Web Designer

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Website redesigns and upgrades to existing sites are very common.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Find and bookmark some website that you like the look or functionality of. You may find that you don't like any one site completely, but like elements of 3 or 4 different sites. We can combine your favorite features into one site. Make sure to look at your competitors sites and note good and bad things about them as well. We will take all of this into consideration in our design.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. The real secret of good website design today is search engine optimization, or SEO, that you hear so much about. It involves a number of different elements (most of which are invisible to those looking at your site) that have the combined affect of helping move your website to the top of the Google list. Let's face it, you could have a great looking site, but if you don't show up until page 12 of a search result, most people will never find you. We implement all the latest methods of SEO into our designs.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. As mentioned above, they should check out some other websites to find what they like and don't like. They should have an idea of what content and features they would like to implement right away, and what they may want to add in the future (like databases, shopping carts, etc). Have an idea of what the budget is. We can build to suit.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. The Arts Center has been producing websites for over 15 years. Unlike many "web designers " that work out of their homes, the Media Arts Center is bona-fide business, registered with the state of Connecticut. We are located in the Orange Town Center plaza at 109 Boston Post Rd in Orange, Connecticut. We are a member of the Orange Chamber of Commerce.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. How much does a website cost is a common question. Much the same as asking "how much does a car cost", the answer will depend on the features the customer is looking for. Sites can range from just a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on your needs. We build sites that are easily expandable, so that it isn't necessary to pay for every single feature right away. Forms, user logins, video, databases and other functionality can always be added later.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. A common competitor we deal with is the do-it-yourself "website tonight" like website that promote sites for $99 or something to that affect. Though they may be satisfactory for some people, no serious business should consider that option. The sites can be very restrictive in design and can look very "cookie cutter" like and unprofessional. Worst of all they can be next to impossible for a real web designer to go in and modify or improve later. Since they are basically built by automation, they are always unnecessarily convoluted and complex. One of the worst offenses are the sites made completely with Flash. While they can look very "cool" with lots of things beeping and animating, there are the mortal enemy of search engine optimization. Plan on having to invite people to visit your site personally, one at a time. Few will ever find you through Google, Bing, or Yahoo. The correct use of Flash is to integrate separate animation or video elements into a more standard coded page, like HTML or PHP.

Another thing to be aware of are the many individuals presenting themselves as web designers these days. Ask questions before you chose one. Do they have a physical location for their business? (spare bedrooms do not count). Are they registered with the state of Connecticut? (They will have a CT Tax registration number if they are). How long have they been in business?

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. The Media Arts Center has been involved with all facets of media production since 1990. That includes, video production, video editing, DVD mastering and even award-winning software development.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. The Media Arts Center of Orange is actually a continuing education facility itself. We offer classes in video production, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, DVD Studio Pro, website design & graphics and Adobe Dreamweaver. We are recognized by the state of Connecticut as a job training facility.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. The pricing structure is simple. We charge $69 per hour for website development. Of course we will estimate the number of hours for your projects once we have all the details.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. For those that wish to build or maintain their own sites, or produce media content for the web, we offer classes in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Website Design & Graphics. After Effects, Final Cut Pro and Dreamweaver.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. What about websites made with Flash?

Flash has been a wonderful addition to the web, allowing for animation and very good quality video that is viewable by most browsers. The misuse of Flash lies with those that try to design an entire website with it. These sites are abysmal when it comes to search engine optimization, regardless of how cute they may look. Don't let anyone talk you into an all Flash based site!