Useful Resources

Newsletter Archives: Site Maintenance

Why hire someone to maintain your web site?

To keep it updated, fresh, and new for customers

Visitors return when there's something new and interesting to see. Also, updating files and graphics requires regular, reliable attention paid to the details, such as checking hyperlinks are still good, graphics are saved as efficiently and compactly as possible, and relevant code is updated to the latest versions.

Laughing Collie Publications has experience in all these fields, and we understand business and budget needs. The World Wide Web is about making choices. We give you and your customers the choices you need to make good decisions.

Web sites which are intended for straightforward information purposes tend not to change. Once the site has been created and is up on line, it's pretty much done, and remains static over time. However, if your web site is about a business or a person, it should gradually change over time, much as businesses and people do.

Site growth doesn't have to be rapid, of course, but some development should occur. As an example, you will probably wish to add information on occasion -- new items, new articles, new pictures. New files will need to be edited and set up in HTML, old announcements will become stale, new sale items will need to be rotated -- even just changing a photo on your front page periodically can help demonstrate your business' web site is still alive, growing, and interesting to your visitors.

However, visitors may not notice these new additions unless you call attention to them. Since you cannot assume any regular schedule for visitors coming to your site, what's new to you may be very different than what's new to your visitors. A "regular" visitor to your site may visit every few weeks -- or perhaps only once a year. You'll want to be sure everyone feels visiting your site is productive.

For example, your yearly visitor may wish to see a list of all new items and articles that have appeared in the last year. You won't want to force them to go through every item just to find the one they want. In situations like this, it's helpful to have someone who will periodically go through your site to change the material available and, as your business grows, possibly your page layout as well.

Alternatively, your site may be graphics-intensive. You'll want to keep your graphics and web site up-loading swiftly, to keep your customers happy. In such a case, it is tremendously useful to have on hand a professional who has extensive experience in the field of browsers and web transmission rates. Nothing drives visitors away faster than slow loading pages!

At Laughing Collie Productions, we know the web is all about choice. People like making their own decisions in regards to which areas need more attention on their sites, so the work done on their web site suits both their business needs and their budgets.

We also realize people are more comfortable knowing they won't have to face a suddenly huge bill for any particular month. This is why we bill on an hourly rate -- it ensures you pay only for the work done instead of, for example, paying a retainer for months where no work is needed. Let us know what your budgetary constraints are, and we'll spread out working hours accordingly.