F A Q — Frequently Asked Questions
The world-wide-web is a crazy place that's growing and changing faster than Superman can catch a speeding train. It's easy to get confused, even if you think you have all the information. If your question is not answered below, please send us an e-mail and we'll do our best to clear up the muddy waters.
QUICK LINKS TO SECTIONS ON THIS PAGE
• What is a domain name?
• Can you register my domain name for me?
• What is hosting?
• How do domains, hosting, websites & browsers interact?
• How much will a website cost?
• Why do some design companies charge per page?
• What type of payments do you accept?
• Who does the design work?
• How long will it take to build a website?
• I forgot about a deadline! Can you rush my job?
• Can I see my design while it’s in progress?
• Do I own the copyright of the work you do for me?
• Which browsers will support my web site?
• Why can't I find my website in the search engines?
• Do you do search engine submissions for your clients?
• What are the extensions at the end of a file name?
What is a domain name?
A domain name is your website’s address. Domain names begin with ’WWW’ followed by ’THE NAME YOU CHOOSE ’, and end with ’.COM’. For example, our domain name is www.designedgestudio.com.
You probably already realize that the most common domain names end in .com (for commercial businesses), .org (for non-profit organizations), or .edu (for educational institutions), but there are many more extensions available.
Your domain name – or web address — is the name that represents your Internet identity; your on-line brand. If you choose your name wisely, your customers will remember your name and use it to find your website. Because no two parties can ever hold the same web address simultaneously, your Internet identity is totally unique. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands of domain names that have already been taken, therefore you may have to think very creatively to come up with an available name.
To register a domain name yourself, you can contact a company such as Go Daddy or Network Solutions. If you would like us to register it for you, please contact us. We offer domain names at discounted prices and often give them to you free when you have us develop your website.
Can you register my domain name for me?
Yes, if you would like domain name registration, we will be happy to do that for you. We offer domain names at discounted prices and often give them to you free when you have us develop your website.
What is hosting?
Web hosting is a place where your website will be accessible on the Internet. It is a place for your domain name, web page files, and graphics to reside. The web-surfing public doesn't access your computer (or ours). They access computers that host the pages for you. Those computers are where websites are hosted.
Most hosting companies (including Design Edge Studio) offer monthly and yearly packages. Hosting fees vary greatly depending on your needs. If you have a very small, basic website that doesn't need any special features, you shouldn't have to pay more than $30/month. But, for larger sites or those with special features or if you have special programming requirements, prices are typically higher. These types of hosting services can cost anywhere from $30-200/month.
How do domain names, hosting, websites & browsers interact?
The Web is a network of computers all over the world. Information on the Web is stored in documents called web pages, which are essentially just files stored on even bigger computers called web servers. These web pages must have a unique name (otherwise known as a domain name) in order for your computer to find them. And in order for you to see the web pages, you must have a web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, etc.).
The entire process can be compared to a library:
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The library = the World Wide Web
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Having a car to get to the library = having a computer
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The road to the library = having an Internet Service Provider (like AOL, MSN or having a browser (like Internet Explorer, Netscape or Firefox – lots of different roads exist to take you to the same exact web)
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Knowing a title of a book = knowing the domain name (it typically starts with ‘www’)
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Not knowing the exact name of the book and looking in the library’s index = going to a search engine (like Google)
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Finding the book on the shelf where it’s supposed to be = the web site is being actively hosted
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The title of the book = the domain name
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The chapters of the book = the website’s individual pages (it typically starts with ‘www’ and is followed by ‘/’, like www.designedgestudio.com/contact info).
How much does a website cost?
There are quite a few factors that are going to affect the final cost of your website. These factors include how big the site is, if you will have a calendar, how many images will need to be prepared by us, and how interactive the site will be. Therefore, we don't offer fixed pricing as certain projects involve more work. For samples and prices of websites we have designed, go to our design portfolio page.
Why do some design companies charge per page?
Simplicity...It helps to keep it simple for their clients. "Per page" is language anyone can understand.
We don't agree with this type of billing because it leaves too many unanswered questions; usually resulting in the client being overcharged. For example, what exactly does a page include? Our version and your version may clash. On a website, a page can be never-ending. You could break it down and say 2 images and 500 words per page, but that leaves you with little flexibility. And if you charge for each additional image or word, you end up getting ‘nickled and dimed’ to death. And what happens if you decide to turn your "cats and dogs" page into two separate pages, one for cats and one for dogs? The content hasn't changed but you're charged for the additional page?
So, having a general idea of the page count is more of a way to understand the general scope of the work and what it will take to design good navigation, rather than being directly related to price.
What type of payments do you accept?
We accept PayPal®, checks, money orders, cashier checks and of course cash. At this time, we do not accept direct credit card payments, however you can use your credit card by paying through PayPal®. We are a registered and verified PayPal® business account holder.
Who does the design work?
Most of the work is done by the owner and creative designer, Kate Gernaat. That said, we do, on occasion hire and/or consult other professionals to help with particular tasks like proofreading, photography (if requested), and specialty programming.
How long will it take to build a website?
It really depends on the scope of the project, but typically websites take an average of 4-6 weeks. We calculate an estimated timeframe after the initial consultation and information-gathering meetings. We convey that schedule to you and provide regular updates on the progress.
We pride ourselves on being able to meet our schedules. When possible, it’s best not to wait until the last minute to avoid the possibility, although rare, of rush charges. We make every effort to adjust our schedules to accommodate your needs.
I forgot about a deadline! Can you rush my job?
The answer is a very firm — MAYBE. Please contact us as soon as possible to see if we can adjust our obligations to our other clients and our families.
If we can take on your rush job, please don't be shocked — we're going to add a 25% rush charge to our usual rates. That said, if a major reorganization of our time is not required, the additional charge will not apply. We’ll do everything we can to solve your emergency situation. We don't want to leave anyone in the lurch.
Can I see my design while it’s in progress?
Absolutely. When we build a website for you, you’ll be given your own URL (web page address) where you may view both the draft and revised stages of the project.
We should mention that all of our works-in-progress are protected by copyright laws. You don't own the designs until they are paid for, in full.
Do I own the copyright of the work you do for me?
Ownership of the site and all files is transferred over to you upon clearance of full payment. Any original images that you may have given to us are your responsibility and we entrust that they will not infringe upon any copyrights.
If we supplied original artwork to you, additional fees may apply if you want sole ownership of those images. In addition, if in the beginning stages we have provided you with several site designs to choose from, only the final design is the one that you own.
Which browsers will support my website?
Our designs are supported and functional in multiple browsers. For instance, all menu systems will work — but in some browsers, without animation. In very old browsers, we simply insure that the content is readable. Currently, we are testing in 3 different browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox 2 (or the most current version) and Netscape 7.
Why can't I find my website in the search engines?
Our advice to you is to be patient; it's not an overnight process. Once your website has been submitted to search engines, they may require several weeks, or even months, to actually list your website in their directories.
How fast your website is listed depends on each individual search engine's database update schedule. Everyone likes to think they can control this, but in reality it’s an imprecise practice.
Do you do search engine submissions for your clients?
Not normally. Our answer may surprise you — we don't think it's absolutely necessary. We always set keywords into the HTML headers of web pages, in addition to descriptions and page titles. This is usually all that's needed to get the major search engines to notice (and catalog) your website.
Search engine placement, however, is an entirely different story. Many factors go into the placement, page rank and popularity of your website.
What are the extensions at the end of a file name?
PDF . . . Files saved in this format can vary in quality depending on the need and can generally be opened on any computer.
TIFF . . . Best format for photographs that will be used for printing and placing inside other documents.
JPG . . . Best format for photographs that will be used on web pages or sending via e-mail.
EPS . . . A format for vector graphics typically used for printing.
GIF . . . Best for vector graphics that will be used on web pages or sending via e-mail.
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