Professionally made website or self made?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I've done one today, not as good as Beatroute's really but it will do. The thing is, I don't have any photos of my set ups which I aim to rectify over the next few weeks. I won't post a link to it just yet if that's ok.

Regarding websites etc... I did not have a clue how to do it all but as quoted above, it really is easy and almost "website by numbers"....I use Dreamweaver MX which is easy. You can either do it in code (which I am not good at) or the way which is almost as easy as typing on here and then just adding pictures, changing fonts, colours and text etc...it really is that easy. A domain name is mega cheap these days and so is webspace..I am with easyspace myself and have 500mb worth of space. There is so much stuff on my website but 90% of it is mainly text so it hardly takes up any room at all.

As far as I know (I've heard it said), there are far easier ways of doing your own website now and PC World even sell a thing called "Website in a box" or something? Mine isn't perfect but it does the job and far better than I could ever have wished for as I get plenty of enquiries out of it....I've heard my mates say that they have problems with their websites which are done properly. Some of them have had to wait ages for their webmasters / designers to update the site to their needs because they are busy and they also have to pay extra too. I can't be doing with all that so I made a point of learning the basics and it means that whenever I want to change or update it, I can...no need for waiting for anyone else to get off their backside and do it.

There are also a lot of free web tools out there...they're not everyone's cup of tea and no doubt the 'proper' web designers loathe them but they can help you too and all they are is code that you add to the page...it's easy. There are also loads of ways of adding photos etc without using loads of space and I use 'Web album generator'...again, this is mega easy to use and doesn't use up much room at all. As a last note, when I do get a bit of spare time, I aim to start teaching myself flash so I can make it all look more professional.

Ok....Here's the small movie maker advert I did earlier today - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXUzbasy24E I know there may be some discussion regarding the music and maybe, I shouldn't have used it but that's why I chopped them up and used snippets only.

Cheers
G

[Marc J]

PC World also sells iPods and speakers....would you recommend people do their own wedding discos too?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Sarcasm eh?

I guess you must be a web designer then eh?

Just my opinions mate.

[Marc J]

I guess you must be a web designer then eh?How did you guess? :)

Just my opinions mate.
And you're entitled to it, of course. I just don't think it's good advice to tell people to do something themselves when it's better to pay a professional to do it! Your website is your "shop window" to an increasing number of potential clients, and first impressions last. I just don't think it's worth the risk for what can be a fairly small outlay and minimal ongoing costs.

To be perfectly honest, it's better having no website than a bad one.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Agreed, but of course you are going to say that aren't you. You are right in that I am entitled to my opinion and that's all it is. As I said, a couple of my mates have been tearing their hair out in the past because their websites aren't done by themselves and they pay a professional to do it. I'm not saying everyone has the same problems and yes, a good website can make a difference but personally speaking, I haven't had any problems or bad comments about mine even though I have done it myself.

Of course, proper web designers like yourself probably laugh at sites like mine and fair do's...you are entitled to do that aren't you. I reckon though in all honesty that for the particular trade that we are in, people just want to see the basics, get a number and talk to us about our services.

[Marc J]

As I said, a couple of my mates have been tearing their hair out in the past because their websites aren't done by themselves and they pay a professional to do it.
As I'm sure everyone here is aware, there are cowboys in every trade!

Perhaps DJs and Web Designers are similar in one respect: A vast majority of seemingly "professional" web designers are actually doing it to get some extra money, and are either students or have a 9-5 working for someone else. As such, getting changes made might be harder than you'd hoped....


Of course, proper web designers like yourself probably laugh at sites like mine and fair do's.
Not at all! However I would discourage your plans to learn Flash to make things look "a bit more professional". Flash is one of those things that done right works well, but is easily done wrong....and looks terrible. Your time is probably better spent doing something else....

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I appreciate your comments but in your last line, not sure why but I kind of take it as that you are being sarcastic again? Apologies if that's wrong but telling me that my "time is probably better spent doing something else" seems as if you think that I have no chance of learning it.

A friend of mine is a great cartoonist, we both do it actually but he has more time on his hands then I do. He knew absolutely nothing about computers and truth be told, he only got a laptop for christmas. Since then he has learnt Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks. He is trying to do his own website in which he is going to showcase his cartoons. Now, one of the cartoons he is working on is a caricature of me actually. He shown me some of it as he has transferred it on to his mobile phone and it is awesome - He used Flash to do it!

Not meaning to be horrible to him but he is not the brightest of blokes and if he can get his head round it and come up with the quality work that he is doing at the moment after 3 months....then I'm sure I can. Maybe...just maybe, that's why designers like yourself are getting the hump slightly because these programs (if you take the time to learn them properly) aren't as hard as they are generally thought of and just as you mentioned...it's a bit like the '£60.00 DJ's' who do it in their spare time and undercut everyone else. I can see where you are coming from but I have always been a 'tryer' no comments please lol) and if I think I can do something myself to a reasonable standard, I'll give it a go. I think that's fair don't you?

[Marc J]

I appreciate your comments but in your last line, not sure why but I kind of take it as that you are being sarcastic again? Apologies if that's wrong but telling me that my "time is probably better spent doing something else" seems as if you think that I have no chance of learning it.
No sarcasm - lots of people have spent time and learned Flash - a small percentage are producing quality Flash! I personally wouldn't take on a full Flash website, as I a) personally don't like it for anything other than "eye-candy" and b) am not very good at it (and I've been using it "lightly" for over 6 years!).


A friend of mine is a great cartoonist, we both do it actually but he has more time on his hands then I do. He knew absolutely nothing about computers and truth be told, he only got a laptop for christmas. Since then he has learnt Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks. He is trying to do his own website in which he is going to showcase his cartoons. Now, one of the cartoons he is working on is a caricature of me actually. He shown me some of it as he has transferred it on to his mobile phone and it is awesome - He used Flash to do it!
That's because he's using Flash for it's intended purpose - vector drawings and animations. It's the temptation to misuse or overuse Flash that can make a website look, for want of a better word, a bit "naff".


Maybe...just maybe, that's why designers like yourself are getting the hump slightly because these programs (if you take the time to learn them properly) aren't as hard as they are generally thought of and just as you mentioned...it's a bit like the '£60.00 DJ's' who do it in their spare time and undercut everyone else.
I don't get "the hump" at all. I'm looking at a different target market to be honest. A client who is considering doing it themselves, or has a ridiculously low budget, was never going to be a client of mine anyway so I haven't lost anything. I'm sure the DJs targeting the higher paying clientelle would agree with me here.

Kinda leads onto another comparison between DJs and web designers - you guys get "the hump" when the £60 cowboys undercut you with no PLI, PAT and illegally downloaded music while you guys have costs 'cos your all legal....

...Flash & Dreamweaver together come to more than £800 - if that's what you're using to do your own site, I guarantee you'd have got it done professionally much cheaper ;)


if I think I can do something myself to a reasonable standard, I'll give it a go. I think that's fair don't you?
Absolutely!

http://www.loweringprices.com/smilies/hijacked.gif

EDIT: After re-reading my own post, I realised it could look like I'm insinuating that you used illegal copies of software. That's not what I meant - simply that many people who decide to "do their own" website do use illegal software.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I'll be totally honest with you mate, I got my version of Dreamweaver via a friend who was doing websites. It was a kind of coinsidence actually because he was leaving his job and moving abroad and doing something totally different. He actually gave me the stuff and for free. It's not a copy or anything. I didn't realise it cost so much, he didn't even take a beer or two off me.

[Shaun]

If people are proficiant enough with design and have the know how on how to make a good site, and achieve good SEO then fair enough, fair play to them if they want to build their own website.

However, all too often I've seen sites that appear "home made". I'm assuming that we all strive to portray ourselves in the most professional light as possible to our customers?, which is why I find it hard to believe that there are so many poor 'amatuerish' business websites out there (all trades, not just DJ's). More and more people are using the internet to look for businesses these days, and your website is your calling card and ambassador (for lack of a better word).


I reckon though in all honesty that for the particular trade that we are in, people just want to see the basics, get a number and talk to us about our services.

I disagree. Of course the aim of a website is to convey information, but it's also a selling tool. It's purpose is to provide the customer with information and sell your services to them. I would argue that because our profession isn't highly regarded by a lot of the public, it's even more important to convey as professional an image as possible. A good professionally designed site can help in that regards.

Just my humble opinoins, no offence intented to anyone.