That’s Your Web Department's main claim: “we’re handy”. So I decided to find out whether we can live up to that. These are my findings, they’re simple but sincere.
If you want to build your business website on your own...
Design: use YWD Looks. Click one of the Looks and you get a good looking website. Instantly. Seriously. You can customize your Look with just a few more clicks, change it if you want. You’ll need some basic graphic capabilities to create at least a banner image with your logo and a few content images and off you go.
Content: use YWD’s built-in Content Management System to enter content into your website. It’s easy. You can also insert forms, image galleries, Google maps and other tools that normally might require a programmer. They don't in YWD. See the video Getting started with Your Web Department™
It's all very affordable. You don't pay anything to design or set up, and you can update the website whenever you want. You only pay a very reasonable monthly licencing fee so there's no big commitement. YWD Pricing
If you prefer to have someone do your website all for you...
Design: YWD has access to art directors and designers with literally hundreds of websites to their credit. You can tap into that experience for a fraction of what a design studio would charge. Or you can choose anyone you want to design your website for you. He/she doesn’t need to know any programming. YWD Clients
Content: YWD has come up with the strategy and writing for clients ranging to billion-dollar corporations to very small businesses. Again, it costs much less than most people thing to have that at your disposal. YWD Consulting
Either way your website domain always remains your property – neither your designer’s nor YWD’s. You can leave YWD at any time and take your domain with you. You can update both the content and even the design at much as you want, get statistics via Google Analytics. People can use cool widgets to bookmark your website to their social networks. Oh, you also get a mobile-optimized version of the website for free. YWD Mobile
Most importantly if you're a business owner I really believe we go out of our way to help you out. Our Support people are insanely dedicated and we do our very best to shield you away from dealing with any geeky stuff as much as we can.
You want to make money creating websites without creative compromises. With YWD you get a free but powerful website building platform that doesn’t require you to know programming to design and build amazing websites without ever needing a programmer. You get paid directly by your client (none of YWD’s business). On top of that YWD also pays you a monthly amount for the websites you bring in to the system. And support (ugh) is not something you ever have to deal with. We have many stories on designers in Canada, the US and other places for whom we really made a difference. That's immensely important to us. Really. YWD Referral
In conclusion
Yeah, I honestly think YWD is handy. It's not marketing BS. Can we improve or be handier? I'm sure we can. Please let us know how.
Flavio Mester is a graphic designer as well as a systems analyst (in a distant life he was an architect). A founding partner of Your Web Department, he's responsible for the design and development of all the YWD website management platform interfaces. Flavio Mester on Google+ | Twitter | LinkedIn
Paul Chato wants to share his secret with you. The two most important things to building a successful business website. Ready? 1 Make a claim. 2 Prove it. That is it, simple, no? The execution is in the details, proving that claim can lead to all sorts of content for your website. Watch the video and build a better website.
Gustavo Jabbaz started his digital career as a designer and then became a developer and these days spends most of his time as a digital marketer. A founding partner of Your Web Department, he's responsible for day-to-day operations, marketing and development strategy. He is who you talk to when you need support with SEO and/or Social Media. Gustavo Jabbaz on Google+ | Twitter
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