Website setup

katiep3483

Just wondering does anyone have any info on starting a website? Like the costs etc and should I buy the domain name first then employ someone to set up the page? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

pontovic

Hi Katie,

Here is some advice based on the info you have given:

-- If you want to register a domain name, do it now before somebody else takes it. A .com domain name will cost you about €12 for 2 years. I recommend www.blacknight.ie.

-- You may also need to register a .ie domain name if you are setting up a business targeted locally as well as worldwide. In order to do this, you will have to register a business name with the Companies Registration Office (http://www.cro.ie)

-- A good website typically starts at €3000 ex vat and up, depending on requirements. If you can give more information on your ideas then please do.

When costing a site, you need to take into consideration the following:

-- Will the site be a basic catalog site or will it have more advanced features like secure online ordering and payment? If you are selling anything you will need these extra features. They will cost more but they will be worth it in the long run.

-- You need to take into account online marketing too. You will need to do this especially if your business is new and you don't have an established brand. For now, advertising on search engines is the way to go.

-- Do you have a logo? If not, you will have to pay a graphic designer to come up with one.

-- Domain registration for a .com and a .ie domain name will cost you in and around €70 for a year. Hosting can range from €8 a month and upward. It all depends on your requirements.

-- Once the site is complete you may have to pay someone to maintain it and they will charge a nominal hourly rate.

One final piece of advice. Don't attempt to do the website yourself and certainly don't pay someones nephew €200 to throw something together for you in a weekend. A good website takes a lot of time and effort.

Skadi

Be clear on what you want your website to do. If you get it done professionally make sure the company is listening to you and not trying to fit it in with a solution that they already have.

If you are willing to pay a little extra, you should ensure that you have an administration part to your website to allow you to make updates to the content yourself. If it is an ecommerce website then the administration should be an extension of a stock system, allowing you to specify the quantity of stock available, and allow for easily retrieval of reports to print or download.

Also read the proposals very clearly. A cheap website might be for their default package and you might be charge by the hour for any extras that you feel you need. Also be aware that some companies charge extra is the project runs over time. Also take into account any training you might need to update the system, you may need to pay for support if the administration is not simple to use.

Till Rolls

katiep3483 wrote: »

Just wondering does anyone have any info on starting a website? Like the costs etc and should I buy the domain name first then employ someone to set up the page? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I can strongly recommend you a guy who built my website for me. He will work around your budget, like what was said above , it all depends on what you want. His websites are first class , I see a lot of websiteS , that just look like they came from a conveyor belt. They are just templates. My back office is outstanding , its easy to work with and does everything except make the tea. You will be very impress with it!

I advise you to look for some good websites here in Ireland and get the web developers contact details from it, Use web grader to grade the web page you think is good, it will give you an idea how good it really is, if the page doesn't get a good rating I wouldn't bother even contacting them. Anyway ring them ask them roughly how much a site similar to the one you found. I did that , and some of the price were outrages, I feel sorry for the owners knowing how much they were over charged. Knowing what I do now I'm very happy I got Internet Solutions Ireland to build my site.
If you want any more information about it PM me and I would be happy to tell you more.



.

heggie

that web grader only seems to offer information on basic seo, more to do with how established a site is, and not its quality. For the non technical aspects of web design, you don't need a tool to tell you how good a site is, just use it - is it easy to use, navigate, get the info you want, usability for your customers is what will count, not some score from a web app.

Sonnenblumen

If you're going to use a web designer ensure they are professional, registered, and compliant with current legislation on websites CRO etc etc.

Easy enough to check and don't be codded by some bedroom operation competing on cost grounds against a proper set-up.

Surprising how many so called 'great designers' are actually like 'vans with no names'.

Skadi

I am currently undertaking a site for a client. After talking to the client they looked at their competitors sites to see what they liked and didn't like. As they will have an e-commerce presence they also thought about their shopping experience on-line and again their likes/dislikes and wishes.

Many web design companies they talked to seem to listen to their wishes, but the proposals sent did not incorporate ideas they had been talking about. A good company should be able to make your site unique and advise you or explain why things mightn't be a good idea.

If you go with a professional, ask to see a demo of what they can offer. Being able to update your site yourself will save you a lot of money in the long-run and also ensure that your site is updated regularly.

seven-iron

omniserve.ie

pontovic

I would advise you to stay away from omniserve.ie. A good website takes a lot of time and effort to produce.

mr0bojangles

If you want to register a domain name, do it now before somebody else takes it

Thats sound advice.

With regards to design try sites like www.getafreelancer.com to get competitive quotes from designers around the world. Be wary though. If you think you are getting a good deal research the company as best you can and look at their portfolio. Even with this you can never be certain and you will be taking an inherent risk. If your happy to do this based on your research I'd still advise never paying more than 25% upfront until you can be shown some decent progress made with the site.

I've used a Canadian company - www.xsessivedesigns.com that I found through getafreelancer and I found them to be excellent and very reasonably priced. The site they designed for me is www.ratemytradesman.ie if you want to take a look at their work

Good luck

pontovic

I'd avoid them too. As a professional web designer who knows a good thing when I see one I would recommend these guys.

-- http://www.forbairt.ie
-- http://www.xcommunications.ie
-- http://www.banjax.com
-- http://www.contrast.ie
-- http://www.redfly.ie
-- http://www.webtrade.ie
-- http://sabrinadent.com
-- http://www.openinterface.ie
-- http://www.iqcontent.com

They're the ones I can think of for now off the top of my head. Oh yeah, and read this http://www.mattfinucane.ie/?p=24

CiarM

theres a company down the country that did mine for 350, designed, hosted , i had my own domain name, I'm deighted with mine,

The company i used www.mpowerireland.com
gud luck

GoneShootin

CiarM wrote: »

theres a company down the country that did mine for 350, designed, hosted , i had my own domain name, I'm deighted with mine,

The company i used www.mpowerireland.com
gud luck

The only posts you've made so far has been in recommendation of this company. Such subtle advertising will not be allowed to continue.

Consider this a warning.

And any web design company that doesn't have some kind of portfolio of past work isn't worth looking at in my books.

enviro

I also recommend www.internetsolutionsireland.com This guy is class and would bend over backwards for you. Dont get charged a fortune when you can get great work done cheaper. I wont give the link to the website he done for me incase it get me in bother with the mods, lets just say its an irish site in his portfolio. I advise you check the portfolio out. You must analyse past projects of any web designer before getting them to do work for you. Its a must! Hope that helps you and good luck

cheerireland

I use http://www.bluevoda.com its really good....gives you editing suite...like microsoft word format...really easy to use and to publish your website.... Its $40 for joining fee then $10 a month and that includes your domain for a year!

I did some sites here, not the best, but It gets the message across

http://www.northdublinwildcats.com
http://www.cheer-ireland.com
http://www.mancheer.co.nr
http://www.bluecoats.co.nr
http://www.cheerleading.co.nr

andywozhere

I'd agree with many of pontovic choices. Check out a few posts on boards and www.irishwebmasterforum.com. I wrote a wee article on the basics of web design . Really I wrote it more for myself than anyone else.. but you never know it might be useful.

NullZer0

<snip> Please don't whore yourself here - publicly anyway if you catch my drift </scipt>

GS

albert-bundy

Hi you will have so many options contact www.snazzydirectory.ie they will do you a three/four page web site for as little as 200 euro

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Hmm, OP only has one post, doesn't participate in the conversation and it was so vague that the only thing it could have been intended for was a bit of shilling.

CiarM - Welcome to Boards.ie

GoneShootin

Fancy Dresser wrote: »

Hmm, OP only has one post, doesn't participate in the conversation and it was so vague that the only thing it could have been intended for was a bit of shilling.

katiep3483 Last Activity: Yesterday 17:26

Hmmm - lets see how it pans out...