Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions our customers ask.
Q. “Why do I need a professional web designer?” (Top)
A. Perhaps you know someone’s son or daughter who has designed their own web site and you ask yourself, why do I need a professional web designer to create a web site for me? It turns out that many people can create web pages but it takes a professional to do it well. Like any other technical craft, a competent, professional web designer will make it seem easy and pull it altogether for you: the layout, navigation structure, graphics, functionality, search engine visibility, and overall construction of the site.
Q. “What’s involved in establishing a web presence?” (Top)
A. The basic requirements include:
- A plan, first and foremost. It should identify the objectives of the web site and what you hope to achieve.
- Web pages, together they constitute a web site. The web page design is primarily the job of the web designer.
- Web address, also none as a URL (Universal Resource Locator) or domain name (e.g. www.company.com).
- Web server or computer that “serves up” or delivers the web pages of your web site to a visitors web browser. The web server runs on the web hosting computer.
- Search engine submittal . That is, submitting your web site with prominent search engines and directories so that others can find your site.
Q. “What does it cost to develop a web site?” (Top)
A. Naturally, many prospective clients are curious to know what it would cost to have a web site designed. The honest answer is... "It depends.”. There are a multitude of factors which influence the cost of a web site project. These include: size and complexity, graphic content, programming, database support, e-commerce with online catalog, etc. A sophisticated e-commerce site will cost more to design then a simple informational/brochure web site. A good rule of thumb is to budget $150/web page on average. Other costs to keep in mind include:
- Domain name setup and registration - $65 setup, $10/year renewal
- Web site setup & hosting - $65 setup, from $25/month
- Search engine “Submit URL” programs range from $50 - +$300/year
- Search engine Pay-for-Performance programs are based on a cost-per-click key word bid model
- Custom graphics and programming estimated separately
Q. “What are your fees?” (Top)
A. All web site designs are quoted on a project basis and take into account size and complexity. A detailed quote will be provided outlining all work to be done and the development process we use. The quote will also include any monthly or annual fees you may incur. Web site maintenance and support will be billed at an hourly rate of $65/hour. We offer marketing and internet consulting services as well.
For more information about pricing please contact us. We offer a free 1 hour consultation to get your project off the ground.
Q. “Will a website be worth my investment?” (Top)
A. This is a very good question and one which needs to be asked up front. Identifying what constitutes a successful web site will help you determine the site objectives. It will also point out what needs to be measured to determine success. For instance, you may need to create a survey form asking clients how they heard about you (print ads, radio spot, web site, etc.) or if you have established a search engine marketing campaign a ROI tracking solution will be needed to evaluate the performance of your paid listing campaign.
At the end of the day, your measure of success can only be determined if you've identified your success criteria. The right time to do this is before you spend any money on a web site.
Q. “Will I have support when the site is finished?” (Top)
A. Yes. After your web site has been launched WWD is available to answer any of your web site related questions. We are glad to maintain and update content or offer training to our clients who choose to make their own web site updates using the Macromedia Contribute software. We understand that customer service is our business and pride ourselves on our excellent customer relationships.
Q. “I would like to manage and maintain my own web site content. Can this be done?” (Top)
A. Yes. WWD makes a special effort to create a content manageable web site for those clients who request it. This allows our customers to make content changes whenever they choose from their own PC. This type of web site can be designed to prevent accidental changes to the navigation structure, graphics, and other critical elements using protected keep out areas. This way, clients feel secure in not accidentally deleting important web site information.
All that's required is a PC, internet connection, and the Macromedia program Contribute. If you can use a word processor then you can easily learn to use the Contribute tool.
Q. "What is Web Hosting and can WWD take care of this for me?" (Top)
A. All the web pages that make up a web sites are stored on host computers that are directly connected to the internet via a high-speed connection. This is known as "web hosting". The web hosting computers run a program called a web server that "serve up" (or deliver) web pages to the web browser on your PC as you surf the web. Web hosting computers are typically high performance machines designed and configured specifically for this purpose.
WWD offers web hosting from a virtual private server ( VPS) through a leader in web hosting platforms. Because we offer both account managementand web site support (Web Mastering) our customers have a single point of contact for all their Internet needs. This is especially important for mission critical web sites requiring e-commerce and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) capabilities.
Q. “Once I have a website, how will my potential customers find it?” (Top)
A. Launching a new web site without properly promoting it is like throwing a party without sending the invitations. It's a documented fact that search engine results create more traffic to your website than all advertising combined, including banners, newspapers, television, and radio. With that in mind, a good web designer can design your site in an optimized way to increase search engine visibility. More directly, a search engine marketing campaign can be created to provide immediate web site indexing by search engine companies through “Submit URL” programs. For guaranteed visibility there are various pay-for-performance programs which will get you top ranking for specific search terms (key words) in the sponsored links area of search results. All of this can be setup and managed by WWD as a way of buying your way to the top to increase traffic to your site.
Q. “Why is WWD my best choice of a web design company?” (Top)
A. Let's face it; there are a lot of fine web design companies out there to choose from. However, WWD offers a full range of web design and hosting services that will get your company noticed, pronto. Our services include everything necessary to launch your web site on the World Wide Web. We'll custom design your web site to reflect your company image, create your graphics, and provide the web site hosting you need to go live. We can custom tailor a search engine marketing campaign to get your web site the visibility it deserves. And when it comes to web site maintenance, WWD understands customer service. We can do it for you or we can train you how to do it yourself, you decide.
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