The Framers Forum

Starting from scratch, and knowing it will be tailored to me eventually, any tips on what to include or what to avoid please, content or tricks. Other than your own possibly, who's website really impresses.

good photos (pictures worth a 1000 words and all that)
your opening times and phone number on your home page (so i've been told thats the information that most people visiting a web site are looking for so make it easy for them)
Make it clear and straight to the point
A link to my website

These days a static website is no good. So the number one priority is that it is easy for you to update regularly with pictures, blogs, exhibitions etc.

Agree with JGF lots of pictures, oh and a link to mine is always good!

JGF - you can link to mine!

Trinity wrote:Starting from scratch, and knowing it will be tailored to me eventually, any tips on what to include or what to avoid please, content or tricks. Other than your own possibly, who's website really impresses.

Hi Trinity,

Lots of good website out there actually. What's important (Actually No. 1 on my list of Tips to create a successful online presence), is to determine EXACTLY what it is you want? Simple 5 page of who, what, why, where and how to find you is just fine. Or will this display a load of unique art that you sell? Or do you plan to actually embrace e-commerce and sell something through your website as well. Having a plan is key.

...be tailored to me eventually...

Little confusing...does this means that it will be a work in progress, learn as you go? Or are you implying that you're working with a template site and you will give this your own "character" as time goes on?

Are you home based or high street?

Are you planning on doing this yourself or working with a hosting & design firm? Either way, Jim's comment about having access to change things is important for many reasons.

Good luck and please do share more of your plans and ideas. Being in business today and not having a website is well...like not having a business card or a sign on your business.

John

Thanks for the help.
"Tailored to me" meant I wasn't just going to copy another web design that wasn't "me", but I do welcome advice to get me going. By trade I'm a flat out director of a sizeable construction company, so framing is nights / weekends among competing pressures, but I love it.
I'm well of the beaten track working from a home based studio. I must call it a studio to differentiate when it was a shed, full of bikes, cars and tractors, it's just a mental thing for me not a pose, helps me keep it tidy. Prior to that even it was a cow shed, stable and gig shed.
I like doing object mounting of all kinds, have a Wizard that I can drive well and can produce high quality framing, hot or dry mounted projects. BUT, in producing the website I want to:
overcome the remoteness of location, move beyond a relatively low income area and the limitations on hours I can attend. I want it to showcase what I can produce in a way that becomes my principle marketing tool or at least support the networking I do. Hpefully word of mouth will then kick in as well. Nothing new here I suppose.
I'm seeing someone tomorrow, and will try to crystalise the plan acros the 5 areas John, in advance. And thanks too Jim, managing content will be a prerequiste, but the other things you mention need grasping I know. Irrespective of the debate regarding their worth, such bolt ons are anticpated in most aspects of business nowadays.
I'll let you know how I get on.

I’m building a new site using Joomla! CMS (Content Management System). Once the template has been created (they are available off the shelf or you can have one made like me). You have easy control of the content and can add things like blogs online store etc. relatively easily. There is a bit of a learning curve as with most new things bit I think it will be worth it.

The new site won’t be on line for a while but I’ll let you know when.

You can do something pretty impressive, and not have to spend a lot of money.

This one is done on wordpress (free) and employed the services of a professional designer to set it up. Total cost to set it up was a few hundred pounds for the designer, hosting is next to nothing, and Keith can chop and change it, and evolve the content very easily, as well as regularly posting pictures of his finished work.

http://www.keith-wilkinson-frames.co.uk/

Like it Jim.I met my chap today and he's also proposing to use Wordpress to create a website proposal for me to consider very much along the lines seen here.

I started trying to build my own site on wordpress but ran into a few problems. Moonfruit was then recomended to me and I have spent a few hours on it today starting the site from scratch. I have found it very user friendly, so far so good. Results of my site so far can be seen at www.skeneframing.com, it is a working progress, I hope it will get better as I learn how to use the site.

Moon fruit is very good. If you have ever done any desk top publishing then you will be able to design quite a fantastic site very quickly.

Hi Alastair

Just a few small things I notice on the site and I hope you don't mind me pointing them out.

You say "proud to be associated with the FATG" but elswhere you say you are a member. I would just state you are a member to keep things consistent also I think membership sounds better than associated with.

Is there a more modern font you could use e.g Arial, Verdana, Helvetica etc.?

At the top of the page your mobile number is shown but elsewhere you give a landline number. Having a landline gives an impression of an established and reputable business. If it is inconvenient you can always use a call diverting service.

Finally, don't know if the pictures got out of proportion when you uploaded them but the frames have unequal thicknesses to the top/bottom and sides.

Good luck with your new venture.

[quote="Jonny2morsos"]Hi Alastair

Just a few small things I notice on the site and I hope you don't mind me pointing them out.

You say "proud to be associated with the FATG" but elswhere you say you are a member. I would just state you are a member to keep things consistent also I think membership sounds better than associated with.

[quote]

I thought you were talking to me then then I realised Allyblue1 is also Alastair

I didn't think you would have thought that I was "proud to be associated with the FATG"

It used to be you had to be called John to be on here now it seems Alastairs are taking over

Ah but I am actually Alistair but most people misspell it

John (Jonny2morsos)

Thanks for the points, especially phone numbers and about the Guild. Fonts and picture uploading is something I need to look more into on the hosts (moonfruit) dash board etc. I have a base now from which I can start to work.

Graysalchemy - Nice name.

Regards

Alastair

I find http://www.clikpic.com are pretty good and very versatile, cost is around £35 a year, two years in advance and the numerous templates allow you to customise to your hearts content.
I am still playing around with my website but pleased with the overall effect so far.

I find it very helpful with constructing your website to get it listed on Google Places as soon as possible and it never ceases to amaze the number of calls I receive from outfits willing to get me a top listing on Google for a couple of hundred quid a year! Simple and free to do it yourself..................