Web site creation software

Computerised Mount Cutters, Computers, other gadgetry.
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

I wouldn't bet on it. My rent is due at the end of the week and working like crazy to get things out the door and get paid right now! What makes you think that I'm that fast, my get up and go had got up and gone, when I had the heart attack.

I may not be fast, but I've got pretty good staying power once I get going and I've already got a general idea of how what I want some of the web pages to contain.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Roboframer

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Roboframer »

Not your average framer wrote:What makes you think that I'm that fast.
Well, someone said it's possible to get something decent up in an hour and sorting out your downturn in business should surely take priority.

A website will get people through the door, box jointed frame corners and handmade driftwood mouldings, which take more physical effort, won't.
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

The big prority this week is paying bills and that means output, include some rush jobs which are needed for the weekend. Next week should be less rushed and I hope to have a little more time. Sorry to disappoint you.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
pramsay13
Posts: 1374
Joined: Tue 27 Sep, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Stonehouse, Lanarkshire
Organisation: Picture Framer (ML)
Interests: picture framing (no, really!) sport, music
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by pramsay13 »

For £100 I'll make you a website and for £40 a year I'll host it for you.
Roboframer

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Roboframer »

Bump :-)

How's it all progressing then?
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

I've been recommended to look at freeola.com. I'm too busy tomorrow, so it will have to look at it sometime next week. I'm learning how to do youtube videos too, so maybe I might be able to include a video, or two as well. I've changed a lot of my ideas about the website during the last few days too. I think that this is going to look quite interesting when it finally all comes together. There will be a strong emphasis on handfinishing, stacked mouldings, repair and restoration. It's gonna take a while sorting out some really good photos for each page, but I think I will be really good when it's finished.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
IFGL
Posts: 3087
Joined: Sun 06 May, 2012 5:27 pm
Location: Sheffield UK
Organisation: Inframe Gallery Ltd
Interests: Films ,music and art, my wife and kids are pretty cool too.
Location: Sheffield
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by IFGL »

Whilst having a video is important, the content of the video is unimportant, no one will view it except you and other framers, I think ours had 9 views in 5 years all of those views would have been or my staff.
Google however is quite egotistical, she really likes herself a lot, having google products on your website will bump you up the rankings, as will having a Google + button.

Good luck!
User avatar
Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Steve N »

Good to hear you are thinking about what you want on the site, rather than rushing headlong into it, I would suggest think about who your target audience is, future customers or fellow framers, or even both,

If future customers, then a list of service you provide ( can be broken down to individual page for each service) , gallery of past work, or work in progress, comments from past customers, your opening hours, and how to find you (with a Google map showing your business inbedded in the contact page) info about parking. Customers don't need a step by step guide of how you do your hand finishing, just show the variations of different finishes, with different ones on the same picture, if you are doing repairs, I would suggest before and after photos
Also make it mobile friendly, around 50% of our visitors are using phones and tablets, and 60% our sales online are being order on either phone or tablet

If you are doing it for fellow framers, well then do step by step instructions on how you do each finish along with videos, this will take an age to complete, it's more of a work in progress type of website, never ending

If you are targeting both, the set it up for customers, then have a section on hand-finishing , but make he customers part the main focus

Good luck with it Mark
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
Framemaker Richard
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed 02 Jul, 2014 5:06 pm
Location: Worcestershire
Organisation: framemaker
Interests: Antique frames

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Framemaker Richard »

Really good advice from Steve above, I would print that post off and use it as a guide on making your site!
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

Yes, I agree. The website is for my customers, but I am promoting my activities that make me different from many other framers. I am not promoting my business in terms of price, etc., but in terms of offering some different and aiming at particular needs and requirements where customers will want to come to me, because of the fact that I am offering something which is difficult to find elsewhere.

Videos score well with Google, but because I am not offering the same as everyone else, I will score well on the search words and terms which apply to the specialist things that I do. These things are niche market things and not really mass appeal, but at least I won't have much competion in what I am offering. I intend to have my website up and running as under construction before the Christmas rush starts and will fine tune and complete it during the start of next year.

I am having a good look at all of the recommended websites and will go with whatever works out to be the best. Lots of thanks to all who have suggested various website options. Incidentally there are lots of websites listing the various things which Google looks for when rating websites, I won't be able to include them all, but I certainly will have these in mind.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
GeoSpectrum
Posts: 2151
Joined: Fri 01 Oct, 2010 11:49 am
Location: Lincolnshire
Organisation: Ashcraft Framing
Interests: Family, x-country skiing, wine, art, Jazz
Location: Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I wonder how Robo's new site is coming along?
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Roboframer

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Roboframer »

There is one in the making actually but the existing one still brings work/people in.

Why d'you ask?
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

Apparently it only takes a week! Funny how some of us find that something decent takes careful planning and a bit of working out first!

BTW, unless it's just a blip, we do at last appear to be getting more income right now. Mind you busness income seems to be quite difficult to predict these days.

One of our business friends told me that she has managed to negociate a reduction in rent because business is so bad. I don't think that the landlord was very happy about ending up with and empty shop that needs some serious money spending on the back which has a bit of a damp problem.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
IFGL
Posts: 3087
Joined: Sun 06 May, 2012 5:27 pm
Location: Sheffield UK
Organisation: Inframe Gallery Ltd
Interests: Films ,music and art, my wife and kids are pretty cool too.
Location: Sheffield
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by IFGL »

You can get a short summary of your business, and your contact details up in less than an hour, you can also add social media links, noticed you have a Google+ page, again just minutes, this would be already up if you were doing any carful planning as you put it, as you would know this would be working to get your URL recognised by the seRch engines, extra pages and content that may take more thought can be added any time.
Roboframer

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Roboframer »

Totally agree.

You can get something up which can give a very good insight in to who, where and what you are while you work behind it on the full shebang.
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Not your average framer »

Oh, you mean this. https://plus.google.com/117921631150570831313

It's only a three months free trial, but I'll have a proper website up and running by the end of the three months. It does not tell you very much, but there it is.

Google (map registrations) phoned up a week, or perhaps two weeks ago and wanted me to participate in this three month free trial. I didn't do the words for the website, they did that and I was not asked to approve what they chose to say, but what the heck it's free! They are going to connect me at the end of the three trial to offer me a deal to continue with them.

So there you are a couple of minutes on the phone and an instant webpage! Just as Robo said "it only takes half an hour", or in my case two minutes on the phone and until the three months is up it costs me nothing. Problem solved!
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
IFGL
Posts: 3087
Joined: Sun 06 May, 2012 5:27 pm
Location: Sheffield UK
Organisation: Inframe Gallery Ltd
Interests: Films ,music and art, my wife and kids are pretty cool too.
Location: Sheffield
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by IFGL »

Well it certainly looks like a Google+ page, these are social media and free to have, not sure what you are getting extra for a potential paid service, what I meant was Goole likes links to its stuff, here is the foot of our website, you will see the G+ box, this takes you to our G+ page which is a bit like a blog, like I said before with the Youtoob, no one will look at it, but google likes it and that's all that matters.
Screenshot_20161009-190804.png
Screenshot_20161009-190804.png (372.96 KiB) Viewed 17002 times
Roboframer

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Roboframer »

Not your average framer wrote:Just as Robo said "it only takes half an hour", or in my case two minutes on the phone and until the three months is up it costs me nothing. Problem solved!
I repeated what someone else said previous on the thread.

Your Google page is a start (had any enquiries from it?) but it's not a website and it says, unless you look further, that you're in Newton Abbot, a place I'm sure you would rather not draw attention to. I'd take it down if I couldn't change that.
User avatar
GeoSpectrum
Posts: 2151
Joined: Fri 01 Oct, 2010 11:49 am
Location: Lincolnshire
Organisation: Ashcraft Framing
Interests: Family, x-country skiing, wine, art, Jazz
Location: Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Contact:

Re: Web site creation software

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I think you would be better off with Facebook Page than Google+. or at least in addition to it.
Alan Huntley
Ashcraft Framing
Bespoke Easels and Self-assembly tray frames
http://www.ashcraftframing.co.uk
Framemaker Richard
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed 02 Jul, 2014 5:06 pm
Location: Worcestershire
Organisation: framemaker
Interests: Antique frames

Re: Web site creation software

Post by Framemaker Richard »

Mentioned in the other topic about updating my own almost obsolete website, and started on my new site this afternoon, it's intended to be minimal with just the basics. I used 123reg which to be honest does not seem the most user friendly interface, and would suggest trying one of the other providers! but anyway here it is:

http://www.richardframemaker.uk/

Spent about 4 hours playing around, but could have easily reduced this to a couple of hours or less.. I did already have all the images and logo, so I think if you were to allow a day working on all aspects it would not be unrealistic.

Do a basic page and then add extra pages later (all easy to do in the website creator panel), the important thing is to get it online and for the search engines to start finding your site. As mentioned above, forget google plus and better doing a facebook or ideally a basic website. Once it is done you will effectively have a shop front that can be viewed by millions of people instead of just those that walk past.
Post Reply