DinDesign's Guide to Websites

Posted on:January 23, 2023 at 04:58 AM

Hey!

This is Tristan from the DinDesigns team on Fiverr (@tristan_fer).

I know starting a web design project is scary and confusing. So, whether you decide to work with us or with someone else, I would like to try to help alleviate the process as much as possible by sharing a little bit of all the knowledge I have gathered over all these years as a Website Designer and Programmer.

Warning though, this guide will be raw. I am not going to tell you that anything is perfect. I will give you most of the information I have, so you can make a decision weighing the pro’s & cons.

There is a lot of information inside. So take your time, read only the summaries or feel free to message me any questions.

Hope you have a great day!

PS: if you are looking for the Domains & Hosting Guide its here.

Table of Contents

Open Table of Contents

Have you ever wondered, what is a Website Really?

If you want to start a website design process. It is very important that you understand what it is we are going to do. And what will be the result of our work. In this digital age, where websites have become integral to our lives but many fail to understand them let’s unravel the mystery behind what a website truly is and how it fits into the intricate web of the online universe.

I find it is easy to understand if we think of the internet as a city

Just like a city is composed of buildings and streets. The internet is composed of giant cables that connect computers so they can communicate.

In fact, when you go to a website on your phone you are effectively using your phone to travel through the streets of the city until you reach a building and going inside. Sounds simple right?

So what’s this digital building? The server

The building you just walked into is what we call a “server”. But really its just a powerful computer.

But I know what you are thinking, “I was visiting a website, not a server, where is the website?“. Simple, just like a building can have many apartments, a server can host many websites.

So our journey hasn’t ended yet, now that we are at the building we ask the reception desk to take us to the apartment we are looking for. And so we are then able to see the inside of the apartment, the website. Like an apartment a website has different rooms and decorations. But in the digital realm these are generally files, images, text or even code.

What is a domain name?

I have to confess something. I lied to you earlier. I never explained how your phone knows where to go.

If I were to tell you, go to the 3rd post office in your city, would you know how to go? No right? You need the address.

That is exactly, what a domain name is. Its a digital address. In fact, when you type google.com on your browser, your phone looks up the address on, lets call it, “the yellow pages” and goes there to find the website you are looking for.

Putting It All Together: Accessing a Website

So, when you type a domain name—let’s say ”www.google.com” your browser, a series of complex yet lightning-fast interactions occur behind the scenes. Your request travels through the internet, finding its way to the server that hosts the “example.com” website. This server then sends back the web pages, images, videos, and all the elements that create the website’s experience.

What is the process of creating a website then?

As you can expect its very much like getting an office. You rent the space (the server) and you pay someone to remodel it (or, if you are foolhardy do it yourself, yes I am traumatized by some terrible office remodelings…).

Types of Websites

Did you know that there are many different types of websites? Well its true. In this section of the guide, we’ll journey through the various types of websites, uncovering their strengths and weaknesses. And I will explain the service we offer and why.

Websites as a Services

By websites as a service I am referring to any company that allows you to create a website through their platform. Well known examples include:

I won’t deny it. They are simple. They offer a ready-to-go approach, providing you with pre-designed templates and user-friendly tools to create your site. But its like making a deal with the devil.

Imagine building your digital empire on a rented land. With these platforms, you don’t fully own your website. You are at their mercy. If the platform suddenly starts charging double you must choose if you want to stay and be extorted or give up on all the work you put into the website and start from scratch (yes it has happened before)… Worse of all, if the company goes out of business so will your website, and you won’t be able to transfer it anywhere else.

What’s more, they are EXPENSIVE and offer limited customization options. Your brand uniqueness can be lost in the sea of similar templates and you’ll pay lots of money for that pleasure.

WordPress Websites

What is Wordpress

WordPress is an open-source CMS that allows users to easily and effectively manage their own content without the need for a developer after the website is set up.

Lets break that down for all the people that went “what is that Chinese?”

WordPress is a well-known tool for people with no prior experience in coding to create and maintain their blogs and websites.

WordPress started as a blog CMS. But now it has evolved so much that you can create “almost” any website with it. In fact, today WordPress makes up about 43% all the websites in the world, that is approximately 455 million WordPress websites.

But, these is also some of its biggest pitfalls which we will look at later. First lets look at the types of WordPress Websites.

Prefabricated WordPress Websites

This actually what most website designers at Fiverr offer. A prefabricated WordPress website (called themes or templates) is like a prefabricate house. It works, but you are not gonna impress anyone with it (specially since it looks like everyone else’s). You may attempt to make look a little better, by placing a few paintings and adding some cool text but its still prefabricate.

It’s very budget friendly upfront but can prove costly over time. Your brand’s individuality will be compromised, leading to customer disengagement and lost opportunities. It’s like fitting a square peg into a round hole.

Personally, I would never recommend this, bad design is, given enough time, way more expensive than good design. This is why we don’t offer this service. But if you are on a tight budget then do what you must.

Personalized WordPress Websites

Here’s where the magic happens. Personalized WordPress websites transcend limitations, marrying aesthetics with functionality. These tailor-made wonders are constructed with your brand’s essence in mind. They’re not just visually appealing; they’re strategically designed to attract your target audience.

Personalized WordPress websites consider your industry, business philosophy, and brand identity. They seamlessly blend into your business strategy, becoming more than just a digital presence—it’s a driving force. Honestly, they are great. And its why we offer them. They are an amazing choice for many new and experienced website owners.

Yet, I must admit, they fall prey to the downsides of WordPress (again more about this later).

Custom Websites

For those seeking the pinnacle of uniqueness and functionality, custom websites emerge as a contender. These are sites built from scratch, meticulously crafted to your every specification. While they require a programmer’s touch, they offer unparalleled possibilities. Seriously, its incredible, checkout this programmer’s portfolio, you could never make anything similar using WordPress. https://bruno-simon.com/

This is the type of website big business use. Makes sense right? Google would never use a WordPress Website. They want the best.

But, of course, there is a catch. They are WAY more expensive.

However, we have a really efficient team of programmers and have managed to build a system that allows us to create certain custom websites at prices very similar to WordPress Sites. We recommend this option for some of our clients depending on their website requirements. Get in touch with us and we will send you a questionnaire that will help you decide which is best for you.

Custom Websites’ Breakdown

Custom websites boast an impressive list of benefits:

Yet, they’re not without their drawbacks:

WordPress Personalized Websites Breakdown

The Strengths and Limitations of WordPress On the other hand, WordPress shines with:

However, it carries some baggage:

Custom Websites vs Personalized WordPress Websites

So which should you choose? It depends on your business, customers and website requirements. The fastest way to find out which to choose is to do our simple quiz. Message me to get access to it!.

Hope you have a great day!

Tristan