Building my website

So, i'm not a web developer. I'm also not a graphic designer. Nor am I a marketing specialist. That being said, have any of you used freelancer.com for web designers?

JaredBusch

@Hubtech not us, but that was because we know a guy that does it. He took care of any web work we needed. We recently hired him full time to be my main Helpdesk first responder at one client and filling in his hours with small work from other clients.

@JaredBusch what's his hourly to build out sites? for fellow mango's ?! ha

JaredBusch

@Hubtech probably not affordable? I do not think the owner has thought about taking on a web only job for him. Our standard rate for high hour per year clients was just under $100. I know we were negotiating with each client for new rates, but I haven't seen the results of that.

depending on how things go from freelancer.com i may give him a shout. it's hard to pass up all of these folks willing to do it for 15/hr, i'm used to the language barrier....cisco....

@Hubtech I would be happy to build it for you? Went is a good time to talk?

well, i've already engaged someone from freelance. I do, however need another site built. let me see how this fella does, and i'll be in touch.

scottalanmiller

@Aaron-Studer said:

@Hubtech I would be happy to build it for you? Went is a good time to talk?

Do you have a portfolio site?

@scottalanmiller Nope. $:-\$

have any links to websites you've done?

@Hubtech Not really. I have only done a handful of them, and the ones I have done have been messed up after the owner has taken over =(

@Hubtech What kinda of site will it be?

JaredBusch

@Aaron-Studer said:

@Hubtech Not really. I have only done a handful of them, and the ones I have done have been messed up after the owner has taken over =(

Assuming you kept your code, put them up in original form in sub-directories on you vanity domain.

scottalanmiller

Yes. If you plan to do web design, maintain you own portfolio site. You don't even need customers for that.

IRJ

I used to do alot of stuff on ODESK.com which apparently is now one in the same as freelancers.com

I learned alot of things:

Pay decent money for a designer. There are people that will work for nothing, but there is a reason.
Make your candidates present alot of information to you. Everybody on there, will except any job even if their skills arent strong in that particular subject. Make them create rough drafts, and present a clear plan before you even consider hiring them.
Require Daily updates.
Use this place for SEO. This is where cheap pays off. People will work for under a $1 an hour and just post your site all over the internet. Its very effective, but it takes alot of man hours.

Nara

@scottalanmiller said:

Yes. If you plan to do web design, maintain you own portfolio site. You don't even need customers for that.

Another option is to build websites for businesses you know. Perhaps it's your local pizza place or your housekeeping service? You know what the business is like, so making a site for them should come easily. You get to build a portfolio and they get a site. Who knows, maybe you'd get some free pizza or a cleaning out of the deal?

I hate content...is that weird?

Nara

@Hubtech said:

I hate content...is that weird?

Not at all. Churning content is more of the creative/artistic mindset, whereas getting a site running's more of a practical one. Any time I've done web work, I've had others feed me the content. "You want your website to look like your latest product catalog? Ok, send me a copy of it and the content you want to show up." It's easier to have a goal/image to work to rather than create "stuff".