ForumsInternet/eCommerce

To make things more difficult, those that focus their efforts within flash development, and other catchy designs will lose profits with the next generation web allowing anyone with absolutely no knowledge of programming the ability to design a "better then average" website for a small business, for a small monthly fee. Site can and will be updated by the same person.

Suggestion to those in the business of web design for small business:

START FOCUSING YOUR EFFORTS ON MID-SIZE BUSINESS, LARGE BUSINESS, OR CORPORATE ENTITIES. TRY TO FIND OTHER INCOME STREAMS OUTSIDE OF YOU CURRENT MARKET.

You're right, we're doomed!

Of course, if you look at web design to be the end-all, be-all, that would be correct. For me it's always just been one component of advertising a small business (and usually the easiest part).

I think you hit on the real problem, a lot of small business owners think of web design as the "end all be all." They ignore or don't understand the need to put forth a real message that communicates a benefit for customers. I mean look at the majority of post here that rely on nothing but offering a cheaper price. Instead they could talk about insight and understanding markets, how to reach customers and drive traffic. There is no reason other than price for doing business with them.

What good is a website that people are not actively seeking? And give people a reason to stay on your site! The longer they stay, the more they learn about you and your product the more they tend to buy. And the more often they will return. But who wants return customers?

To add insult to injury, part of developing a professional website includes great Search Engine Optimization.

I recently heard of an offer from a USA based company that offers SEO at the rate of $149/per month. This company is one of the best in the country, and is currently losing profits and business, and should be refocusing their marketing efforts. If they continue on their current plan, they will fail on all levels eventually.

Why might they fail you ask?

I am glad you asked that question.

They will fail because they are stubborninly and blatelingly are unresponsive to the obvious, and India based company charges the same services, with twice as many features for $29/hour.

Well of course not all USA based companies care to do business with India based company's. So you locate a USA based company to do the work. You will look for a company that offers the best quality and at an appropriate rate. So you do a search for SEO in google, and the first two companies that come happen to be USA based. The first company offers a rate of $149 per month(but of course this rate is hidden until you are sold on the service). The second company offers a rate of $59 per hour, openly displays their rates and offers twice as many services as the first.(They are oustourcing to an India based company unbeknown to you the American based company).

Intech,

No, I don't have a website up. And I am a legitimate company. I made a small piece of change this year, enough to live off. I think the importance of a company's web presence is depended on the type of business you are talking about.

Let's look at your burger example for instance - how many times have you gotten on the web to search for a burger? How important is it to customers of a burger place that the business have a website? Are people going to order burgers over the web? A website for a burger place can help build customer loyalty and encourage trail but is a website as important as great signage and a strong print campaign to the owner of a burger place? The honest answer is no. But still some of us would push having a website as a necessity for doing business when it isn't.

Now back to me. I believe in having a website for my agency, I am having trouble with what I want the website to do. I don't want the traditional show and tell website that most advertising agencies have where they show their work, the people and their cool office space. I want and am trying to build a website that engages folks about advertising, that informs and educates while allowing people to get to know us. I admit it is taking longer than I would like but the finished website will be closer to what I believe a website should be - more than a template filled with samples of work and biographies. I want it to be a conversation on advertising. The hard part is pulling it off well, but that is also the most important part.

I don't think there is going to be trouble for web design companies that understand what it is that they do, and find a clear way to communicate the real benefit of their services. It isn't about pretty designs or SEO strong designs, it is about developing a web presence that invites people in, holds their attention and gives them a reason to buy a product or service. If you can tell business owners that you can do that, then web design companies should not be in trouble.

And now to the small business owners who have or are thinking about having a website, a simple question: If you have a physical presence for your business off-line and customers were coming in and out of it to do business, how much time and money would you invest in designing and decorating your business to make a great impression on customers when they come into your business? And you only want to spend how much time and money to design and build you online business? Just a thought.

Iwrite

Wow, it's pretty black or white in here.

Shades of gray really; a local web designer/developer who can leverage their production overseas is going to do very well. If I can communicate effectively and keep my clients up to date I've done my job.. who cares where the work actually gets done?

I wasn't referring to your response, more or less just commenting on how web design companies are perceived to be in trouble because of 'cheap labor' overseas.

As you mentioned, many small/local businesses want to sit down with their web designer/marketer and bounce ideas around- that's a natural process. I'm talking about my own business model which provides this.. but also outsources the grunt work whenever possible.