What is web design all about?

I think, a good starting point is to talk about all the bits associated with web design.

  • The pages.
  • The Name(s).
  • The distribution.
  • The promotion.

The Pages

This is what you see when you type in “the name” of your site into the internet address bar of a computer (I know that bits technical, but that’s what it’s called!!), and it can be a single page, or a number of pages. Think of it being a bit like a cross between a newspaper and a flyer, it tells the world what you want the world to know!
This could be a site about your family and its history, it could be about the business that you own, it could be about the place that you live, it could be about……anything you want it to be about.
The site could include words, pictures, links to other sites, moving pictures, sounds etc. etc. Again anything you want.

The Name

Think of the name, in web design, as being the internet equivalent of your house address. If someone sends you a letter, they will put your name, your house number, the street where your house is, the district, the town, the county, the country, and the postcode. With all that info, there is a very good chance that you will receive it!!
The internet is no different. You need an address. An internet site address has to be unique; otherwise someone else will “open your letters!”
Companies specialize in selling (or if you use their other services, giving) you an address.
The thing is you get to pick it, and they tell you if it is available, if it is they register it in your name for an agreed period of time. To buy a name can be as little as a couple of pounds/euros/dollars a year!

The Distribution

My house address was determined in the past by the town planner, and he told the town hall what it was, so they could send me local taxes etc. (nice guy eh!).
Many other organizations and individuals now have my address as it is a public record.
When you use web design to build your site, you get your internet address, and tell someone what it is, someone (or company) has to let your acquaintance in! This in technical terms is known as the host. You usually pay the host on a monthly or annual basis for hosting you!

The Promotion

This is the bit that can make or break any business that needs to be found by others who are searching for what they provide. Good web design will help you achieve a good position on search engines, such as Google.
If your website is for your family and friends to look at, then you do not need the promotion company.
The amount of promotion varies from company to company, and offer to offer, but if you need Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves or any other Search Engine to find you, then you must pay the “promoter” accordingly.