Website tips and advice

[Amp David]

Anyone know about making websites.

Been thinking about one for a while, don't know if i should DIY or pay for a professional one?

 

[Geordie Spark]

I wouldn't bother.

This internet thing is just a flash in the pan and will never catch on.

 

[Octopus]

I disagree.

In my area I am a rare beast of a sparky and have a website that I paid to have created.

From talking to my clients I know that quite a few see one of my adverts, which always include my web address, and then look at the site to see where I'm based before picking up the phone.

I pay £99.00 per year for hosting, up to 10 email accounts and tech support. At less than £2.00 per week its definitely worth while having.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Well in my area we have Mr Johnson who walks the streets with a sandwich board advertising our products, and we put postcards in the Post Office and corner shop windows. Then there's the Evening Chronic - our local newspaper - that we sometimes advertise in and occasionally they manage to get the spelling right for us.

 

[Amp David]

Not many have tinternet in the North East though.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Not many have tinternet in the North East though.

We're getting there ..... there's more now since we got the new North Sea Gas.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Murdoch, how site hits, on say monthly average, do you get?
How much business does it generate for you?

 

[HandySparks]

I think a website is worth having nowadays. I have a few customers who find me directly via my website and others who will take a look.

Mine is very "DIY", in that there's no special website design software involved, just me and a text editor. Doing it this way is quite satisfying, but does require some time to learn how to code it; there's lots of reference material on the web. At present the web hosting costs me about £10 per year, although for subtle reasons I might be moving this across to a £30 per year service with the same company (www.easily.co.uk):
Andrew Neish, Liphook Electrician and Handyman

If you don't want to jump in that deep, then one of the many web hosting companies who offer a "design it yourself" online design package may be the way to go. Or go for the "full service" where they do the design and layout, obviously at extra cost.

 

[topcat]

Have been looking at web site my self what do you put on their I have a contact,services section what else do you put on your web site

 

[Octopus]

Murdoch, how site hits, on say monthly average, do you get?
How much business does it generate for you?

Over the last 6 months its generated about 2 leads per month, but as I posted earlier a number of people look at the site after seeing one of my adds elsewhere.

As for the value not a great deal, but a new client is a new client.

I do know that I've lost out on at least 2 "reasonable" jobs because I was too busy and people wanted work done immediately.

Marketing is marketing - doing nothing is not an option, and thinking that a website will be your saviour won't be either!

 

[Octopus]

Have been looking at web site my self what do you put on their I have a contact,services section what else do you put on your web site

punctuation?

 

[topcat]

thanks murdoch will get site checked by the wife she knows how these things work.

 

[HandySparks]

thanks murdoch will get site checked by the wife she knows how these things work.

Go on mate, give us a link.

 

[wade88]

Agreed. I've pretty much stopped working now (man of leisure, indulger in lifes finer pleasures, exotic destination connoisseur, list goes on... ) but one thing i definitely recommend having is a strong website with good google optimisation. having a poorly designed or "cheap" looking website, simply makes you appear to be a "cheap" and most likely incompetent spark. After all first impressions are very important, we all know this.

Having said that, most of you will probably now look at my website, call me a massive hypocrit and spit at me, but my websiote only cost me £100, no monthly fees, no hidden catches and i have been VERY lazy in maintaining it. The serious element of having a good website is getting it LOOKED AT, otherwise its as good as wearing anne summers edible knickers under a set of painters overalls..... we've all been there right?

So paying a webby chap a bit of wedge to get your website ranked and key word linked up on google, is an investment worth every penny. It may cost you quite a bit of cash, but your website will get looked with way more frequency. If you can get your site in the top 10 search, your laughing, ask yourselves this, who EVER goes onto page two of google? never. thats where the losers and miscreants hang out.

Alternatively, you can set up a google Ad campaign where they advertise your site and charge you on a "per click" basis. So they make a nice banner of your site on the front page of google or whatever after the right key words have been typed in "electrician in surrey" for ex, and then everytime somone clicks on your page, they charge you say 50p. So maybe you get 10 hits and no work, its costs you a fiver, but the 11th viewing may land you a CU change, £300 heavier - £5 for marketing, its off to the pub, thank you very much.

Thats the route i chose, and i found it very useful. i set my monthly limit to like £100 @ 30p a click and it got me work. It seriously worth checking out. If you a total spazmatron like me on computers, then meet a webby for a coffee, sit down, discuss your business and they will get you sorted out.

Hope this has been of some use.

1. Google is the key
2. Bad websites will most likely LOSE you work
3. Invest to earn