1. How do I get a domain name?
  2. What is the process of getting a website?
  3. How much does a website cost?
  4. What methods of payment do you accept?
  5. Do I need a computer to have a website?
  6. Where will my website be located (hosted)?
  7. What about updating my website?
  8. Do we need to meet in person?
  9. What is a browser?
  10. What is a search engine?
  11. Will my website be placed high in the search engines?

1.How do I get a domain name?
Your domain name is like a street address. That’s what everyone will use to find your webpage. Getting the right domain name is imperative and a bit challenging because your first choice may already be taken. That’s why it’s good to jot down 8 or 10 ideas. Make sure your “domain name” is short and catchy. It should be easy to read when printed and it should also be easy to remember when seen in an advertisement. If possible, as part of the domain name, it should have the main key word that would be used to search to find a website like yours. The cost of getting a domain name depends on where you get it. The average cost is $15 to $18.

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2. What is the process of getting a website?

  1. Before you get started, you may wish to look at other websites in order to get an idea of what styles you like. With your target audience in mind, think about what information is most important to have on your website. Think about colors, content, a logo, and photographs that you would like to include. If you are unsure about all that, don’t worry. We will help you through the entire process.
  2. Contact me by email, or telephone (804) 852-7417, so that we can discuss the ideas you have about how you would like your new website to look. At that time we can discuss hosting, layout and what pages you would like to include (i.e. ‘About our company”, “Our products and services”, etc..). After I have a general idea of what your website will consist of, I will be able to provide you with an estimate of what the cost will be.
  3. The best possible method for providing graphics is to supply computer images (i.e. jpg, gif, tiff). If you don’t have computer images — brochures, photographs and other printed material will be fine. These items can be scanned achieving good quality. If you need photographs to be taken, we can provide that service for you. Please call 804-852-7417 for more information regarding digital photos. If you need a logo design that can also be supplied.
  4. As with images, it is best to provide text in some sort of computerized format such as Microsoft Word. This will speed up the process. CD, zip or floppy is an acceptable format. You may also email the text data for your website. If however, you do not have any text online, you can provide hand written or printed material but that will slow down the process and in some cases cost more money.
  5. Once a contract is signed, one third of the estimated cost will be due before the work begins.
  6. When the initial template has been designed and approved along with a skeleton of the entire site, the second 3rd is due.
  7. During the construction process, your website will be uploaded for preview. I will ask for your comments and/or changes via email or telephone. The work will continue until you are completely satisfied.
  8. After receiving your approval and payment for the remaining balance, your website will be copied to the host of your choice!

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3. How much does a website cost?
Costs vary depending on the size and complexity of the site. An easy and thorough way to determine what your needs are can be accomplished by filling out the form located on the website design page.. You may also call (804) 852-7417. After our initial contact, I will be able to estimate your cost.

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4. What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards  and PayPal.

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5. Do I need a computer to have a website?
No. Your website is not stored on your computer. You will however need a computer connected to the internet to send and receive email.

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6. Where will my website be located (hosted)?
The first step in getting a website is finding a good company to host your website. Just as you would rent a hotel room or an apartment for a certain amount of time, you will “rent” space from a hosting company, on a high speed computer known as a “server” that is connected to the internet 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you don’t already have a good hosting company, visit GoDaddy.com to set up an account on GoDaddy.com, our choice in quality web hosting for the best value at a great low price.

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7. What about updating my website?
You may wish to update or change your website periodically. Website changes are billed on an hourly basis of $17.50 an hour with a one hour minimum or on a monthly basis.

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8. Do we need to meet in person?
No! That’s the beauty of the internet. Everything can be done through email or telephone. We have clients all over the country. I will, of course, be happy to meet with you if you are located in or near Richmond, VA.

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9. What is a browser?
A browser such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari is a common computer program that allows the user to view, read, and even hear information on the World Wide Web.

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10. What is a search engine?
A search engine is a website where you can type in words and phrases called “key words” to help you find what you’re looking for on the Internet. Some popular search engines are Yahoo, Bing, MSN, Ask.com and Google.

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11.Will my website be placed high in the search engines?
It all depends how much direct competition exists on the internet. Although there are no guarantees, everything will be done to optimize your website by embedding meta tags and keywords, as well as utilizing alt tags, headers and placing special wording in strategic places on your webpage so that you have a good chance of ranking high in the most popular search engines.
Although fancy flash introductions or “splash pages” may look pretty, they may prevent your website from ranking high in the search engines.

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