March 2007

Oomph: How did you go from performing comedy routines to producing complex website code?

Paul: I've always been fascinated by technology so I've gravitated to work that combines my two core interests presenting content to an audience through technology. I honed my skills in the broadcasting industry and in 1992 I launched Electramedia, a multimedia firm that produced corporate videos, slide presentations and other communications materials. By 1995, the commercialization of the Internet was underway and demand for corporate websites took off. We got our first contract for a website in 1996.

DaimlerChrysler, JDS Uniphase, MasterCard, McDonalds and Labbatt are but a few of the multinationals that have entrusted the design and management of their websites to you. Now you are focusing on small companies like Oomph. What gives?

As the Internet evolved and companies saw the need for their websites to be more than just brochure-ware, demand arose for systems that could connect a multitude of business units through an Intranet, provide a public Internet website, and offer clients a way to easily manage and update catalogues with thousands of manufactured goods and products.  This is how we began developing ContentCenterV5.

The system we designed satisfied our clients' macro structural and communications needs, but what was really exciting - and inspiring - was to see how it enabled individual employees with no knowledge of website design or coding to manage their micro sites and add new content. 

The idea to package the software into a comprehensive, turn-key service aimed at small companies came about as the number of global-scale contracts diminished and competition between web design firms intensified. As well, we wanted to move from the "you kill an elephant and eat off of it for a long time" model to one with a more continuous and even flow of work. This is how Your Web Department was born.   

You've gone from competing with other web design firms to mano-a-mano combat with behemoths like Bell Canada, who are also offering content management programs.  How can you hold your own?

Because our product is very easy to use, offers the most flexibility for site and graphic design, has no limits on the number of pages or the size of the website, can be accessed and changed from any computer anywhere in the world, and is available in service packages that are completely scalable to clients' preferences, skill and resources.

Individuals with no design or coding experience, or companies without a web designer or an IT department, can easily set up a website on their own. If they prefer, we can design a site for them. It's great for pros like graphic designers, who know how to code, but who would rather work on the graphic elements instead of HTML, or for companies who prefer to have their web designer or agency design their site.  And it's very convenient for companies with an IT department because it frees technicians from performing content updates.

How can one system work for so many different users?

Instead of the ready-made templates everyone else offers, our system enables users to enter text, graphic and digital content using the word processor-like interface or the HTML tab and create pages and move them around with a click of the mouse. Drop-down menus with multiple options enable non-HTML users to choose their site's layout and style. The combinations and permutations are endless, so you'll never end up with the same website as a competitor. Pros can code their sites as they wish.

What else should we know about Your Web Department?

We also offer optional packages for e-commerce with a shopping basket, an events calendar, a members-only section accessible via a password, a printer-friendly page feature and podcasting. 

OK, let's talk about money.

We've priced our services so they're affordable for small businesses. The most popular monthly packages are $49 and $99 and include web and e-mail hosting. If you do your own design and layouts then the monthly fee is your only expense. If you have a web or graphic designer, or an existing website that you want to move to our system, we'll adapt your designer's work and/or transition your website. Depending on the amount of work, fees can range from as low as $500/750 to $1000-$1500. $1000 is in many cases more than adequate to adapt a design and structure that are not too complicated. More involved designs, complex coding and site structures will cost more. We charge $200 per hour.

You've given us a lot of practical information. How about something lighter - do you have a good website joke?

• Know what you want to accomplish with your site. Do you just want a convenient way to provide information on your services, or are you looking for an active marketing tool that will generate leads and clients? Taylor the design, creative concept and content to support your objectives.

• Keep the design simple. Fancy Flash animations that take forever to load, pop-up windows and other embellishments annoy more than they impress. Make the website easy to read and navigate and add a site map so lost visitors can find what they are looking for.   

• Add useful/interesting content that educates people on your area of expertise and positions you as an authority. Surveys and polls are a popular way to engage visitors and capture a database. Poll software is not expensive and is relatively easy to install and operate. Try to make your site more than just an e-brochure which is no longer acceptable - nowadays people expect more.

• Update the site frequently so people have a reason to come back. A static site or a site with old content can make people think you're no longer in business. Use "What's New" headlines or pages so visitors can easily distinguish content they haven't seen before.

• Don't hide or bury the contact page, a common mistakes that drives people crazy. Provide information for people to contact you via phone or fax as well as e-mail.
  

• Never be more than 3 clicks away from any content

• Make sure all the parts of your website work. Maintain browser compatibility, don't have "under construction" pages and make sure all links work - something to watch out for when updating the website and moving content around.

• Use page title tags, descriptions and metatags to ensure your website appears way up on the list when people search through Google, Yahoo and other engines. As well, make sure you have lots of text-based content in addition to pictures and Flash, which search engines don't "see" because they're programmed to look for text. The same for links - use text instead of icons.  

• Consider pay-per-click advertising. For as little as $35 per month, you can have a small text ad appear alongside the results of web searches and you only pay when people click on your ad and visit your website.  

• Track and analyze your website traffic with Google Analytics. It's free and you get more than 30 different reports with usage graphs, pie charts, navigation flows, visitor duration tables and even maps, so you can see what countries and cities your visitors come from. Warning: highly addictive.