Using images
Using quality images can define & complement your site. How and where images are used and displayed will depend on your particular site.
For example, this site uses a theme which uses ‘header images’ as a background (with a semi-transparent overlay) for the page titles and menus.
It also defines where and which size image appears in various other locations around the site. (A theme is software which is a collection of (mostly) text files written in various coding languages which defines the appearance of the site)
A photography website will have very different needs to someone writing about building websites, or product photos for an e-store, though there are some constants.
Good images do not happen by accident, at least not on a consistent basis, and writing about producing them could run into a library of books.
Good images do not happen by accident, at least not on a consistent basis, and writing about producing them could run into a library of books.
If required, I can supply images for your site, especially those feature images and logo which help set up a site. I can also help out with basic guidelines to help with your photos.
I use Photoshop extensively, though there is other very good software available which may suit your needs.
The real constant for websites and using images is optimizing them so they do not slow your website to a crawl. Only photography and some other niche websites would need to have large, hi-res images.
Showing how to optimize images for the web, or setting up your site so this is automated is a key part of my services.
Writing good content
You have a brand new website, with everything set up, with the usual pages in place (Welcome/Home, About, Contact, Privacy, Blog etc.).
You have some good images on hand you would like to use, but those pages & posts are empty! This can be daunting for many new website owners.
Building a website for an individual, business, community or organisation means getting to know quite a bit about the client, so it is possible I can help draft content.
In the end the thing that will attract people to your website is well written, fresh content with good structure.
This requires research, planning and time. Much can be learnt from reading other well presented sites. I like to get several people to review content before taking a new site live, even if it is just to check grammar.
Searching for “copy writer” or “content writing” will show a plethora of ad’s from people who do this type of work. That is not my offer. Helping to write your own good content is my aim. I can give some pointers and help which will enable you to write good content.
Here are a few examples, which come from knowing that people who read on the web tend to skim articles first before deciding to read in depth.
- Use shorter sentences than normal in print.
- Use short, concise paragraphs.
- Learn to use the least number of words – limit the verbage.
- Address your reader directly
- Ask a question or invite readers to do something
- intersperse your content with headings, block-quotes, italics, images, lists and tables etc.
Training
I supply written quotes to build a website. This usually includes a set number of hours instruction in using the back end of the site, and hands on help using the editor.
I also set out my availability for ongoing telephone and desktop support, and provide a high quality “How to” manual for ongoing reference.
Maintenance
The software that runs websites needs maintenance.
I generally use WordPress, which is fast becoming the main CMS on the web. It is updated and improved regularly, as are the themes and plugins used to extend it.
This is a very robust system, however very occasionally things can go wrong. A ‘white screen’ or a cryptic error message after an update can be a worry.
Knowing what to do and getting things back online quickly is the key to my maintenance services. Essential in this process is having good backups running onsite, on an automatic schedule, & stored off site.
An essential part of any maintenance service is testing that the backups are viable.
There are free very high quality backup plugins available. I can do manual restores from these but prefer to use a more robust system offered from ‘Pro’ (read paid commercial) level plugins to ease this process.
In a belts and buckles approach, I also implement a second backup system which runs almost entirely off site as part of my maintenance service.
If your site is hacked, which , considering high level government agencies get hacked, is a possibility, you may need this type of aid for your website.
Again, this is where having good backups in place is essential to doing a good cleanup. I can and have cleaned up after a site has been hacked, but have only needed to do so once in the last fifteen years. That is also part of my maintenance packages.
That said, on some occasions it could be necessary to hire a professional firm to root out the most insidious hack.
I build quality websites backed with valuable after build services, talk to me to get yours started.
