Website Design Solutions

“Warning! Don't Allow Web Designers To Take Advantage Of You”

My K.I.S.S. Approach To Designing Your Web Site

You may think that it's strange for a web designer to be warning people against web designers. But it aggravates me when I discover how some web designers take advantage of people that are not that knowledgable with computers, the internet, web design, etc.

Most people, in particular, entrepreneurs, people new to the internet that want their own website, and people not aware of what goes into web design, are targets. Therefore, they are promised the sun, moon and stars only to find that after laying out their hard earned cash, they soon realize that they didn't get what they thought they were getting.

Of course, not all web designers are unethical. But there are those few that give the profession doubtful connotations and often mistrust once the project is completed.

I'd like to dispel some of the mysteries and provide you with my no–nonsense, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly) approach to web design. Perhaps I can explain exactly what's done and how and what to expect when dealing with Distinct Website Designs.

Who Owns What?

Most web designers offer to buy your domain name for you and include it within the price of the design. This is all well and good. I do the same thing if that's what you prefer.

But what you may or may not know is that when the web designer purchases your domain name, it is usually registered in the web designer's name not yours, and remains that way. So if you performed a WhoIs to find out whether you owned your domain name you might be surprised to find that you are not the legal owner. I use DomainsNext when I register a domain name. I've found them to be reliable and very helpful.

My policy is that if I purchased the domain name — it is 'temporarily' mine until I transfer all rights upon completion of the website and payment has been received.

Why do I do it this way?

Well, for two reasons.

I need complete control over the DNS information in order to make the transfer to the hosting company (where your website will be hosted) and to be able to handle any problems that may arise. It's just easier to do without any delays.
I'm providing a service and until that service is completed and I am paid in full, I own it. Once my services are over and I've received complete payment, I transfer all the rights to you. That includes the domain name and all the files associated with your website. Any graphics I design for your site are yours, I transfer all those rights, too. They are yours to do with what you want.

Of course, any third party programs or graphics that are added to your website that I do not directly “own”, the rights will still remain with the their respective owners. I have no control over that.

Some people seem to think that by doing it this way that their domain is held ransom until payment is received. Well, you can look at it that way, but I need to protect myself to insure that I get paid for all my hard work.

You also have the option, of course, to purchase your own domain name and provide me with the details so that I can make the DNS transfer to your hosting company once your website is completed. I really don't care which way you prefer to do it. The choice is yours.

What Does A Basic Web Design Contract Cover?

A Website Design Contract protects us A Web Design Contract that spells everything out is pretty much standard. It protects the both of us. I firmly believe that this also alleviates any future problems when questions arise. Before any work is started, everything you want in your website will be written down to every last detail, including Who Owns What. If perhaps down the road, you want some changes to be made, that is also written up in the contract as an Addendum.

The following is included and standard in my Web Design Contract:

Ownership of the site, graphics, pictures, and programming (unless 3rd party programs are used) are all tranferred over to the you, the Client.
Any and all passwords to get into the Control Panel (if hosted by me) of your website when completed and payment is made in full.
Payment schedule usually when specific milestones are met. How much you will pay and when you should pay it.
An option for me to outsource any programming work that is beyond the scope of my expertise, if I deem it necessary to complete a certain function or portion of your website.
If anything extra is required for the completion of the design, nothing is done until your permission is received and any extra charges are approved by you first.
You will be notified and emailed at regular intervals with a progress report and given a link to view the progress of your website. This will provide you with the opportunity to contact me and and quickly let me know of any adjustments or edits that you wish to make.
You also must do your part and provide me with any material I may need in a timely fashion, so that the project is not held up.
An approximate date of when your website will be completed, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Read more in my Terms & Conditions about Contracts.

Hosting & Statistics

Yes, I offer free hosting of your website if I design it, but only if a Yearly Maintenance Agreement is purchased. You always have the option of choosing your own host company. When I design a website, I offer one year of free hosting when a Yearly Maintenance Agreement is purchased and you always have the option to renew at the end of the year. If you do not renew, then you would need to find another host and transfer your website. I am not in the hosting business and only provide this service to my clients that require on–going maintenance.

On–going Maintenance is generally those websites that are updated often and require someone to make those updates. For example, a website that offers new digital products or new information on a weekly or a monthly basis, or special sales on certain products.

Maintenance Fees

The cost for a Yearly Maintenance Agreement depends on the website. Since each website is different, so is the maintenance that it requires. If you believe that you will require constant updates, or once–in–awhile updates—this is all considered when quoting the fees. I base it on my hourly rate and the work involved and I always try to be fair about it.

If you do decide to purchase my Yearly Maintenance, I will provide you with all the passwords in order for you to review your own website stats. However, if you make any changes and or edits of your own website, know that for me to “fix” anything that got messed up is not part of the Maintenance Agreement and would be charged by the hour accordingly.

If you decide to host your website somewhere else, and would like to hire me on an hourly basis for sporadic editing or any updates, this is also an option.

Design It Yourself

Feel free to cruise around and perhaps get some basic knowledge of how to create your own web pages. This may or may not be within the scope of your plans, however, the choice is yours.

Please continue on to Design Preparation, or what you need to know whether you are designing your own site or not.

Ebook on How To Make A Web Page Or, if you'd like to learn to create your own web page in a step–by–step approach, you can learn how by downloading my very affordable E-Book
“How To Make A Web Page”. It is an easy way to learn some basic HTML.

But...if you do not wish to learn HTML even after purchasing my Ebook on “How To Make A Web Page”, I have another solution on how you can still create your own website and save yourself hundreds of dollars. If you can read and answer a few questions, click on your mouse button—then you can create your own website. And the best part is that the software is included as a FREE bonus. So I got your back covered either way. How can you say NO?

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