Having your web site designed Thread poster: Fausto Mescolini
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Hi,
I would like to know your experiences with web-designing agencies (I don't have time to redesign my site by myself), in particular with bonline.com.
Thank you
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Phrase9 
South Africa
Arabic to English
try www.youglobalize.com
Its one of the easiest, attractive and most affordable DIY website builder out there
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| I guess it depends on the agency | Feb 2, 2017 |
My feeling is that it depends on the agency, and there must be as many satisfied as dissatisfied users who've had their site designed. I used the services of a site designer in the past and wasn't particularly happy, but that was my fault for not communicating clearly enough what I wanted from the outset, and not speaking up when I wasn't happy with the end result.
You say you don't have the time to design it yourself: my feeling is that once you've decided the look you want, the im... See more My feeling is that it depends on the agency, and there must be as many satisfied as dissatisfied users who've had their site designed. I used the services of a site designer in the past and wasn't particularly happy, but that was my fault for not communicating clearly enough what I wanted from the outset, and not speaking up when I wasn't happy with the end result.
You say you don't have the time to design it yourself: my feeling is that once you've decided the look you want, the images and text you want to use, the pages you want to include and how the information is to be divided among them, your work is practically done! You need to be clear on all these aspects to give the agency the tools they need to do the job - why not take that information and design your own site?
I used the paid version of Wix (although I'm sure there are many other sites like it) for my site, and I'm very happy with the result. I found the software intuitive and user-friendly, I also like the fact that I can update and change the site when I please, without having to rely on (or pay!!!) someone else to do it.
Best of luck with your decision.
[Edited at 2017-02-02 11:51 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 13:38
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Their portfolio says... nope. | Feb 2, 2017 |
Fausto Mescolini wrote:
...in particular with bonline.com.
They show some examples of the web sites that they built. Have a look to see if you're interested. I checked out a few of those examples and I was not impressed.
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Fausto Mescolini
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:38
English to Italian
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TOPIC STARTER
Samuel Murray wrote:
They show some examples of the web sites that they built. Have a look to see if you're interested. I checked out a few of those examples and I was not impressed.
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Rebecca Hendry
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:38
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
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| Why not use a freelancer? | Feb 2, 2017 |
I had a freelance web designer do my site and was very happy with the results. Why not find a freelancer in your local area to do it? It can be done remotely but I found meeting with my designer in person to discuss what I wanted was a good approach.
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 13:38
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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Fausto Mescolini wrote: Samuel Murray wrote:
I checked out a few of those examples and I was not impressed. Why not?
Some of the other sample sites are of good standard, however.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:38
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Fausto Mescolini wrote:
Hi,
I would like to know your experiences with web-designing agencies (I don't have time to redesign my site by myself), in particular with bonline.com.
Thank you
I once hired a firm to do my website for me because I thought it would look good and save time. Boy, was I wrong! I had to work very hard to supply them with all the text and illustrations, and they kept making mistakes transcribing my text into another format they wanted to use. It took WEEKS and cost me a FORTUNE. And then I had to pay them for hosting it. Money down the drain.
Whatever you do, don't use stock photographs of dynamic, ethnically diverse thirty-somethings looking dynamic in a business environment. That's cheesy.
[Edited at 2017-02-02 16:49 GMT]
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Eric Stone
Taiwan
Local time: 19:38
Chinese to English
| I designed my own, but if you don't feel you can do this | Feb 10, 2017 |
I haven't used them myself, but I've noticed that a lot of other Proz members seem to be using http://websitesfortranslators.co.uk/ .
Their sites look pretty good, but I guess I can't vouch for whether or not their customers were satisfied.
Also, it's a chunk of change - I think the minimum is like $500.00 compared to $0-$40 setting up a Squarespace or Wordpress site, though... See more I haven't used them myself, but I've noticed that a lot of other Proz members seem to be using http://websitesfortranslators.co.uk/ .
Their sites look pretty good, but I guess I can't vouch for whether or not their customers were satisfied.
Also, it's a chunk of change - I think the minimum is like $500.00 compared to $0-$40 setting up a Squarespace or Wordpress site, though I will say in my opinion it looks far better, and you don't have to do any of the design yourself.
Here's one translator's websitesfortranslators site: http://wantwords.co.uk/ ▲ Collapse
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Fausto Mescolini
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:38
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all for your comments.
When I opened this forum I had already hired that company, but after their draft site I wanted to abandon them. In the end though I decided to go on because I know that if I had to do it by myself I would never do it.
Samuel, Tom: you both were right, my website seems very standardised and simple. The designer seems lazy and not really keen on delivering something specific for me and I guess she didn't even look at the two examples I sent her.
F... See more Thank you all for your comments.
When I opened this forum I had already hired that company, but after their draft site I wanted to abandon them. In the end though I decided to go on because I know that if I had to do it by myself I would never do it.
Samuel, Tom: you both were right, my website seems very standardised and simple. The designer seems lazy and not really keen on delivering something specific for me and I guess she didn't even look at the two examples I sent her.
Fiona: all the decisions to make (in particular regarding the look) are indeed the process of designing the website. I thought that an agency might advise me, but this was not the case. Also, with a little baby now my time is even less for working, let alone to focus on my website.
I did think to Website for Translators, but I was put off by their prices. The agency I'm using is of course much cheaper, also because they offer 25% discount to ITI members, but you get what you pay for. Next time I'll change provider, I'll try a freelancer or I'll try by myself. ▲ Collapse
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:38
Member (2008)
Italian to English
By the way: a website has to be continuously updated with new features, new information etc. or people will visit it once, and never come back.
Just think about your own experience: how many websites have you ever visited, glanced at, and never gone back to? Thousands?
When I was working on my own (now defunct) website I came across some interesting statistics; one of the most striking is that if a website offers nothing that immediately attracts or holds the attention,... See more By the way: a website has to be continuously updated with new features, new information etc. or people will visit it once, and never come back.
Just think about your own experience: how many websites have you ever visited, glanced at, and never gone back to? Thousands?
When I was working on my own (now defunct) website I came across some interesting statistics; one of the most striking is that if a website offers nothing that immediately attracts or holds the attention, the viewer will look at it for an average of 7 (seven) seconds and will then go away, never to return. ▲ Collapse
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Tom in London wrote:
By the way: a website has to be continuously updated with new features, new information etc. or people will visit it once, and never come back.
Isn't a translator's website just a business card though? It's hard to imagine what kind of dynamic content might inspire repeat visits.
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