Frequently Asked Questions

Before you start you need to have a plan.  You wouldn’t go on a trip without first consulting a map. You need to decipher you website’s purpose, and create a site map.

But the most important place to start is to realize who your target audience is so that we can work towards the perfect outcome.  Subscribe to our Newsletter and get your free Website Brief to help you plan your online strategy.

How long will it take:
A typical website takes 6 - 10 weeks to complete from inception to completion.  This allows time to get the design right, get your copy together and the user experience sorted out.

1. We will work with you to discover WHO your target audience is so that the website is relating to the right people.
2. We will send you our “Website Brief” and work on all the features you would like to have in our website and create a comprehensive plan.  If you live nearby we can definitely catch up for a coffee and a chat.  We will then create a proposal or quotation with firm prices and and an explanation of what you will get. Once the quote has been accepted and a deposit paid, we roll our sleeves up and get to work.
3. The design process takes about two weeks.  We will design layouts and themes for your website based on your Website Brief and present concepts for your approval.
4. Once we have reached approval we will develop the website generating the pages and implementing any programming necessary , and add the website content.
5. If all goes to plan we are ready for testing and adding the SEO  elements into the pages and the site is ready to go live.  The whole process from inception to completion usually takes between 6 - 10 weeks depending on how fast you can get the content to me. At this point the final payment is due prior to the website going live.
6. We offer ongoing maintenance so you can relax knowing your website will always be up to date and secure.  Check out our Website Maintenance Plan.

Website Costs:
Our prices vary depending on our clients needs however we do have awesome packages available for fixed costs that range between $50 and $325 per month however a custom website with all the bells and whistles is around $4000.00.
Our aim is to remain affordable for small to medium business so they can achieve success with their websites without loosing their shirt.  That being said, you need to spend a minimum in order to get the elements in a website that will make a difference and make your website stand out in the crowd.

Terms:
For custom websites I.W.S. Websites we require a 50% deposit up front and a part payment of 25% after the implementation of the templates to the server and the final 25% upon completion prior to going live.

Hosting:
We have three hosting packages to choose from and all of our websites are hosted on a fully maintained dedicated server in a secure data centre and are backed up and monitored 24/7  365 days per year .

Maintenance:
We offer a range of support packages to ensure your website is kept up-to-date, free from spam and functioning at 100%. This includes WordPress updates, Theme updates, Plugin updates, and content changes depending on the package you choose.  Check out our Maintenance Packages for more information.

SEO:
All our sites come with SEO setup on all pages (individual blog posts not included). But SEO can only be as good as the content provided. Your content has to be pretty exceptional if getting a high ranking is very important to you. You may want to consider hiring a professional copywriter if you think writing strong web content is not your strong suit.  We can recommend copywriters if you would like.

Social Media Marketing
Social Media Marketing has become one of the best ways of directing traffic to your website.  You can set the dollar limit you want to spend and target the exact audience you want your ad to be shown to.  This drastically increases your rate of conversions thus becoming one of the most cost effective marketing platforms.

Website Marketing:
Once we launch a new website onto the web it is like throwing a needle into a haystack.  Without clear direction people won’t be able to find it.  This is where Search Engine Optimisation, Social Media Marketing and Reputation Marketing come in to play.

Please follow this link for more information on Reputation Marketing.

The short answer is YES.  80% of Google Searches are now being done on a mobile device.  Failing to optimise your site for mobile phones and tablets is actually driving away business to your competitors who are mobile friendly.  Responsive websites are crucial for online success and really are a must have.

Please see our blog posts on Mobile Friendly websites

Building a website is a team effort.  We need to be both on the same page wanting to achieve the same goals, but you will need to trust our judgement and guidance throughout the process.  If we feel a suggestion will not work, we will explain in plain terminology why not and give alternative suggestions. We take the time to learn about your business and your “Ideal Customer” so we can build a website that speaks to the right audience.

If any of the following describes you then we might not be the right web company for you.

• You’ve dabbled in web design so you know a bit about the process and “how it works” and have started the process yourself.
  {In order for our process to work we need to drive the project from the start. }
• You’ve put it off and now you need your site done as quickly as possible, like yesterday.
  {Quality takes time, a rush job will not yield the best results for either of us}
• You’re not sure if you see the value in having a website for your business but you are getting one anyway.
  {I’d be too afraid that you wouldn’t appreciate our time and effort, so let’s just not go down that road together}
• You saw several sites you absolutely love so you have a long list of things your site must have, but you have to stick to your small budget
  {I do understand having a small budget, and we have packages for that, but the more you want the more we have to charge.}
• You’d like a low price on the first project because you promise you’ll be giving us lots more work
  {Ummm nope, not falling for that one again.}