Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find the most commonly-asked questions we receive regarding website design, development, and hosting.

 

Before The Website Design Starts

Why does AndiSites specialize in WordPress?

We have extensive experience in successfully using the WordPress CMS (Content Management System) for website design and development. Our clients love its ease of use; they appreciate that they’re not beholden to a proprietary CMS provider to work with or customize it; the WordPress online community is huge and diverse; and as there are no ongoing license fees, the cost of implementation and ongoing support is relatively low.

How much does a new website cost?

Well, it dependsbut you knew we'd say that. 🙂 Our small sites start around $6,000. Please read our blog post How Much Does a Website Cost? for further information.

Can you redesign an existing website?

Absolutely! We will conduct a survey with you and your stakeholders to assess which areas of the current site are successful, and which areas need to be improved. If your site isn't currently on WordPress, we will convert it for you. This will enable you to have greater control over the site when the redesign is complete.

I already have a domain name, can I use this for my website?

Definitely. You would need to provide us with the domain registration account details so that we can point the domain at your new site when the time comes.

Who hosts the website?

If you currently have a host that you love, we are more than happy to work with them. If you are looking for recommendations, we're big fans of SiteGround: they're fast, reliable, and secureplus they offer some great plugins for tasks like optimizing and backups.

Do I have to be local to work with you?

Although we are based in Chapel Hill, NC, we have clients all over the world. We'd love to work with youwherever you're from!

I can get a free template using a company like Wix. Why should I pay you to design a website for me?

With inexpensive website builders like Wix or Squarespace, you make the site yourself using one of their templates. However, customization options to make your new website fit your unique brand are limited, and your website goes away if you stop paying the monthly subscription fee. 

When deciding between DIY (Do It Yourself) and DFY (Done For You) approaches to a new website, budget may well be the determining factor. 

Professional website creation requires a financial investment, sometimes significant.  But a well-planned website scope and budget that focuses on your goals will get you the most for your money. Plus it can quickly pay for itself in increased business and a better, more professional online presence.

Read more about our thoughts on this subject on our blog post DIY Website Builder vs. A WordPress Pro.

Does my site need to be updated to HTTPS instead of HTTP?

Yes. There was a time when you only needed to upgrade to HTTPS if you were taking payments or accepting forms with sensitive information. However, now it has become the expected standard for all sitesand an important ranking factor for Google.

Even if you are not accepting payments or forms, browsers display warnings to visitors to your site. In terms of SEO, Google and other search engines will downgrade sites without HTTPS.

Will my website be mobile-friendly / responsive?

We will build the new WordPress websites using a “mobile-first” responsive design based on a flexible, highly customizable framework. This will allow site elements to stack and reorder responsively based on the viewport size and screen orientation, while providing the full-screen site experience to users on regular monitors.

What types of websites have you designed?

In our 14-year history, AndiSites has successfully created and launched hundreds of WordPress websitesincluding (but not limited to):
  • Public and Human Services
  • Government and Municipal
  • Colleges, Universities, and Schools
  • Healthcare
  • E-Commerce
The majority of our business has come through referrals and recommendations. Check out examples of our work!

What makes your web design agency different?

AndiSites is a woman-owned, minority-owned (member, Cherokee Nation) company, with a core team of six experts in website design, development, and related services (accessibility, SEO, etc.). All work for your project will be accomplished by AndiSites’ regular team memberswe don’t subcontract to outside resources unless there are unusual project requirements that we can’t fulfill expertly ourselves. We take our projects personally, and we limit the number we work on at one time so we can devote fully and collaborate with you individually. We were recently told, “We thought we were your only client!” We can think of no better compliment regarding our process and personal attention. In addition, we are uniquely familiar with the requirements and intricacies of site launch, ongoing hosting, maintenance, and support, and have been honored with 44 awards from prestigious international web design and marketing organizations.

What are your payment steps?

For smaller sites, 50% of the cost is due upon proposal acceptance, with the balance due upon successful launch. 

For more complex website projects, payment is broken into four or five steps. Payment is due as soon as the relevant milestones have been reached. 

How will a well-designed website help my business?

A successful website will create a strong and professional first impression. It will also build trust with your users, create a consistent brand message, and ultimately drive conversions—whether that's subscribers, sales, or another desired action.

If the site has been built with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind—as all AndiSites websites are—this will help your site to rank higher on search engines like Google.

Suggested further reading: 5 Ways to Build Trust with Your Website

During the Design Process

How long does it take to build a website?

The time it takes very much depends on the complexity of the websiteand can range from just a few weeks for a very simple site to a year for a more complicated one. The overall website design process includes a series of common steps necessary to successfully launch a website:
  • Kickoff and Discovery
  • Design
  • Development and Content
  • Draft/Beta Site Completion
  • Training and Public Launch
At the start of the project, we will provide a timeline of the process so that you know what to expect.

Do you use templates?

We do not purchase and apply prebuilt templates from theme providers for our website designs. However, we do use a "bare bones" theme framework to underly our projects, then use Elementor Pro to create custom templates and content-specific layouts based on your site's needs and your goals (e.g. news archives and individual items, department/program pages, office pages, directory pages). The application of templates to individual pages is as easy as choosing from a dropdown when the page is created/edited, and access to page template revision can be controlled via user permissions and custom access levels. 

We strive to reduce the number of templates as much as possible, instead recommending on UX-optimized page layouts and plugins’ known-successful outputs for display. 

Can you help me write content for my website?

Here at AndiSites we focus not only on the design and technology but also on the story that you have to tell—what will speak most to your audience. We can enhance digital assets to support the story told by your website, showing your unique traits in ways that stir your users’ emotions.

Our editors and writers know how to speak to your audience and can offer suggestions for content creation and revision.

How do we communicate while the site is being built?

We use a project management system called Basecamp throughout your website design project. You'll have individual user access for everyone on your team, and you'll be able to write and respond to messages to our team, as well as view timelines, upload files, etc.

Will I have a main point of contact for my project?

Yesa Project Manager will be assigned to you. They will coordinate the whole project and ensure that everything stays on track. However, here at AndiSites we work as a team, so you'll probably receive messages from all of us at one time or another!

How much input do I have in the process?

At the start of the project, we will add team members from your company who are centrally involved and understand the project goals to Basecamp.

As the website design process progresses, we will ask for your suggestions, feedback, and decisions. This typically includes style options, home page design, inside page design, analysis of which existing posts and pages should be kept of removed, and much more.

You might like to read our blog post How to Give Helpful Feedback to Your Web Designer.

Do you optimize for SEO for my website when you build it?

Your entire site will be built with search-engine-friendly methods that make it easy for search engines such as Google to find and index your site content. We’ll also make sure that SEO features are available within the website for future optimization.

In addition, we also offer SEO auditing, monitoring, and remediation services.

Will my new site be accessible?

We believe that website accessibility isn’t just a set of standardsit’s the right thing to do. Our on-staff accessibility expert will ensure that your website can be read and enjoyed by users with different abilities or those who use assistive technologies. Read more about how important this to us: 8 Things AndiSites Does To Ensure Website Accessibility

Can you design my logo?

Yes! We have a graphic designer on our team who would be only too happy to help. They will ensure that the new logo coordinates seamlessly with your new website design.

Can you create online graphics (signs, banners, etc) to coordinate with my business?

Also yes! Just let us know your requirements and we can either incorporate it into the whole project, or we can produce designs for you at a time that is convenient.

After the Website Launch

Will you maintain my site for me?

Our goal is to provide you with a website that is time-saving and easy to maintain. However, with a full design project we always include 90 days of email and helpdesk support following the public launchincluding bug fixes and training reminders. After that time, you can chose to sign up for our optional WordPress monthly maintenance package where we will handle all your WordPress updates, protect your site, and be there to help if you need us.

What is included in your support package?

Core and plugin updates, backups, support time, security scans, performance updates, and priority attention. For more details please see our WordPress Support & Maintenance page.

Can I update the website myself once it’s built?

One of the many reasons that we love building websites on WordPress is that it is exceedingly user-friendly, even for beginners. That being said, we'll also provide you with training to ensure that you can make as many updates as you need to.

Why am I not ranking #1 in search engines?

There is no short-cut to ranking number one on search engines. We will have optimized your site as much as we can but the creation of quality content, keyphrase use, readability and a whole lot more need to be kept up to date. We recommend a user-friendly tool like Yoast to help improve your site.

Check out all our Search Engine Optimization tips!

How do I promote my new website?

There are so many ways to promote your website after you've unveiled it to the rest of your team and shown it off to friends and family. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Announce it on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all great places to start
  • Do you have a newsletter? Let your subscribers know!
  • Add it to the signature of your emails
  • Submit your site to relevant online directories

Do you have any other questions about AndiSites? Please feel free to contact us any time if you need further assistance.