Getting a site onto the worldwide web can seem quite daunting. Hopefully these FAQs will put your mind at rest.

How much does a website cost?

Each website we create is unique in design and tailored to your specific needs. Features, time scale and budget available can all influence our proposal but websites offerings can . eCommerce sites take longer to produce as they are much bigger in scale. Product information, data entry, site photography, copy and security considerations are all greater, with eCommerce sites costing anywhere from £2,449 to £30,000. We try to tailor each site to our customers’ needs including their budget. Hosting and CMS installation are included within the package fees.

Do you charge for a quote?

No. Initial consultations to assess your and your customers’ needs are not charged. A full ‘discovery meeting’ is included as part of your design package.

How long does a site take to build?

A website typically takes around 3-4 weeks to construct. Shopping sites can take up to 7 weeks. If you’re in a muddle and need something up quickly we can try and get a holding page up a lot sooner.

Are there any costs after my site is finished?

All sites come with a content management system so you can conduct your own future updates, keeping your site fresh. We do offer maintenance contacts to perform updates to the core CMS and e-commerce framework and for basic site enhancement. We also offer quarterly search engine optimisation and analytics reports to help you to promote your site at little extra cost. Domain names and hosting are renewed annually as is the standard.

So what makes a good site?

A good site is primarily a site that achieves its aims. Great design, exciting functionality and good marketing can help you to achieve this, but a clear goal should be your starting point. Good business sites normally have a clear goal and are able to seamlessly direct their customers to an end CTA (call to action), such as clicking on a button to buy a product or requesting a brochure. They should also be accessible by all users (colour blind customers will struggle to use your site if it there isn’t sufficient colour contrast) and cross browser compatible (browser engines render websites differently, which can cause your site to break in say IE7 or Safari).

What are the steps to getting a site online?

After the site design has been agreed we’ll then turn it into xhtml/css/php web site files. These are then put onto the host server which is linked up to your domain name. If you’d like to know more about getting your own domain name you can read about it in this article.

Can I use my existing hosting account with another company?

We promote the use of our own host servers as we can verify their quality and can provide speedy support. External servers differ in configuration and setup, and we’ll have to go through the same support channels to iron out any issues. We do have experience of transferring sites from external hosting servers with no downtime.

How do I change my hosting?

Hosting is often charged annually so as long as you give notice to your existing notice before the renewal period, it should be a straight forward process.

My domain name registrar won’t release my domain names can you help?

If you registered a domain name, you should own its rights and be able to transfer them fee free. Whilst we can’t enter disputes directly, we can help to point you in the right direction. Nominet (co.uk) and ICANN (.com) both have legislation to protect your domain rights.

Does the e-Commerce package meet PCI and PABP Standards?

Yes. Recent legislation requires shop software to comply with strict regulations, ensuring that customer information is secure and protected. Our e-commerce software prevents malicious users from trying to determine existing user accounts. Sensitive cardholder data is not stored in cookies and measures are taken to prevent SQL injection.

What other services do you offer?

We provide search engine optimisation and analytic reports, site maintenance and can provide additional services on an ad hoc basis. So whether it’s a series of internal site adverts, bespoke email design we can cover your web needs.

Can you write our site copy?

We can provide a professional copy writing service  to  content that is both keyword rich and engaging.

Can you help to teach me how to look after my site?

We’ll help setup your email and show you around our content management system, altering copy and adding pages like a pro.