site is worthless is to show them stats from their server logs.

[Blazingpie]

i was leaning towards torture camps for people who design terrible sites but alas, they are illegal :p

In the end the best way is probably to get the client to see that people hate the way it looks, etc. I remember back in college where I tore a girl's website project apart as it was garish, eye-burning pink. She eventually changed the colour, etc to a better version and scored good marks.

She wouldn't have changed it until she was faced with opinions that it was crap. Harsh but if it works...

[daniel]

Hey chatmaster

I think the world is getting a very small place for bad web designers naurally.

I keep coming across more and more customers taking advice before they do a web build. They are understanding the importance.

Another quick and nasty way would be for google to make a statement that they will only index w3c compliant sites going forward. That will force web designers to build to a standard

[Chatmaster]

That is a very good point Daniel. I think we need someone to officially set some standards when it comes to web design. W3C is in a way a good way of setting standards as it does explain the language of the Internet.

The we also need someone that can set the standards in terms of conversion rates, minimum site requirements and in general how online marketing works.

I am also looking into educating the public in some way. I believe South Africa is making big gains in terms of people getting involved in the online industry, but in general business owners are still very much uninformed with regards to how a website works and should work.

[Koz]

You've inspired me Blazingpie! I'm gonna design a "garish, eye-burning pink" web site! hahaha

I'll dedicate it to you :grin:

[Blazingpie]

thanks :D

I see you've already started with your avatar :p

[Paz]

I think the world is getting a very small place for bad web designers naturally.

LOL... yes natural selection will take it's course!

I think things have improved a lot. There aren't many sites these days that have frames, flash and a footer text; "Best viewed in 640x480 with Internet Explorer 4.0". I wish I'd been into SEO those days.....

But I guess we're all fed up clearing the mess created by sloppy web designers. On the other hand, it it weren't for search engine unfriendly web design, we wouldn't be so busy!

[Doubi]

I've noticed that most companies have a site build to provide information to their existing clients and to publish their URL in their press releases. They are so stuck in conventional marketing methods as they are unaware of the power, online marketing has and what it could do for the company. I know this for a fact , cause I worked for a company like that before and they just would not listen to me wouldn't even give me a budget. :sucks:

[Chatmaster]

Without starting a hefty debate here, but I have noticed that even with conventional marketing people are missing the point big time. I actually had a discussion just yesterday about the issues with conventional marketing in South Africa with the MD of a advertising and marketing media company. Reading stuff on sites like bizcommunity and advertising in general it seems we have lost our touch with marketing and advertising has replaced it. There is no people standing out of the group with some lateral marketing ideas and companies do not seem to see this. Now that forces me to think about the possiblities there is for the first company that actually wake up to smell the coffee...