Are you considering creating a website for your business – or overhauling the one you currently have? We asked website designer Charlie Teall questions about the importance of a thoughtfully developed website.

Q: Which businesses have the most need for a well-designed website?

A: Businesses with visual products or services. Artists, photographers, designers, builders and remodelers.

Q: What are the most important considerations in building the site? Does that change from business to business?

A: Define what you want your visitors to do on the website. Are they shopping with an online catalog? Or are they just reading informational pages about your company? How often will it be updated and by whom? If you need constant updates, and you do not have a Web developer on staff, you should build your site using a content management tool like Joomla. If you can use Word, you can manage your entire site with Joomla.

Decide on the “look and feel.” Reflect your company, its products, services and market. Edgy & hip? Calm and soothing? Green and natural?

Examples of Teall's work.

Q: Do you have any advice for businesses that are beginning to look for a site developer? What are the important questions to ask?

A: Look for an online portfolio. If they can’t show you what they’ve done, find someone who can show something. Ask about their hourly rate. The large website design and development companies will charge twice what the independent person will charge. The cost of the website should be in line with the scope of your site, so a small simple website can take advantage of a single contractor’s rates. But, if you’re going to be the next Amazon, you’ll need more than one guy working alone.

Q: What determines whether a business develops an income stream from the site?

A: Every website should do something to help your business grow. Even websites that are not profit-driven, like public services, still help boost the website’s message and the company’s visibility.

Outside the non-profit world, any website should bring in some kind of revenue for the company. If it doesn’t, you need a better site.

Q: How does one position the site to increase market share?

A: You can do this several ways. One good way is to use e-newsletters and regular updates to keep your customers informed about special offers, sales or new items. A more technical approach is to be sure your website’s META tags are fine-tuned. These are behind-the-scenes bits of code that your visitors don’t see — but the search engines do, and that’s how your website will attract visitors.

For more information about Charlie Teall, visit www.thecongaline.com.

About The Congaline

The Congaline was created by Charlie Teall in 1996. Initially offering only website design, we added website coding and hosting services in 1998. The hosting client list grew to well over 200 clients by 2006. We now focus on website design, coding, and database integration for small- to medium-size clients.