Frequently
Asked Questions
What is a domain name?
Domain name is your address on the Web like www.AlmostEverythingWeb.com.
Also, called a "url." This address is stored by the Domain Name
Server (DNS) system so that when someone types in your domain name,
they are pointed to the correct computer holding your website.
How do I come up with a domain name? Focus on names that
are easy to spell, easy to remember and not too long. You can check
whether a name you like is available by going to www.godaddy.com and
typing it into the search box. Stick to .com names
as opposed to .net
or .biz as most people default to .com. Finally, if a name you like
is not available; play with creating a variation. For example,
Tod and I wanted www.almosteverything.com, which has not been available
for years. We later came up with www.almosteverythingweb.com.
Tod or
I work with
all Website clients to come up with a domain name(s) that fit the recommendations
we've given here. We provide 2 years of domain name registration with
our Web site packages. After that charges are about $10 a year per
domain name.
Do you provide hosting? Yes. You can use your own hosting provider
or have us host your site. We include one year of hosting in all Website
packages. (And two years of domain name registration.) After the first
year, charges for hosting are about $49/year. If you are paying a lot more,
it's
because prices for hosting have come down a lot in recent years. Our
service is very reliable and responsive.
Will I own my Web site and domain name? Yes. The Web site is yours
and the domain name(s) is/are yours.
What does a Web site typically cost? Prices vary
depending on the sophistication of the
site and what features are included. Some sites we build are as
much as $5000-10,000. Many custom sites cost around $3,200-5,500.
The least expensive site
we offer
is a pre-designed site at $1400.
When you call us to discuss a Web
site project, we'll talk to you for 15-30 minutes about your business,
your marketing
and your goals. From
that information, we can give you a rough estimate. Then you can
decide if it fits your budget and if we both want to move forward.
What is the payment structure? For most projects, the
retainer is 30%. The 2nd payment is 30% (due when the site design
is approved) and a final payment of 40% is due when the site is launched.
For pre-designed sites, the retainer is 40% and a final payment
of 60% is paid when the site launches. For rush projects, we will
ask for a larger retainer.
How do I pay? Typically, our clients pay by check. We also
accept all major credit cards and cash.
How long does it take? A Website can go up as quickly as
2-4 weeks if you have the content in hand. For most of our clients
it takes around
2 months to complete the process and as long as 6 months depending
on their schedule. We will always ask what your deadline is. If you
have content complete, we can meet your deadline.
Do you do Flash animation? Yes, we do develop Flash images
when appropriate. We also convert Flash sites to .html. Flash can be
beautiful and mesmerizing
but has some downsides if you use it extensively to construct a Web
site. The downsides are that search engines can't read the words—your
site is invisible to search engines. The other is that it is difficult
and therefore
costly to update. We are happy to discuss your Flash ideas with you
and recommend an approach that will give you the greatest success in
terms of look, search
engines and updates.
Do you do e-commerce or online credit card payments? Yes,
we use a variety of approaches to build stores. In consultation with
you, we'll decide on the best
solution for your needs -- such as how often you'll need to
update and how your customers will receive the product or service and
other variables. We'll also help you set up a merchant account or
use paypal.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Please
call Tod or Karen at 510-527-9920. Or go to the Resources page
to see articles about planning a Web site, marketing online and much more.
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