Web Design Frequently Asked Questions
We realize you have choices when it comes to hiring a web design company. On this page, we try to tell you a little bit about how we operate, and our web design cost. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get, followed by our answers.
Who are the ideal clients for Coastal Web? Am I one of them?
You may be if you own an established business and understand the importance of not just a good web design but a great user experience (UX). You’re definitely an ideal candidate if you realize your old website may be low-end in design and functionality, and now you want a quality branded web design that’s fast to load and easy to use. A new website will use responsive web design, meaning your website looks good on all platforms from smartphone to tablet to desktop, with no pinching, expanding, or swiping. It will also come with the WordPress content management system (CMS) that makes it easy for you to add and delete content yourself, if you choose.
What types of businesses should use our web design services?
Most small businesses will benefit from our designs. If you provide a service in a competitive industry, an optimized website can help you rise above the competition. We help businesses from accountants to yoga studios and everything in between.
Should I build the most amazing thought-provoking colorful website with flashing images and with loud over the top sound that is so unique it is going to shock all of mankind?
OK, that was a little sarcastic. But if your answer is yes, then we are definitely not a good match for you. A website should be a tool to highlight your services or products and bring in new business. It is NOT a movie or an art piece.
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Are SEO services separate from your web design services?
No. They used to be, but we felt we were doing clients a disservice by not implementing SEO at the beginning. It’s sort of like getting a big fancy car but not putting any gas in the engine. A website without SEO is more of a glorified business card than a powerful marketing tool. We strongly advise implementing SEO best practices into your new web design if you want to use your website to attract new business.
How much does a quality branded custom website cost?
A Custom branded 15-page website will generally start at $4,500.00 and it takes us more than 100 hours to launch a custom branded web design. First of all, the graphics are custom made for your branding so you get a look that is original for you. We do not use a template. That doesn’t mean someone can’t copy some of the look of your site once live but it’s original at site launch. And with hundreds of millions of web pages out there, some things eventually may look similar.
We build your WordPress site from scratch and take out the unnecessary code to improve your page load speed so your site loads faster than most out there. People want immediate gratification, and will abandon a website that takes too long to load. After optimizing for speed, then we run your staging website through multiple tools to remove and reduce possible errors.
Are you ready to talk about getting Coastal Web to build your website? Click HERE
After we sign a contract to buy a website, what is next?
We either meet in person (if you’re in the Baltimore area) or meet using a program like Zoom, Google Meetings, or Skype to discuss your services and figure out what pages you will need. We will then go over design ideas to understand your preferred looks, colors, placement, goals, etc. We’ll send you emails with task lists so we cover everything that’s important to you in the design.
How long does it take to build a new website?
That really depends on you. A standard answer is 2-3 months from start to finish. Usually, clients are busy and they don’t prioritize getting us the finalized text, pictures, or approving the design look we come up with. If you get us all the text and pictures within 2 weeks of signing the contract then approve your new design look within 2 weeks after that, then we could get your site completed in 2 months. Unfortunately, that rarely happens as we are usually waiting on clients for either content they write or approval of content our content writing team creates.
Wait. You have someone who can write my web content?
Yes. We provide SEO content writing services as an add-on service for our web design services. Our content writer takes your current website or your list of ideas you want to get across, does keyword research and industry research, and may suggest adding pages or deleting pages, based on the research. They then create informative and engaging text for each page of your website. This can save you a lot of time and help get your new website launched faster.
Will I lose site traffic when my new website is launched?
This is probably the most important question to ask. Yes, web design cost and quality are important, but the bottom line is you don’t want to go backwards after the new site is launched. If the launch is not done correctly, you could lose most or all of your traffic for months or longer. We are aware of this miscalculation by other web designers and have a process to address this specific issue. We have a 20-point checklist of best SEO practices so we minimize the impact of launching your replacement web design. Your web traffic should only be affected for a couple days if design techniques and launching techniques are completed correctly.
Can I make any changes after the site is launched?
Yes, you can actually make them yourself, if you want. And that is obviously free because you are editing the site you own. If you want us to help, we bill at $25.00 for every 15 minutes to update sites or to teach you how to update your site. If you find an error in the text or images within 30 days of launching the site, we will fix that for free.
Get a Web Design Quote
Are you ready to talk about getting Coastal Web to build your small business website? Schedule a consultation by calling 410-420-9390 or fill out our contact form to get a quote.
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