General Questions

I have never had a website.  How do I get started?

The best way to get started is to fill in the website quotation request form. This provides me with some basic information about your website requirements and preferences. Once I receive your form, I will contact you by phone so we can discuss your website needs and requirements in more detail. I will also  answer any questions that you might have regarding your website design.

I have an existing website that is not very attractive or well organized. Does is cost the same to update a website than to design a website from scratch?

The cost to update an existing website is usually much less that designing a website from scratch. Usually, I am able to extract most of the content from your existing site so you won't have to supply the existing content again. Any new content can then be added very easily. 

How do I get a domain name for my website?
When we have our first meeting, I will discuss your options for registering a new domain name. I will also provide some guidance on how to choose the best available domain name.

I have already purchased a domain name for my website. Is there anything that I have to do to allow you to use it?
Once your website design is completed, I will need the login information to your domain registrar account so I can setup your domain to point to your new website. In some cases, it may be necessary to move your domain to a new domain registrar. Is this is required, I will assist you in this process.

Will I receive a detailed design proposal before I am required to make a decision or pay?
Before I require any payment, I will send you a detailed, fixed price proposal that will identify all the costs, estimated design time, and a list of inputs that will be required to complete your design.

How many meetings are required during the website design process?
Generally, during the initial discussions and during the design process, all meetings are scheduled as phone calls. In most cases, this works out best, both in terms of efficiency and convenience. If a client would prefer to meet face-to-face, meetings can be setup to meet your needs.

Design Questions

What inputs must I provide to design a website?
I will need the text copy for each page of your website, contact information information that you want to use on your website, any image files that you would like to have incorporated into your design and your domain registrar login information. In some cases I may need additional information. I will provide a detail list of required inputs in the design proposal that I create.

Who writes the text for each website page?
The customer must provide all the copy/text that is required on each page. I will provide some guidance on how to write your content so that your website effectively communicates your information to your customers and also provides the necessary information to search engines that will be indexing your website.

How long does it usually take to design a website?
Once I have all your content, a small website is usually designed and published in 2 to 3 weeks, and  sometimes can done in as little as one week. Typically, the time to complete a design is determined by how promptly I receive inputs for the website. For every design, I provide a detail proposal that includes a firm time estimate so you know in the beginning when your design will be completed. 

 

Website Maintenance Questions

What does website maintenance mean? 
Website maintenance refers to changes made to your website after it is initially published. This can involve editing existing content or adding new content. One of the benefits of my designs is that they are very easy to edit and change if necessary. Therefore, long-term website maintenance costs will be much lower that designs done by other companies.

What are my website maintenance options?
You always have 2 options. The first option is to maintain your website yourself using an easy-to-use editing interface. The second option is to have me make the necessary changes on an "as needed" basis. In this case the charges for doing edits will be based upon time spent. Over the years, most of my customers have chosen to have me do their website maintenance since it is more convenient the costs to make changes is very low. Also, my customers appreciate that I will usually implement their changes within 1 or 2 days of the request.

How do I learn how to use the editing interface?

A short introduction to the editing interface can be found External link opens in new tab or windowhere. If you are interested in maintaining your website, I can provide a short, free class at my office to familiarize you with the basic editing functions.