Ten Frequently Asked Website Design Questions

There are some questions that we inevitably get asked when we are talking to potential clients about their proposed web projects. The following ten questions are ones that every client should ask of the person or company that will be designing and developing their website.

Why do I need a web host? I already have a domain name.

A Domain Name is like your home or business address.  Every computer on the Internet has a unique identifying number, called an IP Address (Internet Protocol).  You choose a Domain Name, then register it for a fee with an accredited Domain Name Registrar. This service translates the easier to remember Domain Names like “www.lynncreative.com” into equivalent IP addresses (and visa versa) and assigns it to a particular server.

What is a Web Server? Now that you have your address (Domain Name), You still need a place (house/office) to serve your website visitors the cake (website pages) you baked. Web hosts are companies (ISPs) that provide space for your website files on a Web Server that they own or lease for a monthly fee.

There are many types of Web servers and hosting plans. Which one you choose depends on several factors which include how big your website is, how much traffic your website gets and what technologies your website is built on.

We help you choose the right hosting plan for your needs with reliable Web Hosts (ISP's).

How much will my website cost?

This is like asking an architect how much it will cost to build a house.  It depends on factors like how many rooms it will have, what materials will be used, what type and how many people will live in it. Because there are many variables, we have developed a thorough Discovery Process where we assess needs in order to plan website requirements.

See Our Process Of Designing Websites

What do I put on my site?

That depends largely on the type of your business, your target audience, website strategy and marketing goals.   We have worked alongside all of our clients to determine what content is needed, often making suggestions to improve website quality, usefulness and experience. The blueprints and layouts we develop during our Project Planning Stage also serves as a guide.

See Our Process Of Designing Websites

How do I determine what my website should look like?

Good design for a website is more than just a pretty face. A great website design will take into account your branding, short and long range business goals, usability, search engine optimization and other factors. What happens behind the scenes is just as important as the front-end look and feel.

A good way to start is by doing a little research on your own. Look at other websites in your industry or field. Make notes of the URLS and things you like and dislike about them.

See Our Process Of Designing Websites

How long will it take to create my website?

The time frame is determined by your stated ideal project launch date, the size and complexity of your web site, whether you have all the content that will be included on the website ready, the time to review and approve work in progress in a timely manner and our current client schedule.

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What platforms and devices will my website be accessible on?

The web is constantly evolving and along with it your audience, the technology, browsers and devices for viewing web content.  Do you need to account for every browser or device in the universe?  Probably not. The best website strategy for you is determined during our Discovery and Planning Phase. The key is to plan the design, structure and functionality of your website to ensure longevity and the broadest platform, browser and device independence by embracing Web Standards.

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How will I update the website?

We maintain websites for busy business owners who prefer to have us keep the website updated and in top condition with design upgrades, fresh content and general monthly maintenance.  We offer reasonable website maintenance plans based on your needs.

If you have a website where content needs to change frequently or need to have a multi-author and dynamic web site, then a Website content management system (CMS), might be the answer for you. It allows non-technical staff to use simple word processing skills to publish and maintain web content and graphics.

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How will customers find me in Search Engines like Google?

Leading Search Engines go by a  number of different factors when indexing  a site and determining relevance and placement in their search results. The best way to get people to find your site is to provide useful, well-written and organized content, well-thought-out design, site structure and information architecture. The more people who link to your site or tell other people about it, the more visitors you'll have.

A lot also depends on your marketing strategy. Email campaigns, social networking, fresh content, tweaking existing web pages all help to contribute the ongoing success of your website.

We design and produce "search engine friendly" websites. Design, menu systems, web page construction, images, site structure, best practices for content management systems, and other elements are optimized for maximum search engine exposure.

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How will I know if my website is successful?

Tracking the visitors to your site is an essential part of any online business. There are several good free solutions offered by various companies and most web hosts worth their salt include basic web traffic analyzing (website analytics) software with their hosting package. If you are looking for advanced statistics, a comprehensive commercial web analytics package solution might be best for you.

Your basic web stats can tell you things like how many visitors and pageviews you've had over time, the number of times a page was viewed, pages that visitors entered and exited your site on, where your visitors came from, keywords used on search engines to find your site and other basic statistics.

At the start of every project, we work with you determine what will work best for you and will implement the solution you choose into your website.

I want you to design my website. How do I begin?

Please Contact Us to get started. We look forward to working with you.