Frequently Asked Questions
If we have not answered a question you have, please feel free to contact us! We'd be happy to help.
- How much will a new web site cost?
- How long will it take to make my new site?
- How do I register a domain name?
- If I want e-commerce on my site, what are my options?
- How can I update my site content?
- I want interaction on my site, is Flash a good idea?
- What should I do before I submit a request for quote?
- Do I need to market my new web site?
- How do I get my site to be listed with Google and Yahoo?
- Can I keep my site hosted where it is now?
- Can you create business cards and letterhead to match my web design?
- How much will a new web site cost? Just as websites vary in size and complexity, so does the cost. A 5 page site with a basic design will cost about $600. An e-commerce site will start around $1200 and average $2500. Contact us for a custom quote for a site to meet your specific needs.
- How long will it take to make my new site? The design of a site is often the largest variable in time required to build a site. A small site may take 2-3 weeks while a larger site may take 3-4 months.
- How do I register a domain name? First you have to see if your domain is available. You can do this by going to Godaddy and searching for your domain. If it is not available they will offer suggestions on similar domains. If it is available you can follow the directions they provide. We can help you with the process if you like, just ask!
- If I want e-commerce on my site, what are my options? There are a lot of options for an e-commerce site a few good options available. The solution we select will depend on your site needs and budget. Yahoo Stores and ProStores are good service based options and PrestaShop is our preferred open source option. A few factors are vital. #1 - MUST be search engine optimized!!! I can't stress that point enough. Most e-commerce stores are not optimized to be crawled by spiders. #2 - It needs to scale to fit your growing needs.
- How can I update my site content? Adding a content management system (CMS) to your site will allow you to make basic updates to content on your own. This requires a bit of an initial financial investment but in the long run will save you money if you make frequent updates to your web content (which you probably should be doing). You can also pay us to make updates to your site. If your site is small and changes are only necessary on a monthly basis then this is probably a good solution for you.
- I want interaction on my site, is Flash a good idea? Flash has it's place, but generally speaking, No, Flash is not a good idea. As Jakob Nielson stated "Flash is 99% bad". You can read more about why by following that link. There are places where Flash provides a benefit to your visitors, 1) If you target children 2) Image Slide shows 3) Graphical Presentations 3) Things that are optional to view (not home pages and site intros).
- What should I do before I submit a request for quote? Have a plan. Know what you want to accomplish. Have a budget in mind. Make an outline of your site. Have an idea of what you want your site to look like visually. Keep your mind open to ideas and information your web designer has to offer. "Good" web design is much more complicated than it appears on the surface and to be successful you'll need to listen to the advice offered by a professional web designer who knows white hat search engine optimization techniques. Don't be afraid to ask a million questions if that is what is needed to make an informed decision.
- Do I need to market my new web site? Probably, if you want to be successful. There is a lot of competition on the web with millions of other sites trying to attract visitors. A well optimized site will receive good search engine placement naturally but that takes time. Pay Per Click advertising is an inexpensive way to promote a new site.
- How do I get my site to be listed with Google and Yahoo? Build a quality site. Write compelling, search engine friendly content. Submit to the search engines. Wait. That's the basics anyways. We can also help you with your search engine placement with our Internet Marketing Services.
- Can I keep my site hosted where it is now? Most likely, but it really depends where your site is hosted. Different servers run different core software (Microsoft v. Open Source). If you need e-commerce or a CMS the host has to provide the right operating system for these applications. Also, the quality of your hosting environment, even the other sites that are hosted at that company may affect your search ranking. There are a LOT of cheap hosting options, but you will find that most of the lower cost ones are cramming servers full of sites which slows the performance and decreases the perceived quality of the sites by search engines. It is often worth spending another $5-$10 per month to have a higher quality hosting environment.
- Can you create business cards and letterhead to match my web design? Yes we can! We can design, print and deliver business cards, brochures and letter head at a great price. We can even design, print and mail postcards direct to clients or customers. Mailing lists are available for purchase whether you are targeting businesses or residential consumers. Check out our Print Design Services page for more info.
Contact us for a free phone consultation!