There are scores and scores of design firms out there that will generate a brand new website for you. Their process involves lines and lines of custom code, graphics designers, HTML scripters, PHP gurus, and overhead to accompany it all.

Is it any wonder things get expensive?

Here at Webdurance, our approach can be summed up pretty simply: whenever possble, don't reinvent the wheel.

There are numerous open source web platforms available online today. These platforms - called Content Management Systems (CMS) - allow designers and users to focus on content, rather than worrying about layout. Joomla! and Drupal are full-blown CMS suites that provide advanced management for articles, links, contacts. Wordpress is a feature-rich blogging platform that has many of the features of a CMS, but in a much simpler implementation.

We like to leverage the development work done in these projects, rather than creating custom systems, to help customers save both time and money.

Proprietary content systems are expensive; you may be able to obtain every feature, in exactly the way you like...but be prepared both to pay handsomely for that customization, AND to keep its developers on speed dial.

For small businesses, non-profits, individuals, bloggers, and everyone else without a dedicated, massive IT budget, our general strategy is perfect...and it looks something like this.

1 Identify the needs of your site. We'll be talking about your service, your message, the various elements, your color and style preferences, etc.

2 Pick a Content Management System that suits your needs best. Joomla! is our favorite for most business-based sites, but there are great applications for both Wordpress and Drupal.

3 Choose a template. We have dedicated partnerships with some of the most advanced template-creation firms in the business. They create sophisticated and beautiful templates for site design...we partner with them to save you money.

4 Tweak the template. You have a logo, and general preferences about the color and arrangement of your site. With that, we tailor the site's appearance to what you have in mind.

5 Generate, implement and publish content. Now that the fundamental design is done, we can focus on your content.

6 Review, tweak and revise. Usually within a few hours, we're ready to start massaging the appearance of individual pages, the wording of certain articles, and the inclusion of various bells (and whistles).

7 "It's Miller time." That's right, we're live!

While our experience suggests that this approach is the right combination of customization and affordability that most of our clients need, there are always situations where this approach doesn't work. In those cases, we are pleased to support ground-up custom site designs.