Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you guarantee that my website will appear #1 on Google?
No, we cannot guarantee this. And you should be cautious of anyone who tells you otherwise.
Improving a website's search engine ranking requires Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This can be a broad and complex undertaking and is far from an exact science.
However, any website we build does include routine on-site search engine optimization. This consists of a properly coded site and general recommendations on formatting your content to help boost your web site's search engine ranking.
Rather than being a one-time endeavor, SEO is an on-going process that continues for the life of your website.
• How long until my website appears in the search engines such as Google?
Contrary to popular belief, a web site will not appear in the search engines the moment it is put online. Sometimes it can take many months for the site to appear. How long it takes depends on a variety of factors, including the fact that each search engine operates in a slightly different manner.
See the following questions for more information on how to get traffic to your web site.
• How do I get more traffic to my website?
Your web site can be one of the most effective marketing tools available for promoting your business. However, it’s a common misconception that the moment your web site goes live, thousands of people will immediately find it and purchase the products or services being offered. The reality is not quite so simple. To get to your web site, people have to know it’s there — your web site has to be promoted so it in turn will promote your business.
For more detailed information, read this brief tutorial on how to get more traffic to your web site (pdf file)
• I heard that Meta Tags are all that is needed to get a website into the search engines. Do you include Meta Tags in the websites that you build?
Yes, we do add Meta Tags to every web site we build. These are hidden tags in the code that can, to some extent, help the search engine ranking of a web page.

• I don't know anything about technical stuff or making a website. How involved do I have to be in the process?
To work with a web site designer, there is no need for you to know anything about web site coding or other intimidating technical issues. However, you will need to provide input on issues such as:
• How do you want the web site to look?
• What do you want to say about your company, your staff, and your services or products? Who will write this material and organize the information? You or a professional writer?
• Who writes the text/content for my website?
Our expertise is with the design and building of web sites — creating the look and feel of the site, helping to decide how the information is arranged, and dealing with the technical aspects of building the site.
The creation of the content to put in the web site is the responsibility of the web site owner and/or their marketing person.
If needed, we can put you in touch with professional marketing people or copy writers who can assist you with formulating your overall message.
• How long will it take to get my website completed and online?
Professional, custom web sites require care and planning to do things right. In most cases, we suggest allowing 4-8 weeks for a site's completion.
The timeline is very much dependant on how well-prepared the client is — if they have their copy written, photos taken, and various other details worked out. For some clients, we've had their web site completed within a couple weeks. For others, the process turns out to be more complex than they anticipated and the site has taken longer to finish.
Why does it take so long for you to build a web site? My friend put his web site online in one day.
There are, indeed, resources available to put a web site online in one day. Generally, those web sites are mass-produced templates with little customization, nor effort put into proper search engine marketing. For those not in need of a custom web site, this option may be sufficient.
Additionally, one of the more crucial aspects to building a professional web site is planning for ease of future maintenance. In many cases it can be quite easy to put a quickie web site online almost overnight. But that approach often doesn't take into account the issues involved in making future edits. As many "quickie" web site owners have found, if it's too much of a hassle to maintain, then the web site just ends up sitting there outdated and useless.
• Will I be able to easily update my own website?
You will have full ownership of your web site once it's completed. You can manage it however you wish.
However, there are a variety of factors that may affect your decision to do so. Editing a web site is not as simple as, say, editing a Word file. The complex coding of a web site can create challenges for those who may be less technically savvy.
Some companies may not have employees with the ability or comfort level to learn a new technical skill. Or it may be that the web site updates will be so rare that it's easier to simply pay someone else to do it. Each situation is different.
During our initial meeting, we can discuss your needs and decide which is the best solution for your situation.

• Why should I hire a professional? My neighbor's nephew knows how to make websites and his prices are cheaper.
It's possible that the "neighbor's nephew" approach could be sufficient for your needs. However, much more goes into creating a successful web site than simply tossing a page or two up on the internet.
• Professional planning. An experienced web site designer has the knowledge and resources to know what works well for a professional web site — an understanding of the complexities of search engines, knowing the best approach for choosing a domain name, organization of the site's content, the variables in how different visitors will see a site, and much more.
• First impressions are important on the web. A professional web site design that properly represents your business can prevent visitors from clicking to another site. If a web site looks amateur next to its competitors, the visitors will likely choose the competitor.
• Search engine optimization (SEO). A web site's ability to be found in the search engines can be crucial. After all, if no one knows your site is there, it's basically useless. For more detailed information, read this brief tutorial on how to get more traffic to your web site (pdf file)
• Are you available to take over maintenance of my website if it was created by another website designer?
Possibly. Much depends on the scope of your needs.
• I have an existing website that I want to keep. I would just like you to change how it looks. Can you do this?
Whether this can be done depends on a number of factors, including the way the site was coded, whether there is access to the existing files, etc. Although web sites can be very flexible, the coding required to put it all together can be very complex. If your site is older, it's often best to create a new web site from scratch, rather than trying to modify outdated, inefficient code. It all depends on the particular circumstances.
• What types of businesses have you designed websites for?
Since beginning web design in 2007, we have had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects, including web sites for:
• NHL Player
• Limousine Company
• Medical Transportation
• Financial Advisors
• Dry Cleaning
• Property Management
• Real Estate
• Tax and CPA Professionals
• Swim Team
• Restaurants
• Medical Offices
• Cleaning Company
• Auto Body Shop
• Auto Dealers
• Liquor Store