Website FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ page will answer many of the frequently asked questions about website design and development. If you have any other question not answered here, please ask!

Questions about Wesbites

I’m new to this whole “website” thing, how does it work?

I have a tried-and-true process which is progress-oriented and can be applied to any creative and technical project. You can learn about my process.

How much should I invest in my website?

The value of your website will vary depending on different factors. My website projects generally start in the $4,000 range for basic business sites and range upward depending on the unique needs of your industry.

What The Research Suggests

According to a 2016-2017 Gartner Research study, companies are now spending roughly 12% of annual revenue on overall marketing. The study concluded that “larger companies (>$5 billion revenue) spend 13% of revenue on marketing, while smaller companies ($250 million to $500 million revenue) spend roughly 10% of annual revenue.”

A 2017 CMO survey published by the American Marketing Association and Duke University pegged the numbers a bit lower, reporting that across all industries businesses spend 11.4% of budget on marketing and only 6.9% of revenue on marketing. Of course, these figures vary wildly when you drill down into each industry. | vtldesign.com

Industry Standards

How will I know I'm making the right investment?

That’s an excellent question, and I’m glad you read that! Your website alone will not be your sole source of success. We’ll need to create marketing, drive traffic to the site, and give your site visitors a reason to stick around. You can read more about how we can gather that information so we know if your website working for you

How long does it take to design and build a website?

The time it takes to produce a website depends on the size and complexity of your site and the quality of content that you have ready to go. A basic business site typically takes between 2-4 weeks from beginning to end. Some sites can take less time, depending on several factors. If you need something quick, we can work on that as an additional micro-site of 1 page while we work on the full site.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is your address on the internet. Typically this would be something like YourCompany.com

Do I need my own domain name and web hosting?

Yes, and I can help you get this setup or work with your existing provider. I am not a web hosting company.

What is web hosting?

Web hosting is a service that allows your website to be viewed on the Internet. It’s basically a computer housed in a data center that runs your website and email. Every site is hosted somewhere. I have had terrific performance and up-time with SiteGround.

Will my website work on mobile devices?

Yes, absolutely it will. All the websites I create work on all devices. Depending on your requirements, I can design and develop your site using responsive design so that the site is optimized for mobile devices.

Do you do e-commerce websites?

Yes, I do e-commerce sites…… from producs, to services, to events. Let’s sell stuff! Payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A Content Management System is a tool that allows you to maintain the pages of your website yourself, without the need for any technical skills. A CMS allows you to edit and add pages, images, products or blog entries to your website. No additional software is required – all you need is a web browser and an internet connection.

Why WordPress?

Since the mid-90’s when I hand-coded my websites, I’ve seen a LOT of trends, technologies, and approaches to making websites. I’ve been a beta-tester of Macromedia back in the day for Fireworks, Director, Dreamweaver, Flash, and others. I’ve been there, done that, seen it all, tried it all. Research shows us that WordPress is the most supported CMS (over 35%), with thousands of developers. In fact, of all other Content Management Systems, WordPress holds more than 60% off that market. WordPress is secure and has the ability to be as basic as you need, and as robust and feature-rich as needed. Yes, I can offer consulting for SquareSpace, Weebly, Wix, etc. But if you want a website, you don’t want those SAS-based websites.

What is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

Search Engine Optimisation is all about getting your website higher up in the search results on search engines such as Google. The higher up the results you are the more traffic (and customers) you’re likely to get.

There are many aspects that go into achieving good SEO, and one of the most important is the copy (words) on your website. Focus on well written, keyword rich and appropriate content is the key.

Questions about Services

Can you design my logo?

As a branding specialist since 1997, I provide my clients with the full suite of branding materials, including the initial logo design with a style guide.

Can you help me with Social Media and Email Marketing?

Yes I can. As part of my marketing services, I can offer a social media strategy package, or you can hire me to maintain this as well as email marketing services.

Will you write the content for my site?

Yes, I can write your site content as well as provide/create your media (photos, videos, graphics, charts, etc) however this will need to be created before we start on your new website.

Can you also provide photography & video?

I can provide photos, and put together some slick video (FinalCut and Premiere Pro). I am not a professional photographer, yet I work with exceptional award-winning photographers and will set up photo shoots for your project and work with the photographer and videographer on the types of visuals we are looking for.

Do you provide training?

Yes, I can provide training as an additional service to edit your website content, update pages, add new pages, post to your blog. If you need a full-blown complete editing seminar, I can provide this for your marketing team.

What about maintenece?

After the site is launched, I provide a Care & Maintenance Plan which can include security and core updates, backup and recover, SEO updates, blogging and content creation and site updates. Simply pick a plan that works for your goals.

Where Do You Want To Go From Here?