Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions clients often ask. Just click a question below and the answer will appear. If your question is not listed, please do not hesitate to Contact Us and we will answer promptly.
How much does it cost to setup a web site? How do I pay for my site? How many pages will I need? What is a domain name and do I really need one? What will my web site address be?
Do I have a say in what my web site looks like? How much input do I have?
How long does it typically take to build a site? How many pages will I need?
Can I expand my web site or make changes once it is finished? What does 'Website Maintenance' mean?
If I already have a site can you help me improve it?
A: Your own business website is an
essential business tool, to let your customers know who you are,
what you do, and how to contact you. This is true whether you have a
very small, or very large business.
It will be possible for your existing and potential customers to
access your website 24 hours a day, every day of the year,
regardless of your opening hours.
Your website will increase the size of your potential market place. It can be viewed by anyone with an internet connection worldwide.
The cost of creating and maintaining your website can be much less than the cost of media advertising, or promotional items such as glossy brochures. You will be able to direct customers to your site rather than sending expensive mail shots and paying postage. They can download the information directly.
The pages on your site can be updated easily, quickly and cheaply compared to the cost of re-printing expensive brochures. Your customers will also have access to the latest, most up-to date information and prices.
You can add photographs of your business and key products, allowing potential customers to understand who you are, and what your products or services are.
The website can be used to provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s), and to allow customers to find directions to your offices or place of business. How often does your customer support staff spend time giving this information over the telephone?
A: Yes. You do not need any computer or internet experience at all. Big Dog Web Designs offers free consultation on all services. We are with you every step of the way! Just ask - We are here to help you. Contact us.A: The cost of setting up and maintaining a website varies significantly depending upon what type of site you need and what the objectives of having a site are. The number of pages needed will be determined from this.
Typical costs include:
Start-up costs – Website Design and Domain registration.
Website Hosting fees – A monthly cost to keep your Website pages on a server linked to the internet.
Costs related to updating or changing the content of your site.
A: A domain name is your identity on the internet. This is what someone types in to their Web Browser to access your web site. It is analogous to a phone number but it is more meaningful as it can be comprised of words as well as numbers. You must have a domain name, and we can help you choose an effective name that will help your site be successful on the internet.
Your web address would be in the format: www.yourdomainname.com
A: We welcome your input! Your web site is your image on the web, and only you know what is perfect for your company. We will consult with you on everything via e-mail or phone and you can see your site being built in a special test area assigned to you.
The more input we receive from you the better we will be able to satisfy your needs and produce a site that will have the desired look and impact that your business needs. After all - it's your website!
A: Company brochures, logos, photographs, business cards etc. are all excellent resources to use when designing your website.
If your logo and promotional materials are not in electronic format, we can convert them to a format suitable for your website. We can use almost any type of electronic file. If your materials are printed, we can scan and convert them to digital computer files which can then be transferred to your website.
If you require a logo or any additional art work designed we can provide this service at affordable rates.
When you have decided to proceed you can send us the information you wish to have on your site in most formats either by e-mail or regular mail.
Our designers can then work with you to keep your website design consistent with your existing company image.
A: Designing a site is a complicated task. I can take anything from 2 – 8 weeks depending on how complex your site needs to be.
Often the most time consuming part is collecting all the relevant information to begin designing the site. If you have a lot of this information readily available in the right format it will often make the timeline shorter.
We will provide you with an estimated date of completion once you ask us to begin working on the project.
A: You can update your site whenever you wish. After the site is finished and you want to add pages, or make changes to existing pages, simply contact Big Dog Web Designs for a quote. Contact Us
Website Maintenance relates to changes made to your website after the initial design and launch. Keeping a website up-to-date is essential to keep repeat visitors returning to your site. Updating the site with product and service information, newsletters, press releases, financial figures and links are all examples of Website Maintenance.
It is possible to teach you how do carryout simple maintenance yourself. This is normally limited to up-dating information on existing pages. Simply contact Big Dog Web Designs and we can talk you through the basic steps on the telephone. Contact Us.
A: It is usually easier and quicker to redesign or freshen up an existing site, and at a lower cost than building one from scratch. Please Email us your site's Web address and a idea of what you'd like to do, whether fixing simple problems or a total redesign, and we'll be happy to give you a quote.
A: Having a website has no effect on your computer equipment. Your site is stored on external servers and your new e-mail accounts are forwarded to your existing e-mail account. You will not need to install any new software or hardware.You don't need to have an expensive computer in order to have a website! You will need a computer capable of internet access to send and receive email. Creating a website is powerful because it allows other people with computers to access information about your company and products. No changes are required to your existing equipment or software.