Web Site Design

Web site design can be confusing when it is not explained in simple terms. Most people want to know, “How much will it cost?” For a new web site, the answer is simple: $1499 USD for domain, design, and three years of hosting.

     You provide the content and I’ll get it in a design that suits your business needs. Need a shopping cart with a PayPal button? Done. Work one-on-one with a professional.

* Price does not apply is you have already purchased a domain.

a personalized domain

unlimited disk space

unlimited transfer + bandwidth

business web site :: sub domain

This company did not need its own domain. The owner wanted a standard 6-page site that included videos (links to their YouTube site), and e-Commerce site, and automatic calls to Skype.

Do you need to have your web site redesigned?

A web site should be redesigned every few years. Why? Just as people’s personalities change, so does the world around us. As the web changes, so should you. If you change your logo, business model, or just the way you do business, your web site is all about you and should reflect those changes.

     Ask yourself: Is my business about the soul? Then orange and green tones should be used for the site. Is your business global? Then blue is your color code.

Redesign your web site so it is visually appealing.

Unlock your knowledge and give it to your customers in a way that they can understand it: visually. Your web space is telling the world all about you? What is your web space telling the world? Are you organized? Are you secure? Do you look good on the Web? If your web site is all text, people may not want to read your web site like they might read a book. Keeping information simple is truly necessary. Ready to change your appearance?

Web Site Design + three years of hosting =  No worries.

Small business package: One domain. One design. Three years of hosting. All for $1498 USD.

Can't afford a proprietary domain? Get a subdomain, design, three years of hosting for $999 USD.

* These prices do not apply to web sites that require redesign. Redesigned web sites require domain transfers, DNS setting requirement changes, and QBP is not responsible for registrar propagation time and delays.

Web Site Options

SEO, Social Networking, and PayPal Shopping Cart prices are separate cannot be included in our $1499 3-year package. Every customer has a different goal. For instance, some of our customers do not require a shopping cart for their site.

Same Day Customer Support [is a 1-to-1 relationship]

We’ve all experienced the customer support line where you’re on hold forever. When you work with Quarter Bound Press, you are working directly with the owner who provides and maintains your project for you. No customer support lines. Just you and me, working together to meet your project needs.

A Personalized Web Domain Name

All services cannot be included in our $999 3-year package because every customer is different. Some of our customers do not require a shopping cart for their site.

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is “the process of maximizing the number of visitors to a particular website by ensuring that the site appears high on the list of results returned by a search engine.”  Don’t know how to get your customers to your web site? Call today.

Add a Shopping Cart and Sell Direct

Accept credit cards by adding a reliable, secure shopping cart to your web site. Whether you want to sell art, clothes, photos, digital downloads or services, a shopping cart makes it easy for your customers to purchase directly from your site. You can accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express the minute you launch your shop. You'll get a low credit card rate, and no hidden fees.

Web Site Process + Fees. 

The average cost for a web site is $1500.00 for the first year.

The first year that a web site is created is the most expensive. The reason for this is the cost for the design of the web site. What are the costs associated to creating a web site? Here they are:

web site design                   $ 1000.00                       $1000.00 / one time fee

web site domain name        $ 1-2.00/month               $    20.00 / year

web site designer                $ 10-25.00/month           $  125.00 / year   *Free if you DIY (do it yourself).

web site design (setup)      $  250.00/one time fee    $  250.00      

web site hosting                  $ 5-25.00/month             $  100.00 / year

web site changes                $ 20.00 /page change   +    20.00 / year   

estimated cost for a web site for one year                 $1 515.00 / first year

1. *This estimate is a based on the cost for a web site for a small business or sole proprietorship.
   

How does a web site work? Design and Implementation

Great question.  It is extremely difficult to put web site design in to simple terms but here goes.

Web sites basically have two parts: design and implementation.

In its simplest form, the design process looks like this:

you + a designer + collect content = for a web site design         

                                                             

You must have a domain name and a place for your content to reside (on a server, or hard drive).

In its simplest form, the implementation process looks like this:

web site design files + a domain name + server space = a web site on the web

You have responsibilities, too.

Many small business people and sole proprietorships have few funds to set aside for web design.  However, web sites have costs associated to them so set aside $25-50/month for a web site before you talk to a designer. And throw out some of the assumptions below:

a) “I don’t have a lot of money to pay for a web site.” [Solution: Don’t have a web site.]

b) “I don’t know how to scan photos or prepare them for the web. [Pay your designer to do this.]

c) “I want the site up in a week.” It can take the registrar, the company that hosts the site, about a week to “catalogue” your site so that it can be accessed on the web. Your designer has no control over this feature of the site so don’t expect your designer to perform miracles.

Miracles are for the movies.

Step 1. Domain Name.

A domain name is necessary in order for you to have a web site. Its important that you allow the designer to secure the name for you. If you do not do this, you will delay the transfer of the name to the service provider who will be hosting the site.

    Find out if the name you want to use is available. Don’t penny pinch. Either you or the designer will have to pay for the domain name (I suggest that you let the designer do his job). The designer is acting on your part so just make sure that when your name is secure that it is secured in your name. Go to http://www.domain.com/ to find out if your domain name is available.

Domain transfers. A domain transfer means that you want someone else to handle the transfer.

Domain Transfer.

A domain transfer means that you want to transfer your domain name management (the person or organization that manages the domain name only) to someone else. Always transfer before you cancel the domain name.

Hosting Transfer.

If you'd like to transfer your hosting services from Yahoo, GoDaddy, etc.. I strongly recommend that you transfer your hosting services before you cancel your current hosting provider services. It is ALWAYS best to allow the designer to manage the transfer. Why? Too many people involved complicates the process.

Name Server Transfer.

If you are not an expert with Web Design terminology and process, find someone who is. Best thing is to hire a professional designer with a college degree. Ask where the designer graduated from. This will give you a good deal of information on their level of knowledge.

The first thing that a designer will do is change your name servers to your hosting provider. Some designers host their own web sites. This is a standard process with some designers. Its always best to have one person manage a web site.

The designer will change your name servers to the new host before you initiate the hosting or domain transfer processes. Once the name servers are changed, the transfer is initiated. NOTE: If you do not change the name servers first, you will be locked out of this provision during the domain/hosting transfer process. The wait for a domain and hosting services to transfer can take several days or, more likely, several weeks. The question to ask yourself is this, “How long do you want your web site down for?” 

If you're ready to transfer your domain, hire a designer.

Here is what your designer will do.

1. Verify that at least 60 days have passed since you registered or last transferred your domain.
In accordance with ICANN rules, you cannot transfer your domain to another provider until 60 days after you register or transfer your domain.

2. Make sure that your domain is unlocked.
For your security, locked domains cannot be transferred. If your domain is locked, visit your Domain Control Panel and click the Edit Domain Locking link. Learn more.

3. Check your administrative contact email address.
Your new provider will send an email to your domain administrative contact to confirm your domain transfer. If you can't receive the confirmation, you won't be able to complete the transfer!Learn how to update your contact information.

4. Disable Private Domain Registration.
Private Domain Registration is an optional service that masks personal information that would otherwise be visible in the public WHOIS registry — information that includes the administrative contact email address mentioned above. To ensure you receive your new provider's email, we recommend that you disable this feature. Learn how to disable Private Domain Registration.

5. Get your authorization code.
To find your authorization code, head to your Domain Control Panel, and click the View Your Authorization Code link. On the following page, you'll see your unique domain authorization code. Pr

Print this code, as you'll need it to give to your new provider. Learn more.

6. Contact your new provider.
When you're ready, contact your new provider to begin the transfer process. Be sure to have your authorization code handy, as your new provider will need it to verify the move. If you have made any changes in steps 2–4 above, we recommend you wait at least 24 hours before contacting your new provider; this will allow time for your updates to be recognized.

7. Cancel your plan.
Once your transfer is complete, we'll send you an email confirming the transfer (you can also check this status with your new provider — it should take about nine days). When you receive this confirmation, you may cancel your plan. Note that Yahoo does not automatically cancel your service when you transfer your domain.

Note: Some hosting providers cannot manage domain registrations. If you'd still like to use your domain with this kind of provider, you can redirect, or redelegate, your Yahoo name servers to point to that provider. In this case, do not cancel your plan, as you'll need it to continue managing your domain through Yahoo; instead you may downgrade to a Yahoo Domains plan.

Step 2. Find a designer.

What do you want in a designer? Ask these questions and avoid problems before they start.

a) Where did you study graphic design?

b) Did you graduate from this institution (year)?

c) Do you have your own servers?

d) Do you provide support? In what form?

e) What will I spend on a 4-page web site the first year?

f) What will I spend on my web site each following year?

A good designer should be able to answer these questions off the top of his head. Make sure that you sign a contract with the designer and understand everything that you are signing. You will likely be required to provide an agency fee (down payment) for your project.

Step 3. Design the web site.

The designer is the person that will design the web site per your recommendations. This means that you should provide the designer with samples of sites that you like.

A good designer will tell you that he/she will not post poor quality images, content, or design to your web site if you make bad decisions. Why? Because this would be a reflection upon the  designer and his/her work.

Listen to the designer. You are paying for professional advice. You wouldn’t tell a car repair mechanic that you don’t think you need tires when you have a flat tire. Same thing. The designer will make the best recommendations. A good designer will likely say, “I cannot post the content (language, phrases, poor grammar, etc.) or images (not prepared for the web or poorly prepared for the web) that you are providing unless they meet guidelines.” Agree and move on.

Step 4. Web hosting.

What is web hosting? Web hosting means that your site, the files, the pictures, the words, the layout, and security, are all located someplace safe. Its like the front door to your house; a place where you reside. Same thing.

As a small business, you will not likely have access to your web site with the exception of accessing it on the web. If you want this type of capability, you’re likely going to spend a lot more than $500.00. Be realistic. Most web site owners wouldn’t want access to those files because this condition can create problems.

For example: You access the site, click on an image and press the “delete” key instead of the “return” key on your keyboard. You’ve just made work for your designer and possibly deleted content from your web site. It happens. If you don’t know what you’re doing, trust your designer.

Step 5. Changes.

Everyone likes to make changes once they see what something looks like. Consider this: when you plant in your garden, how many times do you move plants? Not very often. Designers like to offer you the opportunity to make a change here and there but once the site design is done, you are done. Look at your contract. If it includes changes, great! If not, ask. Changes can be costly.

What about Social Media?

A designer should be able to work in SOME social media in to the design but its usually extra. Just ask if the designer can link to your YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter accounts. That is usually not a problem. If you don’t already have these accounts, go ahead and create them and save yourself the cost of having a designer create them for you. You can always ask the designer to create them for you but there will probably be a small fee for this.

What about Advertising and Marketing?

Good question. What about it?

Advertising is an Optional Expenditure. If you are selling goods or services on your site, you may also want to set some money aside for advertising. Designers can often help with this feature of the web because they often work with ad agencies or function as an “agency”.

There are many ways to advertise including newspapers, magazines, google ads, TV, business cards, etc. The cost for any type of ad will vary. Ask your designer is you have questions.

For more information, call me.

716-539-9059. This is a GOOGLE Voice Mail. Please leave a message so that I can get back to you.

PayPal Payments are expected prior to phone calls and work discussions.

A one hour $40 payment to discuss your web site is required prior to all work.

PayPal payments can be made to: justanefriend@yahoo.com