Is knowing webdesign a must?

[Broker]

To be successful in this business?

I'm really looking at going the route of holding any good names I may have or may get and start developing a few instead of trying to sell them all the time. Wait for that enduser to come to me.

Finding an affordable webdesigner you can trust is not easy. So I'm thinking about learning webdesign. Atleast some of the basic stuff to start developing a few domains into good looking, revenue generating websites cutting out the parking services.

Thoughts, recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[-REECE-]

I know basic web design from having been a WM back in the early days (mid 90s). I quit doing that in 2001 and am not up to date with much other than HTML and Dreamweaver. You can make a pretty decent website if you just have a thorough understanding of those 2.

In this day and age however, I believe there's a better solution for most people out there who don't know how to do web design: a blog.

Take a look at the blog in my sig... It was no work to setup because it was a normal Wordpress theme. It looks good enough that if you put quality content on it, people will come back and treat you as an authoritative source on your topic.

Blogs are easy to edit, don't require your own hosting solution, and have no upfront costs. I'd certainly recommend looking into it. My LLLL.com blog averages about 100 uniques daily, 3/4 of which are not from Namepros.

Blogs index well in search engines and come already properly optimized, so you don't need to try and learn SEO to have a SE traffic receiving website.

If generating revenue from your blog is of interest, take a look at this theme.

To be successful in this business?

I'm really looking at going the route of holding any good names I may have or may get and start developing a few instead of trying to sell them all the time. Wait for that enduser to come to me.

Finding an affordable webdesigner you can trust is not easy. So I'm thinking about learning webdesign. Atleast some of the basic stuff to start developing a few domains into good looking, revenue generating websites cutting out the parking services.

Thoughts, recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[dnk]

Design does not matter much, content is more important. I know of "poorly designed" sites that make more than $500/month

 

[gwkg]

I recommend a subscription to Lynda.com if you want to learn web design fast (and learn well through videos)

 

[domainer50]

I know very little web design. The only site I run is a wordpress blog and I know enough HTML to edit it the way that I want. So to you I would say that no you do not have to have web design knowledge to be successful

 

[raredn.com]

I know very little web design. The only site I run is a wordpress blog and I know enough HTML to edit it the way that I want. So to you I would say that no you do not have to have web design knowledge to be successful

A little HTML??? If you made that skin yourself, I think you would know a lot more than a little HTML. CSS and PHP expert perhaps

I think a little HTML knowledge is fine to make your own websites and make money and develop them, but to customise wordpress would take a lot more than that. Not saying there was anything wrong with what you said, just understated is all

 

[Keral_Patel]

Well to start a website and maintain it you should know the basic things about the script or the HTML files [If it is in HTML] so that you don't have to keep looking for programmers for every little thing.

To start a website is not a hard thing. You can choose from many existing scripts and change templates, logo, plus your own content will play the major part in it. Slowly your website will start looking different from others and it will have its own place among all the other sites.

If you have more interest and are more keen on developing it into something very very unique then you just have to think of some unique ideas relevant to that domain name and make a script. [Yes here the programming or HTML knowledge is necessary]

On the other hand you can just hire some webmaster to take care of your development and maintenance needs.

After that it is some marketing and you are on your way

 

[tbh]

I think design matters - design meaning that your site is easy to look at and understand. This doesn't mean it has to have 498349 graphics and big bold letters and colors. I think simple design is most effective.

If you need anything feel free to contact me and I'll give you a good rate.

I agree with the poster that said that there's sites that make alot of money and have horrible design. But if they had better design they would probably make a bit more

 

[raredn.com]

I think design matters - design meaning that your site is easy to look at and understand. This doesn't mean it has to have 498349 graphics and big bold letters and colors. I think simple design is most effective.

If you need anything feel free to contact me and I'll give you a good rate.

I agree with the poster that said that there's sites that make alot of money and have horrible design. But if they had better design they would probably make a bit more

Simple, c'mon, the best designed sites have a 4 minute long flash intro with an action movie theme song to go with it. Then once you are in the site you sould have as many tabs and as much navigation as possible, without clearly indicating where anything goes. You don't want dumb people comming to your site anyway right. If they can't work out how to get around your site themself, then they are stupid and you are smart, because you know how to make a website that smart people can understand

 

[tbh]

Who sits through intro's anymore? You've got to be kidding me.
Look at wordpress.org, digg.com, overstock.com .. all simple sweet and to the point.

It's not about being stupid or smart, its about having the time/patience to navigate through an intro and tabs and sections just to find one thing.

 

[-REECE-]

It all depends on what you're looking for... If you're trying to educate people (e.g. a site on AIDS), you're going to want people clicking around so they can learn as much as they can -- hence a clean design and easy navigation are a must.

If you're hoping they'll visit one of your advertisers (or Adsense) links, you really don't want to have a pretty design and you probably don't want to have the best of content (which discourages them from going elsewhere). If getting them to click links are the goal, you want them to be uninterested in your site and use your links to go elsewhere... Unless, in example, you're trying to sell something your site has reviewed.

Seriously... Unless your site is super popular, you're way better off money-wise getting people to click links than to keep coming back and eating up your bandwidth.

How many people here click on the Adsense adverts when they read the forums while not signed in? It's something a guest to the site might do, but not someone coming here day in and day out.

Design is something that needs to be carefully considered... A good design can complement a site or cripple it's income.

Simple, c'mon, the best designed sites have a 4 minute long flash intro with an action movie theme song to go with it. Then once you are in the site you sould have as many tabs and as much navigation as possible, without clearly indicating where anything goes. You don't want dumb people comming to your site anyway right. If they can't work out how to get around your site themself, then they are stupid and you are smart, because you know how to make a website that smart people can understand

 

[raredn.com]

Who sits through intro's anymore? You've got to be kidding me.
Look at wordpress.org, digg.com, overstock.com .. all simple sweet and to the point.

It's not about being stupid or smart, its about having the time/patience to navigate through an intro and tabs and sections just to find one thing.

Indeed, I was being Silly, don't worry I understand. I hate flash intros. And I even think flash has had its day, flash is only good for ads banners these days

 

[tbh]

I read it a second time and thought ... maybe he was joking. :hehe:
Sorry for the confusion, I feel dumb. :P

 

[raredn.com]

It all depends on what you're looking for... If you're trying to educate people (e.g. a site on AIDS), you're going to want people clicking around so they can learn as much as they can -- hence a clean design and easy navigation are a must.

If you're hoping they'll visit one of your advertisers (or Adsense) links, you really don't want to have a pretty design and you probably don't want to have the best of content (which discourages them from going elsewhere). If getting them to click links are the goal, you want them to be uninterested in your site and use your links to go elsewhere... Unless, in example, you're trying to sell something your site has reviewed.

Seriously... Unless your site is super popular, you're way better off money-wise getting people to click links than to keep coming back and eating up your bandwidth.

How many people here click on the Adsense adverts when they read the forums while not signed in? It's something a guest to the site might do, but not someone coming here day in and day out.

Design is something that needs to be carefully considered... A good design can complement a site or cripple it's income.

Reece says: "If you're hoping they'll visit one of your advertisers (or Adsense) links, you really don't want to have a pretty design and you probably don't want to have the best of content (which discourages them from going elsewhere). If getting them to click links are the goal, you want them to be uninterested in your site and use your links to go elsewhere... Unless, in example, you're trying to sell something your site has reviewed."

Interesting, Interesting, it is not often I read stuff I don't already know, but you taught me something and your thinking was, shall I say "outside the box", that was an insight, I had never thought of. Thankyou Reece!

 

[tbh]

Instead of bad design, I ussually put something like "This is no longer available." and put ads all around it. Either way works though =)

 

[raredn.com]

"This is no longer available." sorry, what is no longer available on your page?

 

[Easydoms]

Def not my friend, I openly admit I am no good at webdesign, but searched around for a free place where I could build a site for free,

I ended up weebly for my Vodka.in site!!

And plan to use it for some more I have in the new Year.

 

[domainer50]

A little HTML??? If you made that skin yourself, I think you would know a lot more than a little HTML. CSS and PHP expert perhaps

I think a little HTML knowledge is fine to make your own websites and make money and develop them, but to customise wordpress would take a lot more than that. Not saying there was anything wrong with what you said, just understated is all

I didnt custom make my wordpress skin. I simply edit it to my liking.

 

[tbh]

"This is no longer available." sorry, what is no longer available on your page?

Like I once made a site centered around an internet speed test, and what it meant, check here you if have dsl, etc. And when they press enter, it says, sorry, our service is no longer availible, so they automatically click ads. It works with almost anything, even blog posts.

 

[raredn.com]

oh ok, when they find your service is not available, they click on the ads that have a similar service