Have a plan

Before you start your website you need a good plan:

1. Have a purpose

Define the goal of your website first. What's your website's purpose? What do you want to achieve and who are you aiming at?

2. Keep it simple

Make it simple. It's essential to clearly define the functionality and flow of your website before the 'styling' part of the design can begin.

3. Make it very easy to use

Have very clear navigation and well structured content to ensure you don't drive your visitors away. 'Usability' is top on the agenda for Trebor.

4. Stick to the Web Standards

Ensure your website looks consistent across the different web browsers and platforms. Trebor follows the 'Web Standards' created by the World Wide Web Consortium. Building your site in this way makes it easier for search engine 'robots' to find your site.

Many designers get hung-up on how a website looks, but there's more to it than that. Think of a website as a newspaper and a billboard all at the same time. Newspapers are full of organised information and are designed to let readers scan the pages and find what interests them. Billboards are designed to be read as you drive by at 60kms. A well designed website should do the same. At the end of the day, it's important to balance looks with function.

Web design FAQs

How much does it cost for a website?

It is best to discuss your needs before we agree on a price - contact Trebor. As a guide a 5 page information website with a homepage, about us, services, simple gallery page and a contact page, will cost around $2,000.

How long does it take to complete a website?

By choosing Trebor you prefer to have a custom designed website. That means, before we know what you need, it's difficult to determine how long it will take to complete. I generally work on one project at a time, so you'll get my full attention.

Do you do site re-designs?

Yes, no problem.

Will I be able to add content to the site myself?

You can choose to have a Content Management System with your site to enable you to update and manage content yourself.

Do you offer web hosting?

No. There are many different hosting companies that offer a range of services (and prices), but I can help you find a suitable company.

I've heard about web designers but what's a web developer?

Web developers create databases and dynamic features for websites and know all about languages such as PHP, mySQL and ColdFusion (all very interesting). They make a site interactive, while a web designer designs the structure and presentation of the site. We work together (like chalk and cheese!) to create you a site that looks good, reads well and one that you can interact with.

What do I need to do during the design process?

You first need to decide what will be the goal of your site, in other words what do you aim to achieve (and it has to be more than to make lots of money). Once you can articlulate this in a simple sentence it will influence all our decisions. During the design process you'll need to think about what you want to say, write the copy (I can help you), and gather all the other content you would like to add. You'll also be offering your ideas at every stage of the project as much as you want, even if it just involves saying 'yes' or 'no' to what you see.

What will you do?

I make it happen. I'll meet with you (if you're not too far away) and discover what you want, what your web visitors will want and what you aim to achieve with it all. I'll then start the design showing you at regular intervals along the way. The design process will involve a plan of your site, design options for the main pages and final developed design visuals. The design will be tested to see it is working well. Then the site building takes place and you'll see it live online at various stages and be able to test it. Final copy and images will be added and your website will be launched. As a graphic designer I'm also able to produce an identity or any other collateral you might need for your website.

How much content should I have per page?

Less is (always) more. It is tempting to write and add everything to a page as it's all seems important, but remember how visitors use a website. They don't read, they scan (you probably haven't read everything on this page and you don't have to), they often take the first option that seems right and they're in a hurry. So, filling the screen with clutter will prevent your message from being seen. A clear, visual hierarchy of information will help get visitors to the information they want and that's my job to sort that out.

Why shouldn't I just use an 'off-the-shelf' template for my website?

trebor creates designs specifically for the individual or business in question, focused on making information seen. Simply choosing a ready-made solution for the sake of having something online isn't always going to satisfy the goal of your website. If you're looking for cheap, average design then please keep searching.

Remember, you want your visitors to like you

If your website visitors see what they like you're more likely to sell to them. Get them interested, don't confuse them and make it easy for them to do what you want them to do.