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> Frequently Asked Questions
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How much do web sites typically cost?
As with most businesses, one of the first questions we are presented with is "How much does it cost?" The cost of a site depends on many variables. It is analogous to asking a real estate agent "How much does a house cost?" Typically when buying a new home the buyer sets a budget range and looks at all options based on that budget range. The same process works well for web development when a budget range is known.
Often times, a budget range is somewhat open and a client may not know exactly what they want. Through close consultation, we help determine such factors and can propose a range of solutions and prices. Then the client can look at cost-benefit analysis and determine which features they want and which features will help them to meet their goals.
Sites can range from $500 to $20,000 or more. Again, so much depends on what functionalities are decided upon in the solution.
Why do I need a web site?
For most businesses, the reasons are obvious. A marketing tool that never stops working, E-commerce, online product database, customer information tracking, professional image, competitive edge, and many others are all great reasons to have a web site.
Sometimes it helps to relate a web site to other business tools. A web site is analogous to:
- A 1-800 number: Free access for everyone
- The Yellow Pages: Available 24/7, 365
- A TV Commercial: Audio and Video Capabilities
- Shelves in a store: You can place products there
- A Cash Register: Accept payments for goods and services
How does the development process work?
The process is broken down into 5 stages: Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Maintenance. Throughout the entire process a great deal of consultation and collaboration takes place to ensure that the project stays on track.
Planning - It is very difficult for people inexperienced with the Internet to know what their options are. Having said that, the first thing we must do is gain understanding about your business. Many consultancies will immediately start making recommendations without truly understanding what you do!
What products and/or services do you offer? What is your target market? Once we understand the target and your business, we can determine the GOAL of the site. Should it be an online marketing tool and source of information? Should it be an online storefront to increase sales? Should the site offer online customer management tools to track usage and store customer data?
Regardless of the goal, the site should be designed in such a way to allow for expansion as business needs change and new goals are realized.
Analysis - Having the goal in mind, along with the understanding of your business, we can then move into a technical analysis phase. Options can be explored that will help us to reach the goal while maintaining budget and timeframe guidelines.
Design - Often coinciding with the analysis phase is the design phase. Here we determine the right "look and feel" of the site. Again keeping the goal in mind, the design should match your image while providing the right fit for any technical features.
Implementation - After the features and designs are decided on, the site moves into production. Based on the scope of the project, the time spent in this phase can vary widely. After thorough testing and debugging, the site is launched and becomes "live" on the internet.
Maintenance - Depending on numerous factors, a web site needs to be updated as the need arises. New products must be added, calendars updated, and new pictures uploaded. Some sites such as cnn.com or msn.com are updated many times daily! Most small business's sites, however, are updated less frequently. For more details on this phase see the copy below on maintaining your web site.
What's involved with maintaining a web site?
Fresh data needs to be added to the site regularly to aid the repeat visits by interested parties. Having a current, attractive homepage is crucial to displaying professionalism and surpassing the competition. Likewise, maintaining current product specials and new product offerings is important to entice customers. We develop sites to allow for "Dynamic Content" which will be updated by the Bell City team upon request.
The cost per month for maintenance varies based on the complexity and amount of dynamic content on the proposed site. We would be delighted to be of assistance in maintaining your site, which would allow your staff to focus on what they do best.
A professional Website should be professionally managed.
How do I market my web site?
The site needs to be marketed on an ongoing basis. This should include such aspects as arranging reciprocal links with other web sites, search engine submissions, providing off-line and marketing ideas such as postcard mail-out and coupon incentives. Perhaps one of the most important, but often overlooked methods is simply adding the URL (www.yourname.com) to all business materials.
One aspect of Internet marketing for many sites is high search engine rankings. Our sites are designed in such a way as to maximize their potential for the highest possible rankings. Depending on the Goal of your site and budget restraints, a certain amount of marketing resources should be spent on search engine advertising. We provide one-on-one consultancy with clients to ensure that this can be effectively completed.
How do I know if people are coming to the site?
Detailed site statistics will be provided as part of the monthly maintenance fee. Reports include useful information such as number of hits, number of unique viewers, time spent on each page, which sections are most visited, etc.
Explanation of these reports will be provided by Bell City as needed.
Click Here to view a sample report.
A lot of people have Web Design skills now. Why shouldn't we use a friend, relative or student who has these skills?
We do find that this is one of the most common scenarios we are presented with. Our answer is that design skills are only a very small part of Website development. It is no good having an attractive site if it does not attract visitors or effectively supplement your business.
The process we go through in designing a site is exhaustive. First, there are a series of meetings with clients to establish exactly what they want and need the site to do. Once the objectives of the site are clearly fixed, we research the target market and assess their requirements for such a site. We then focus on the target market which assists in the development of the site. We then complete a series of tests to identify issues such as load time, copy effectiveness, navigational ease, and the quality of product presentation and overall design success.
In close consultation with our clients, we then move on to complete the look and 'feel' of the site.
The copy is developed in association with the client and our team to ensure that the site will place as high as possible in Search Engines, if this is relevant, and to ensure its relevancy.
Our Security Expert is brought in to try to 'crack' the site code, access databases, etc to ensure a high level of security is provided for the site.
The entire site is then reviewed via a complex process whereby a vast amount of technical information is gathered and assessed by our team.
Once the site passes a series of strict criteria, ranging from security issues, to navigational issues, to marketing issues, then the site is passed for hosting.
Clients are involved in the development of the site as much as possible, to ensure it meets the objectives set earlier and is a site of the highest standard.
What is a 'host'?
This is the term given to the company that actually puts your Website into cyberspace. Think of the Website as a newspaper advertisement a copywriter has produced for you. You then need to place that advertisement into a newspaper for it to be effective-that's the same as your Website host.
Like newspapers, there are some good hosts and some that could be a little better. The important aspects to know about your host are a) can they cope with the 'type' of site you have, b) will their system be able to cope with the number of visitors your site attracts, and c) do they provide back up service in case of problems?
We provide custom hosting solutions based on your web site needs and project requirements. Contact us today for more details about our current hosting solutions.
How long would it take to build a site?
The time of completion quite often depends on the time it takes to develop graphics, receive required copy from the client and to build custom applications.
After initial consultation we can offer an estimated timeline for completion. Many sites can be completed within a month, while more substantial sites can take up to six months or more.
What's e-commerce?
Ecommerce is simply the term given to purchasing products or services over the Internet.
Do you build e-commerce sites?
Yes! We can provide a range of e-commerce solutions to any business, of any size. Contact us today to learn how your business can profit online.
What's a search engine?
A search engine is a computer that reviews (and ranks in an order) the content of Websites. If a person enters 'golf' into a search engine, that person will be shown a list of sites to visit that contain the word golf. As an example, Yahoo! (A popular search engine on the Internet) has 75,000,000 Web pages to choose from when 'golf' is searched for.
Is it important to get people to return to the site? If yes, how do you get them to return?
It is vital to have people return to the site again and again. Research indicates that people will feel more comfortable with your company and purchase products or services only after having visited the site seven times previously.
To have people return to the site we have to impress, inform, and convince them. We have built-in strategies to our sites that will aid repeat visiting. Other possibilities include:
- Interesting information regularly updated such as industry related articles, tips as said, etc.
- Links page containing links that appeal to the target market - once visitors know it is available they can return to the site to access the links easily.
How do people find out about Websites?
1. 90% from links from other sites
2. 85% from search engines
3. 65% Word of mouth
4. 64% from magazines and newspapers
(Multiple response answers)
How do we actively let people know of the site?
As indicated in the above figures, effective marketing of a Website is achieved utilizing a variety of techniques. These include:
Links - being linked to a site that has a lot of, and/or related, visitors can attract visitors over to your site. Examples of the reciprocal links we will try to establish are with:
- Suppliers.
- Clients.
- Sites of interest.
Search Engine submission - up to 85% of all Websites are found after a search engine request.
Structure of the site - the text and meta tags (meta tags are special areas hidden within a site that hold key words that search engines find) should hold all words that are relevant for your site.
Off-line advertising - advertising of the site, placing the Website address on all business literature, using a 'postcard' mail out strategy, etc.
Why use us?
We have the expertise and experience to ensure the trouble-free and effective management of your Website - from conception to ongoing management. Our team is highly professional and committed to the highest standards. We can identify the requirements of the site and develop an appropriate strategy to ensure those needs are met.
From expert design to programming and Internet marketing we have the expertise to ensure the highest quality site at a very competitive rate. We know the pitfalls; we know the shortcuts. Use the team to cut through years of frustrating trial and error.
Click here for testimonials.
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