Info Centre

Questions

How much does a web site cost?
It's impossible to give an actual figure to this question as it depends on your requirements. In addition to web design services, the other essential costs you need to budget for are domain name registration, web hosting and, if required, site promotion. For some information on our Pricing, take a look at our Costs section or contact us or quote request for a no-obligation quotation.

How a site is kept up to date?
4MDESIGNERS offers a service as part of our Maintenance Program where we can regularly update the site on your behalf, as often or as infrequent as necessary. Alternatively, if you prefer to update certain parts of your site yourself (for example, a 'News' page).

I do not like my current Web Site. Is it possible to change it at a reasonable price and get the site I want?
Yes, we will work with you to re-design your current Web site to meet your expectations and at a cost-effective & affordable price. We do not see the point in hard selling our clients or prospective clients to create a Web site that is more involved than their need.

Can my business or organization start with a small Web site and later expand to a larger Web site?
Yes. Many businesses and organizations want to test the water first. Starting with a small Web site is frequently the way to begin. One of the best attributes of publishing on the Internet is the ability to upgrade a site without starting over. If a printed brochure needs to be updated or modified, then the owner must totally reprint. With the Web, a site owner is able to update only the area that needs change, without starting over. This is clearly a cost saver!

Can I make changes to the site content once it’s finished?
Often a client will have a site go live then need small alterations made to text and content at a later date. In most cases these changes will be done for nothing, as they are very quick jobs and require little effort to be changed. In some cases the odd additional graphic can be requested, which will also incur no fee.

If development work is required (i.e., additional areas built into the site), then we'll work out a fee for the addition. As most work is a variation on work already done this is usually little more than a service call. In other cases weekly or monthly regular updating has been requested, which has been worked out on a monthly payment basis, agreed upon by both parties.

My budget is tight but I really want a Web site. Can you help?
Finding a reasonable price for your business Web site design is a challenge in itself. We believe prices should be related to costs, value and work involved...not invented. We charge very attractive prices for our services with no hidden costs. We believe in a 'no surprises' approach to working with our clients and if we can save you money (without sacrificing quality or effectiveness) we'll let you know.

Do you write the site content?
We will listen to our clients and take the time to understand both their business and their aims. But you have to provide us with the content - after all, you know your business better than we do.

Once my sites on the Internet, I can just sit back and wait for the millions to come, can't I?
Yes. We do offer email marketing to targeted audience and Search Engine Optimization & Marketing.

You can also market your product with the help of some tips mentioned below..
Promote visibility by advertising your site address on your company stationary, business cards, print ads, invoices etc. Target your existing customers via a mail-out and make them aware of your new service is now on-line. There are hundreds of avenues for you to explore and with some hard work you'll reap the rewards.

Do you check the site and validate it?
Yes, all sites designed by 4MDESIGNERS are fully tested before submitting your site for viewing. Incorrect coding, broken links, missing pages and missing images project a negative impression about your business and its products and services.

Before submitting your Web site for viewing, each and every page go through stringent error-check tests to validate the coding, internal links and image references. The site is viewed over a full range of monitor resolutions and the major browsers to ensure acceptable compatibility. After uploading to the server for viewing, the whole testing process is double-checked with the addition of testing the integrity of any external links.

Why do I need to hire someone to design my Web site?
Fair question, with all the fancy software available you could design, set-up and manage your own site. But, then again, you could also sell your own house, write your own will and even defend yourself in court but it is unlikely that you would undertake these important tasks all on your own without bringing in a professional advisor.

Sure, an off-the-shelf package will create a Web site for you but there are some important considerations. You will have to know HTML in order to be able to manipulate the page to just how you want it. You will also find you'll need a professional graphics package to design and create your images. You'll have to learn about the different image formats, graphic techniques and how to reduce file sizes for quicker downloads. You'll have to learn about Cascading Style Sheets, JavaScript, CGI and Perl, Databases, PHP, MySQL, .NET, MSSQL, Search Engines, Web directories and how to promote your site. You'll need to understand Meta Tags and work out the tips and tricks for maximizing your site's visibility in those over crowded search engines. Then, when your site is finished, you'll have to know how to FTP your site, configure your scripts and set-up your email forwarding.

To design and maintain your own site, you will have to learn the newest technologies available and obtain all the tools, software, hardware, skills and equipment necessary, then muster up some good ol' fashioned creativity, imagination and artistic ability. Some people just don't have the time or ability to take this on themselves. That is why we are here.

I have little or no knowledge of the Internet and I have no time to learn. Does this prevent my having a Web site created?
Certainly not. You run your business and let us organize the Web site.

What domain name should I register?
You should certainly register the name you will be trading under on the Web. That is probably your company name. For protection, you should probably also register any brand names that you have, especially if you haven't trademarked them or if they are generic words that you can't trademark.

Can you register a domain name for my organization?
Yes, we can take the hassle out of registering your company's domain name. We check for availability, register with the appropriate authority and install your domain name ready for use.

I don't want a web site yet but should I register my domain now?
Absolutely - we can register your domain now and set it up so that you can use it for email immediately. We have quite a few clients with domains reserved for later. The web site can be designed when you are ready.

I've already got a domain name. Does this present any problems in 4MDESIGNERS designing a site?
We can arrange for it to be set-up for your web site and email. We'll sort it out.