Website design frequently asked questions

I have set the price as cheaply as possible to allow small and new businesses to have access to a professionl looking website without the high cost usually associated with website design and hosting. Also I use the WIX platform to create each site so it is less time consuming and that saves you money. When I started out, I simply couldn't afford to pay the going rate, so taught myself and now produce websites for others with high spec and low costs.

That's ok as I understand that everyone needs slightly different features. I am happy to create what I can for a budget you set. We can sit down and discuss what you need and see what can be done with the budget you have. There is no obligation whatsoever to go ahead.

When creating your website, I create the main desktop site and also a mobile version of the site. The price you pay gives you both versions at no extra cost.

Mobile sites are VERY important. More and more people have smart phones or tablets and their usage for visiting websites is growing at a phenominal rate.

Up to 80% of website visitors, view the site on a mobile device. If your site is not optimised for this, your customers will simply view another site that is!

This number is only set to grow so it is crucial that a fully optimised mobile site is available.

The trend for purchasing on mobile sites is also rapidly increasing so all mobile sites allow for payment online via PayPal.

This depends on what level of site you choose and the amount of features and information to be added. It also depends heavily on how quickly you can get all the content to me for inclusion on your site e.g. Pictures, Paragraphs of text, Video, Documents, Colour preferences etc. I aim to complete it as quickly as possible and can have it up an running in approx one week for a basic site if everything required is in place.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. Simply put, it is the creation of information in a specific format for search engines such as GOOGLE. It allows them to understand what your website is, and what you are about. The website we see looks pretty with pictures and backgrounds etc, but google does not see this unless we tell it what it is. For example a picture of the latest BMX bike is clear to you and I, but Google can't see this, so we add a meta description telling google what the picture is e.g. Red BMX 16 inch Frame.

This is IMPORTANT because if Google can't tell what your site is about, it won't display it in the search results.

SEO also relates to the text you have witihin your website such as descriptions of your products and services etc. There are many factors to consider such as KEYWORDS (See FAQ about this), how unique your content is, when it was updated/how often etc. Also page titles need to be TAGGED for Google to understand what each page is about.

This is a very brief explanation to give you an idea of SEO and what it is.

This is personal choice. Most would argue you need it done in order to rank high on search results, however even with the best SEO you may still rank low if your site does not attract enough visitors. This is down to good marketing and PR.

You may also simply want the website as a focal point for current clients to contact you or join a members area and simply use it for this purpose. Also if you are just using your site for a hobby or club, then you may not require it to appear highly on searches.

My personal experience shows that equally important/if not more important is to activley and consistantly promote your website via social media to generate leads and enquiries.

Site indexing registers your website with Google, allowing it to 'crawl' and take a snapshot of your site. Without indexing, your site is hard to find. I ensure all websites I create are indexed by Google. For more info, contact us at enquiries@blackcatwebdesigns.com.

This is where SEO becomes critical. A website with no SEO will end up on the lowest pages as Google has no idea what it is. A website with good SEO will rank much higher and appear higher up the list on search results.

AS you can imagine the competition to appear at the top of the first page is extremely high as people tend to select their choice from this page. This can be a very difficult task as many businesses spend thousands of pounds on advertising and dedicated staff constantly pushing their website and SEO.

It can also take time for a new website to rank highly on Google as the formula Google uses to decide who it places first is highly complex using data such as how many visits the site gets, how new the information is, how fresh the information on the site is, how long people stay on the website, how unique the information on the site is....plus many more things.

Also the KEYWORDS used for the website play a big role. KEYWORDS are simple words or short phrases people use to search google, such as 'Hardware stores in Norwich' or 'Local Dentists'. The more popular the keywords, the more the competition there is. So good SEO needs to be in place in order to compete. Also regularly updating your website and keeping it fresh helps place it higher in results.

Listing your website on local directories will help boost your site as well as running a Blog with regular posts.

Google also change the paramters of their formula so it is an ever evolving task.

Keywords are words or phrases people use to search on Google, like 'Hardware stores in Norwich'. They are crucial for SEO. Popular keywords mean higher competition. Good SEO practices, like updating your site, improve your ranking. Use up to five keywords in your content, but don't overuse them. I'll guide you on the optimal number. For more info, contact us at enquiries@blackcatwebdesigns.com.

Yes, absolutuely you can. A really simple site can be made for free, however it carries WIX advertising which you may not want. Also if you are new to website building, it can be extremely time consuming and very frustrating, especially if you are not technically minded.

The main reason for choosing me is that I can create a high spec website for you that looks beautiful and is fully functional. You get a beautiful website without all the stress and time it would take normally.

You can pay via BACS, Online banking or cash.

We require a £100 non-refundable deposit to start work. If you cancel within 24 hours of payment, you'll receive a 50% refund. No refund is available after 24 hours. The final balance is due when the website is ready to publish. You can pay in instalments if arranged in advance. Questions? Contact us at enquiries@blackcatwebdesigns.com.

Minor updates may include changing the wording or some paragraphs, Pricing changes on services or adding a new service... etc.

Cosmetic adjustments would include changing or updating new pictures, minor alterations of the layout on pages to accomodate new pictures or text, changing background images or scrolling effects etc.

I am happy to discuss your personal requirements as some businesses may need minimal changes, whereas others may require regular updates.

A domain name is simply your website address e.g. www.blackcatwebsitedesigns.co.uk

The monthly domain name connection fee covers the cost of linking your domain to your website. It typically starts at around £3 for a basic connection, which includes WIX ads. Removing WIX ads costs approximately £5 per month. E-commerce plans, which include domain connection, start from around £16 per month. You can save money by opting for an annual connection plan. Various plans are available, and the best one for your needs will be selected and agreed upon before any work begins.

You can purchase a domain name through us, subject to availability, or from registrars like GoDaddy or Namecheap. Need help? Contact us at enquiries@blackcatwebdesigns.com.

This price varies depending on what you want and the type of domain you choose. Some names may already be taken or highly sought after, just like a private number plate for a car.

The type of domain you buy also effects the price. For example a domain ending in .co.uk is usually cheap compared to a domain ending with .org or .tv etc.

Typically a domain ending with www.abcwindows.co.uk would cost approx £12 for one year, compared to www.abcwindows.org which may cost anything from £15 - £65 or higher per year.

NB - You can save money by purchasing two or three years in advance.