Menu:

Home

Frequently Asked Questions


Services

Rates

Estimate Form

 


                               


sgeek.gif (8349 bytes)

 

     

    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Why can't I just create my own web page?
     
    2. Can SuperGeek Web Design host my web page?
     3. What are "custom" and "stock" graphics?
     4. Can I have my company logo and pictures of my products on my page?
     5. Can I include things like guestbooks, forms, and chat rooms on my page?
     6. What is an online store?
     7. Will SuperGeek Web Design receive and answer the email from my web site?
     8. What is "registering" with a search engine and why is that important?
     9. What if I want my own domain name?
    10. Is there another option besides having my own domain name?
    11. What if I am unhappy with my website or I decide to discontinue it?
    12. What is meant by web site "maintenance"?
    13. How will my site be advertised?
    14. How will I know if people are visiting my web page?
    15. What are the "hidden" costs of having a web page?
    16. What kinds of issues are important when deciding how to design my page?

     

    1. Why can't I just create my own web page?
    You can. There are lots of programs on the market today that allow the average computer savvy person to design web pages. Additionally, many tools are available for site promotion. These tools usually offer to submit your site to hundreds of search engines in minutes. However,
    SuperGeek Web Design can offer suggestions for a site that is appropriate for your company's image, your intended market, and your company's needs. In addition, we offer professional graphic and web page design that will give your page the special pizazz it needs to stand out from your competition. Finally, SuperGeek Web Design can offer a marketing plan tailored specifically to your site in order to build traffic and maximize exposure of your page.

    Return to top of page

    2. Can SuperGeek Web Design host my web page?
    No. SuperGeek Web Design does not offer web hosting services. This means that your site will need a host and SuperGeek Web Design can find one for you. You will have the option of having your site hosted on a free server or a fee-based server. Fee-based servers allow you to have your own domain name and typically permit larger sites that bring in a lot of visitors along with several other benefits.

    Return to top of page

    3. What are "custom" and "stock" graphics?
    Stock graphics are graphics that were not originally designed by
    SuperGeek Web Design. These are graphics, usually clip-art, that SuperGeek Web Design has acquired from other artists. Custom graphics are designed by SuperGeek Web Design. These are ordinarily utilized when a unique type of graphic is needed, such as a company logo.

    Return to top of page

    4. Can I have my company logo and pictures of my products on my page?
    Yes. Items such as company logos, photographs, or any other type of pictures can be included on your site at no additional charge. These items will be put into a computer file by scanning them with a computer scanner. Please note, however, that large amounts of scanning (such as what would be required for an online catalog) will incur additional charges.

    Return to top of page

    5. Can I include things like guestbooks, forms, and chat rooms on my page?
    Yes. Any type of technology that you might want to include such as VRML, chat rooms, guestbooks, customized forms, online commerce, JavaScript, Java, CGI, and Shockwave can be included on your site. These more complex programming techniques are, of course, more costly than the simpler technologies and should be used with discretion.
    SuperGeek Web Design can offer suggestions regarding what types of technologies you might want to include on your web page.

    Return to top of page

    6. What is an online store?
    Depending on the type of business you own, you may want to offer your products or services over the internet. The process of selling products or services over the internet requires special programming in addition to the establishment of online commerce accounts (similar to the merchant accounts businesses must establish in order to process credit card sales).
    SuperGeek Web Design can help you establish these accounts and provide the necessary programming for an online store if you decide that would be appropriate for your website. If desired, Secure server technology can be utilized with real-time credit card processing.

    Return to top of page

    7. Will SuperGeek Web Design receive and answer the email from my web site?
    No. You will maintain your own email account (one will be set up for you, if necessary) and you will be responsible for receiving and responding to any email generated by your web site. The only exception to this would be email pertaining to web site maintenance (e.g., incorrect or outdated information on the web page or broken links), provided you have contracted with SuperGeek Web Design for site maintenance.

    Return to top of page

    8. What is "registering" with a search engine and why is that important?
    Search engines such as Yahoo, Excite, and HotBot include web sites in their databases only after those web sites have been registered with the search engine. There is no charge for registration, but you must often register separately with each individual service. In addition, there are certain techniques that can be utilized to improve your site's "standing" on a search engine. Many of these techniques are dependent upon how your site is designed (the technology utilized) and how the programming is written. Complicating matters is the fact that different search engines use different criteria to "rank" a site. In effect, this means that when people search for a topic and are presented with a list of results, your site will be listed before other (competitor's) sites if it has been presented to the search engines in an optimal fashion. This helps to greatly increase traffic to your web site, since people ordinarily visit one of the first few sites listed the results list. Although all of this may sound quite complicated,
    SuperGeek Web Design can help you to sort through all of these details.

    Return to top of page

    9. What if I want my own domain name?
    A domain name is your own address on the internet. The address www.microsoft.com is a domain name that is registered to the Microsoft Corporation. Domain names are like trademarks; you must pay a fee and register them. In addition, you must be certain that the domain name you wish to use has not already been taken.
    SuperGeek Web Design can take care of this process for you by performing a domain name search and then registering your domain name with InterNic, the organization currently charged with registering and issuing domain names. Unlike many other web design firms, SuperGeek Web Design does NOT charge a fee for this service. You are simply responsible for the fee that InterNic charges for the registration process.

    Return to top of page

    10. Is there another option besides having my own domain name?
    If you would rather not have your own domain name at this time (maybe you want to wait to see if your site will generate business before investing in a domain name), you can maintain a web presence without your own domain name. Many companies offer free web hosting where your internet address would be their domain name followed by your name. For example, if you had your site hosted by www.hoster.com, your address would be www.hoster.com/abc_company. Again,
    SuperGeek Web Design will assist you in locating a suitable web hosting company.

    Return to top of page

    11. What if I am unhappy with my website or I decide to discontinue it?
    During the first 30 days your site is online,
    SuperGeek Web Design will be happy to make any necessary changes or revisions to your site at no additional charge. After the first 30 days, you will be responsible for making any such changes to your site unless you have contracted to have your site maintained by SuperGeek Web Design (in which case such changes are included as part of your monthly services). In addition, SuperGeek Web Design will be happy to provide the first month of maintenance fees at no charge if, at the end of 30 days, you are not satisfied with the services provided. Discontinuance of a web site will be your own responsibility unless you have contracted to have your site maintained by SuperGeek Web Design.

    Return to top of page

    12. What is meant by web site "maintenance"?
    Web sites must be maintained just like a company billboard would need to be maintained. Oftentimes, you will want to make minor changes, additions, or updates to your site (e.g., perhaps you have added a new product or service or your rates have changed). In addition, new databases and search engines appear every day. It is important that you stay abreast of these changes so that your site can continually receive maximum exposure. Probably the most important aspect of this promotion is locating and utilizing directories, search engines, and trade organizations that cater specifically to your business field.
    SuperGeek Web Design can do all of these things for you or you may, of course, maintain the site yourself.

    Return to top of page

    13. How will my site be advertised?
    There are several ways to promote websites. The first, and most important, is registering your website with all available search engines. In addition, there are other search engines, directories, and websites specifically related to your type of business. Registering with these sites is often free and crucial in the proper promotion of your website. Finally, popular advertising programs such as LinkExchange help to generate traffic to your site by placing banner ads for your site on other related websites in exchange for placement of their ads. Again, many banner exchange programs have developed within specific industries so that you may "target" your advertising.

    Return to top of page

    14. How will I know if people are visiting my web page?
    Most people like to track the performance of their website through the use of things such as counters. These small programs are placed on your page and keep track of how many visitors your site has received, where the visitors come from, which parts of your web site are most often visited, and other useful information about your web traffic. The type of program placed on your page would be determined by the type of information you are interested in having about your website traffic. Monitoring this information can be crucial to planning your site promotion techniques (again, "targeted marketing"). The information provided by these counters can be sent directly to you or, if you opt to have
    SuperGeek Web Design maintain your site, the information can be compiled, interpreted, and passed along to you by SuperGeek Web Design.

    Return to top of page

    15. What are the "hidden" costs of having a web page?
    There really aren't any. If you choose to have your own domain name, there will be an initial fee (owed to InterNic) for registration for the first two years. After that, you must "renew" your claim to this domain name by paying an annual fee to InterNic. Additionally, if you choose to have a domain name and, thus, have your site hosted on a fee-based server, there will be a monthly charge (approximately $20 to $40) for hosting the site. Finally, some programming options may require further expenditures such as merchant accounts for online credit card processing. Other than that, there are no "hidden" costs.

    Return to top of page

    16. What kinds of issues are important when deciding how to design my page?
    There are four basic concepts that are crucial to effective web site design. The first is content. If your site does not provide useful information in an organized manner comprehensible by the viewer, it won't matter how "pretty" your page is - people just will not visit you! Second, your page must be aesthetically pleasing. Your design must make good use of graphics, color, etc. so that the page is pleasing to the eye and gets the attention of the viewer. Third, web pages must "load" quickly. Through effective use of design and graphics, pages can be constructed to appear on the visitor's computer quickly. Otherwise, visitors are likely to become impatient and move on to another page rather than wait. Remember, there are plenty of websites out there and if yours keeps the viewer waiting, chances are that he or she will check out your competition. Finally, designers must carefully plan technology use around the intended audience. Although "high tech" material like Java, DHTML, SSI, and VRML may be aesthetically appealing, these technologies may exclude some potential visitors. Many internet surfers are not using the very latest browsers (i.e., the ones that incorporate these technologies). Careful analysis of your potential audience will help you predict what types of technologies your visitors are likely to utilize.

    Return to top of page

    email.gif (2507 bytes)

    Home | FAQ | Services | Rates | Estimate Form