Website Design
So many options! Which is 'right' for you? Here's some ideas to get started with.
Custom Design
Have a specific idea of exactly what your website should look like? Your website can be built from scratch, using custom scanned graphics, your own artistic elements, custom navigation system so that it is absolutely uniquely yours. The website you are looking at now is NOT an example of that. An example of such a site would be southwindfolk.com which is quite simple and elegant, yet entirely custom - which is precisely what they wanted. To be honest though, this type of website takes probably the most amount of work, and usually requires a web programmer to update. Another example of this would be Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair.
Templates
I used to hate the idea of dropping some text and pictures into a pre-made template, and calling it a 'website'. Sort of like calling Color-By-Number pictures art. And you see those templates all over the place, especially link farms, which are hateful things. However - some templates DO look nice, and drastically cut down development time. And if you want to go for a 'corporate' look there are many templates with nice clean lines, happy colors and clean menuing systems. So that too, is a good option, if you want something put up quick and inexpensive!
Content Management Systems (CMS)
This is one of my personal favorites - it's LIKE a template, but it allows you to add content, pictures, menus, and add modules, such as blogging software, e-mail newsletter integration, and all SORTS of goodies. Best part is, there are several world class CMS systems who's software and add-ons is totally free. Of course, I do charge to install and customize, but after all that is done, you can add and change all the content you want at will.
This is best used for websites that represent a group - say a local Arts Council or a small company with a blog. Best of all, people can 'log in' to the website and get members-only content, and automatically opt into the sites mailing list (and can automatically handle people who wish to 'opt out' of the e-mail list - an important legal requirement).
Wordpress
I mention Wordpress because it combines both the flexibility of a CMS system, with a very easy to use 'blog', a high degree of easy-to-implement customization, has inexpensive hosting on wordpress.org, or can be deployed on just about any server.
Best of all, this is probably the easiest and quickest to set up and configure.
Merchant Website
If you are selling only one or two items, you can use PayPal as a checkout, as I did with SigningStar (If this site looks a bit dated, it's because it is). But if you want a FULL webcart system with shipping and tax calculations, multiple options, and credit card processing, then you would be looking at something like Zencart or E-commerce Templates which is used in NatashaNYC.com
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