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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.

Should I design my own website?

Yes, If you have all three of the following: creativity, patience, and spare time - to learn how, and then design.

Or I could do all the technical stuff, design a smart, mobile responsive website in half the time, and then hand you over the reigns from there?  It's a bit of a no brainer really.

Starting from £300, I will build you a ready to go, responsive website, that appears on search engines, and is linked to your social media pages. For a little extra, I can add extra pages, a blog or bespoke logo, write copy, and put your business on Google Maps.

Web design can be addictive (read time consuming) to those that like their i's dotted and t's crossed, and so if you know that this is you, stop, send me a message, and put your feet up, because you probably haven't done that in a while, am I right?

2.

How much do websites cost to run?

Once designed, websites require two basic costs. A domain name which you pay for annually, and web hosting which is priced per month. See my pricing page for more detail.
 
A domain name generally costs around £10 per year. 
The most popular Wix hosting package is around £8 per month plus VAT.
Custom email addresses start from £5 per month, but there are free alternatives to this.

I highly recommend using Wix, for a professional, secure and customisable website. I have done the maths, and Wix is always best value for money, and it includes your SSL security certificate. The real saving however is to your patience and admin time, plus you need no technical skill to make changes to your own site, meaning you do not need to pay anyone a monthly contract to maintain your site.

Regularly updated websites and blogs feature higher on search engines, so the ability for you to be able to update your own site easily is key to your success.

3.

Why use Wix?

If you do a search for Wix versus Wordpress, or any other web builder or host, Wix wins every time on customer satisfaction scores, and on the nitty gritty, for small businesses who want control over their own site.

Wix allows its users to create and manage flawless, professional websites, that are search-engine friendly, fully-responsive across phones and tablets, and you do not need to worry about security updates and plugins. Wix do that for you.

Their Combi package costs around £8 + vat per month, (and their Business package costs £15 + vat per month, which allows your clients to make payments). You can always start on one package, and upgrading as you need. I recommend the Combi package + then use external booking software such as Calendly or Setmore.

I am not on any commission from Wix or any of my recommended products! I just know how to get the most out of their software, and from working with the other main web builders in the past, I choose not to use any of the others! Whenever I do, I am immediately reminded of why I love Wix!

In my opinion, Wix is the way forward for a stress-free, amazing looking site that can grow with your business. Do a quick web search for Wix versus Wordpress. Unless you are a large company, with vast web traffic (thousands of visitors at a time), Wix does everything you need and more, with none of the Wordpress stress.

4.

What about Wordpress or SquareSpace?

WordPress.org is an open-source content management system, that allows you to build websites. You then pay a separate hosting company to host and secure your site. (Wordpress.com is an all-in-one package, but is more restricted.) The possibilities are endless with WordPress, however this can make it over-complicated and frustrating, and unlike using Wix, you may need to do your own security and plugin updates.
 
WordPress is popular with coders and developers, who pay for themes such as Divi to make a more user-friendly interface. WordPress fans write reviews about how easy it is to use, and determined beginners can make a decent website, but be prepared to invest a lot more time.

On the contrary, the likes of Squarespace and Shopify are pretty easy to use, but are just not as swept up as Wix, plus they cost a bit more, like-for-like. Free web builders that come with your domain or hosting package are not well supported, and you pay for all the same costs as you would with any other web builder!

In short, Wordpress is too flexible (read overwhelming) and SquareSpace is a little too inflexible. Finally, if you ever need help with Wix, their support centre and tutorials are second to none.

5.

How long will my website take to build? ​

Depending on your requirements, between one to six weeks, once you have provided all the content that you wish to be included. My template sites are the quickest, and bespoke sites take longer. Once we have agreed your requirements, I create a first draft. We then discuss the draft and any amendments, in order for me to complete and connect your live site. 

Your involvement is required towards the end - to connect your domain name and to link you to Google. I guide you through the process step by step. Getting your business on Google Maps requires a unique code to be posted to your address, so please allow time for this if you want to be on the map, too. 

6.

Do I need a logo?

Consistent brand identity is really important, but you do not need to spend loads paying a graphic designer. The simplest and most effective brand consistency is repeating your chosen font and colour scheme across your social media, business cards and other marketing. I design clean, simple logos which are then provided for use across your marketing material, however, I equally recommend not having a traditional 'logo', and trusting in strong brand consistency instead. (Look at Waitrose, M&S, The White Company - they don't actually have a logo. Just great branding and an easily recognisable font. 

7.

How important is social media?
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Social media is an excellent way of reaching wider audiences, and sharing news, updates, articles and blog posts. It is worth ensuring that your website, social media, profile picture, highlight images and cover photo all appear professional and consistent. A lot of people will find you via social media posts, mentions and recommendations and will then want to check out your website, so linking the two is vital.

Using social media does not mean you have to be on Facebook, or that you have to spend time posting - although the more engagement the better. You could just have a Facebook presence for example, or a Telegram channel, or just an Instagram feed. Alternatively, depending on your target audience, the leaflet drop is still an extremely effective marketing tool, and I can create professional looking stationery to suit your needs. 
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I can set up from scratch, or 'renovate,' your existing social media accounts or Wix website, in order to present a professional and consistent identity.

8.

What do I need to do before you design my website?

Once we have discussed your business and website requirements, I send you a comprehensive design and content questionnaire, which takes the pain out of working out what you want on your site.

If time is of the essence, or if you have no idea where to start, but you need a professional-looking website to get your business up and running, thats fine. I always present a first draft so that you can make changes before the finished product. After that, you can manage the site easily yourself, or book some extra sessions with me if required later down the line. 

I have access to thousands of royalty-free, professional images, so please do not spend hours trawling the web for the perfect image, if you cannot find what you need.

I start work on your website as soon as I have your completed form, photo of you, and any other items we discuss.

9.

Can websites be sustainable?

Yes - well, they can be 'more' friendly than others! The internet has a lot to answer for when it comes to power consumption, wind farms cooling web browser computers in the arctic, excess choice stress, fast-fashion, mental health, and time spent scrolling in front of screens!
 
If the internet was a country, it would rank sixth largest for energy use. You can help your clients reduce the amount of time they are spending online, by having a website that is simple, concise, easy to navigate, and quick to contact or book time with you.
 
Lighter colour schemes, and appropriately sized images help reduce the amount of time you site takes to load. Avoiding animations that run in the background, and paid adverts, also contributes towards a more responsible web.

10.

I built my own Wix site. Can you help me?​

Another yes. Once up and running, Wix sites are really easy to maintain. But if you have designed your own site from scratch, you may want help with the nitty gritty, connecting your domain, or making changes if you are short of time. I can help with anything from small snagging points, to a full redesign. I do not work on Wordpress sites, but I can match the design of your existing site, (or design you a new one) and get your started on Wix instead!

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