Flash; it ain't always good...

Websites; kinda critical to a photographer but as with most things in life there is a right way and a wrong way to do a website. The most important thing is that the content is relevant to your key client group(s), the contact info is readily available, the branding message is clearly tied into your business card and other collateral and that the stuff actually looks good.

It doesn't need to zoom, whiz, crash, bang or perform internet gymnastics. That stuff might be part of your brand or necessary to impress some high design clients but it's not that important.

So why do we all have these fancy flash sites that are totally unreadable to search engines, unable to be bookmarked, slow to load and aren't always easy to navigate. As you buy those "off-the-shelf" solutions try and focus on why you need the site; to put the images that are relevant in front of your clients. Make them easy to search (try one navigation system not free - I keep seeing thumbnails, forward and back arrows and slide shows - all I want to do is see one at a time), number them if you can't bookmark them - so clients can tell you clearly what they like. Make sure your contact info is on every page and make sure you have a contact page that will get to you as swiftly as possible and has some info on who you are and what you shoot.

The "off-the-shelf" solutions will work, but try and see if you can tailor it to make it a better sales tool, not just a cool-looking site.