FAQs - Website design and development
I don't know which package/s should i purchase?
Never fear, that’s why we are here. Kindly fill out the contact form and we will get back to you to discuss about your requirements.
How much does a website cost?
The cost of a website can vary depending on various factors, just like the cost of a house may vary. Though our website projects generally start in the $125 range for basic business sites and range upward depending on your unique needs.
What kind of businesses do you work with?
We work with a broad range of company types [small start-ups, large corporations, nonprofits, B2B, B2C and more] across many business industries [technology, food, apparel, health + beauty, camps, travel, finance, arts, fair trade, and more.]
Over the years, we’ve helped businesses improve customer service, market their products, and attract customers. Functionality requests range from basic to advanced. Our team takes the time to get to know your industry, organization, and competitors to ensure your site supports all of your goals.
How long does it take to build a website?
Our standard websites take approximately 10-12 days to create. Our E-commerce (online store) websites take approximately 20 days to create. This time will vary from project to project.
Who will I work with during the project?
This is a great question to ask and you should ask it of any web design and development firm you are considering. Many firms will farm out work to freelancers or interns. Some firms give little or no access to client’s who want to speak directly with their designers or developers. Our clients work directly with our tight knit crew of 3. Who that will be depends on your project needs and what stage of the process you are in during the project.
Can you help me update my existing website that another web firm built?
Yes we can definitely help. Kindly mail us your requirements on enquiry@strykerwebtech.com and we will get back to you.
Do you provide Domain and Hosting services?
Yes we do provide Hosting services but for domain, our team will guide you how to book a domain. Kindly contact us for the hosting charges.
Are your prices flat rate or time and materials?
We offer both options. If you stick to the timetable and scope defined in our flat rate proposal in the shop page, we can guarantee that the price we quote will be the price we charge. However, if you want more flexibility with regard to collecting materials, making changes to the design or even making changes to functionality, we are happy to work on a time and materials basis.
How does the development process work?
- Discovery – If the project is a rebuild, we review your current content and make further recommendations for improvements. If it’s a new site, we start by discussing the subjects and functionality you envisage for your site and develop an outline for you.
- Content – You compile all the content for the website, including all text and images.
- Preliminary Design – We create a home page concept including colors, fonts, image style and layout.
- Organization – When we have received all content in its final version, we review it to determine the best way to organize the information. The structure of the site is based on this organizational scheme and must be approved by you.
- Design Revision – After reviewing the initial design, you have the opportunity to request changes.
- Implementation – Once we’ve received your approval on the design, we move on to implementation. This is where the approved design becomes concrete and where we add site-specific features.
- Page Content – When we have all the content that will be included on the site and an approved design, we will enter all the data.
- Testing – We run through a final set of tests to be sure that everything is functional. You have an opportunity at this time to test the site as well.
- Launch – Once we have your final approval, we launch the site. The marks the end of the project.
Are your sites mobile-friendly?
Yes and No. Actually it depends on the type of website you are opting for. We have mentioned whether the design is responsive or not in each of our product on the shop page.
Will I be able to make changes to the site after it is completed?
Yes. We use WordPress to build our sites and this powerful content management system allows anyone with good computer skills to make changes to their own website. We always remain available to make changes for you, if you don’t have time or you need more complex changes.
Do you provide Website Maintenance services?
Yes, if we have developed the website for you, maintenance will be free for 15 days after submitting the job. In case you are only looking for Maintenance services, kindly contact us for the quote and terms.
FAQs - Digital Marketing (SEO, SMO, PPC)
How long will it take my website to rank in Google?
Every website’s circumstances are different. So is every industry. Competition, market conditions, and consumer behavior are changing all the time. It depends on whether it’s local SEO or traditional. For new sites with no domain authority, trying to be found for competitive buyer keywords, will take many months. On average, it may upwards of 6 months or more to see traffic that’s generating profit. Low competition, aka “low hanging fruit” is possible. Further still, non-buyer keywords are touch-point opportunities for brand awareness.
To build an authoritative website requires extensive planning and research. Once a site is submitted to the search engines, a proper strategy is needed to promote it. For sites that are ranking poorly, it depends on the size and complexity. The severity of issues will determine how quickly the ship can be righted. Results can be seen an early as two to three months. Typically traffic increases over time as each month passes. Once rankings are achieved, they must be maintained. Some of the ranking factors are:
- Competitiveness of Search Queries
- Content Relevancy
- Domain Authority
- How Competitive the Keywords Are
- Proper Website Architecture
- On Page Optimization
- User Experience
For highly competitive industries and search terms, it’s not uncommon to take up to (1) one year. One example would be a site with low authority trying to rank for “New York lawyer”. Think about it. If a competitor’s site is 10 years old and ranking in the top 3, it’s an authoritative site. It’s likely they have resources and strategy to stay there.
What is an authoritative website? It’s one that other sites link to because it’s a “subject matter expert”. A great site provides answers to questions irrespective of the reason for visiting. If you’re trying to rank your business locally, find someone who understands Google’s local algorithm. You also need to think beyond Google. SEO is an investment in market share. It offers one of the best return on investments a business can make.
How does a website rank in the search results?
The objective of the search engines is to provide relevant results. Their aim is to show pages that provide expert content relative to what people are looking for. Search engines are not always successful in this regard. They are of course getting smarter now that AI is in the mix. There are well over 200 ranking factors that a website is evaluated against. Much like a bell curve, those that come closest are more optimized for the query.
Although content matters greatly, it goes well beyond this. There are majorGoogle Algorithm changes regularly. At a basic level, a site needs a content structure focused on topics and subtopics.
Although you’ll hear phrases like “you need links”, much more is required. Although links are seen as “votes” in the eyes of the search engines, many misconstrue quality over quantity. Furthermore, no site will feel compelled to link to another site unless it’s good for their visitors. In other words, a site owner wants to provide good resources beyond the content they offer. Hence, that’s why it’s called the web.
Should I hire an SEO company that guarantees search engine rankings?
No. This is a scheme to lure uninformed clients. They will say something like “$99 a month or even less on the first page of Google”. Many of these unscrupulous companies have put a black eye on the industry. There are variations on these snake oil pitches. What’s worse is that these companies either violate the search engine guidelines or fail to produce results. Sometimes it’s both.
- No reputable SEO company will guarantee rankings. Google’s Webmaster Guidelines states this.
- Organic rankings fluctuate daily. Check your average position via Google Search Console and you’ll find many terms with avg. position 1.5. etc.
- High rankings don’t guarantee sales. It’s best to focus on improvements to increase targeted traffic than become preoccupied with No.1 rankings.
No. 1 rankings are achievable, however, that’s not what you should be hiring for.
You should hire an SEO Agency to drive qualified traffic and not rankings.
NOTE: Search engines will penalize websites that attempt to game the system by manipulating results.
When should I hire an SEO company/agency?
According to Google’s guidelines, they state “the earlier the better.” In fact, Google specifically recommends it when you’re considering a web redesign or new website. Unfortunately, many companies come to this realization much later. Two scenarios unfold that we hear:
- Our site doesn’t rank as well as in the past.
- We migrated to a new website design and lost organic rankings and traffic.
- We’re not sure if our blog is contributing to sales or assisted conversions
The worst part is that improper website migration comes with severe consequences. A company will lose revenue and potential lifetime customers. A double whammy.
Is the cost of SEO worth it for my online or local business?
Yes. One of the great things about search engine optimization is that it compels improvement. We’ve never seen a high traffic website rank well that wasn’t highly relevant. If not, it won’t stay there. A great website provides answers irrespective of the consumer’s decision phase. Rankings can’t be bought; they must be earned. As a site improves, others will feel more compelled to link to it. It also requires outreach and constant monitoring.
Here’s how to make a calculation:
- Determine the search volumes for keywords.
- Examine the market share of competitors by comparing your Domain and Page authority to theirs.
- Determine your average order value.
- Do the math! if you achieve a % of visits and your average order value is X, then you can estimate revenue and ROI.
Although this is basic, it gives you an idea.
How Do I Hire an SEO agency?
There are numerous answers online. Here’s our BS-free take. it depends on why you wish to hire one. That needs to be clearly defined. For example, are you looking to increase leads? conversions?
- At a basic level, an SEO agency should be able to articulate why your site is not performing well. Here are some of the common reasons.
- Low Domain/Page Authority
- Problematic Internal Linking Structure
- Poor Architecture
- Improper on Page Optimization
- Over Optimization
- Keyword Stuffing
- Broken Links
- Pagination Issues
2. Ask to see a sample of their work. It’s not unreasonable to ask for a case study.
3. A reputable SEO company should be able to explain what strategies they would use to increase traffic.
4. Ask for a rough technical review. Don’t expect a free SEO audit, however, you should have something to obtain context.
5. Do they follow search engine’s webmaster guidelines? Some firms engage in unethical tactics which can result in a penalty.
6. Revenue. If a site is ranking, the calculation is doable. For site’s not ranking, that becomes much more difficult. The bottom line is time-frame and market share.
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