Why Use a Web Design Professional?

OK, this is going to sound a bit like a rant. That's because it is!

I have just read yet another article about ways to make money online. Web design is listed as one of those ways. Yes, web design is a way you can make money online. But the part that really ruffles my feathers is where the author goes on to say that, if you don't know anything about web design, just pick up a couple of how-to books and you are good to go. Excuse me?

In part, I blame Microsoft for promoting the idea that anyone can build a business web site. While Frontpage was great for someone who wanted a personal web site to put pictures up of the new baby, it was not a good tool for creating a business web site.

An experienced professional designer will know how to create an attractive, easily navigated web site, will know about how colors look on the web, will know about designing for the different web browsers so the site looks good in all of them, will know how to optimize graphics for the web, will have learned and kept up with the techniques for rankings in Google and other search engines and a good web designer will walk you through the process so it is not a chore. You cannot gain this knowledge through a couple of how-to books.

The fact is that the public expects a business to have a professional looking web site that provides them the information they need. Unless a business owner has the time and knowledge to create such a site, he or she should seriously consider hiring a professional.

OK. Rant over. For now...