Common Website Design Questions

This article details some of the questions, I commonly get asked, when it comes to designing websites. Lets jump straight in.

Why use your web design service, when we could use Wix?

I get asked this question a lot. If you want to create your own website, then by all means use a service like Wix.

Wix provide a templated system – where all you need to do, is drag n’ drop content and off you go! If you use Wix, YOU will be doing the work and not a web designer (unless they use Wix for creating websites), which is why it is a cheaper way to create a website

We use WordPress for setting up websites. WordPress allows greater control of how your website looks and functions. You can have way more features using WordPress and it is far more adaptable than Wix. The end result, is a better website that meets your requirements exactly. It takes longer to create and requires more work and is therefore more expensive.

Can you get my site to the top of Google?

This is a difficult question to answer. There are so many factors that determine a websites ranking on search engines. The answer is YES, we can get you to the top. Some websites are easy to rank well, as there is weak competition. Other sites require a lot of hard work, time and a sizable budget, due to strong competition.

For example, if you have a niche, lets say ‘Vintage Tractor Restoration Scotland’, this would be straightforward to get your site to the top of Google. On the other hand, if you want to be ranked for ‘Property to Let Edinburgh’, this will require a lot of work, as there are websites that have already spent a lot of time and money getting to the top of Google.

Half of SEO is done during the initial build. We cover this base, by ensuring each site is mobile friendly, fast, has a strong theme (so Google knows what you are all about) and is easy for search engines to crawl and index. Once the site has been built, it is then a case carrying out ongoing SEO work. This can either be done by yourself or an SEO Consultant.

If you decide to do SEO work yourself, we will provide you with the tools and knowledge. Ongoing SEO includes stuff like: writing articles, gettings links, local citations and social media. An example of a client, who has managed to get their website to #1 in Google, is Danny Kenmure from Alcatraz Edinburgh Locksmiths. Armed with SEO knowledge we taught him, Danny has written many articles, obtained lots of links, local citations etc and now impressively ranks at #1 for the very competitive search term ‘Locksmiths Edinburgh’.

If you would rather employ an SEO specialist to carry out this work, a recent example, is our client; The Answer Centre. They employed Ian Duncan and with his skill and expertise managed to get their website to #1 on Google for search term ‘Telephone Answering Service’.

Note: It’s in our interest to help you get to top search engines, so we will do everything we can to get you up there!

I already have hosting with 1and1 or 123 Reg, can we use these services?

Many clients already have domains registered with cheap hosting companies, such as: 1and1, FastHosts or 123 Reg. This is fine, but we strongly recommend you don’t use these companies to actually host your website or deal with your emails. We’ve been in the business for many years and our experience with these low cost companies is never good. When it comes to hosting your website (especially database driven WordPress websites) you should be looking at fast cloud hosting solutions, rather than slow shared servers. Spending more money will improve the security and speed of your website – which improves visitor experience and search engine rankings. Also, better companies provide a far better support service than low cost hosting services, which is very important.

Your Hosting, Maintenance and Support Package sounds expensive.

It’s actually very good value, if you breakdown what you are getting for your money.

Starting off with hosting. We will host your site on a super fast cloud hosting solution. This way of hosting ensures your site downloads quickly, is more secure and cannot be tarnished by other websites (which can happen on shared servers). In addition, we deal with all your emails and help with configuration and troubleshooting.

Secondly, we maintain your website. WordPress and associated plugins, themes etc are continuously being updated with newer versions. We manually update your website to the latest version, ensuring your site is secure and compatible on all platforms and devices.

We also undertake small changes on your site. So for instance, if you want an image changed or news item added, well do this for you at no extra cost.

Lastly we are on hand to support you. For example many clients ask how to use their website and we’ll talk them through it, or make a screencast to view. Also, we provide up-to-date advice on issues such as domain name registration, search engine optimisation etc, again at no extra cost.

Can I edit my website?

Yes. WordPress is a Content Management System CMS. You can login 24/7 to edit content, add images, publish posts etc. We are happy to provide training – to get you comfortable with the system. Our clients also find ‘How To’ screencasts really useful, as points of reference.

Like any bit of software, you do need to spend a bit of time familiarizing yourself, but once you have the hang of it, WordPress is really easy to use. If you make a mistake, or need assistance we are on hand to help you with our aforementioned support package.

Can I use images from my phone?

If you want a website that looks great, we’d advise you get professional images taken or purchase images from photo libraries.

Websites are visual mediums, so it is really important that you have good quality images. This is what people tend to focus on! If you have a few blurry images taken from your phone, it will lower the quality of the website and possibly negatively affect your brand.

We work with Jon Savage Photography. Jon is very experienced and can take photos, which will really enhance your company’s brand. An example of images boosting a website and business is our client; Heating Scotland. Instead of pictures of dull boilers, visitors to site view Jon’s quality images of the team & vans with Edinburgh as a backdrop. These images help to reinforce that Heating Scotland provide a friendly and professional central heating service in Edinburgh.

Do you create logos and business cards?

If you require a logo and brand identity, Caroline Halsall does a brilliant job. A great logo can make or break a company. We recommend you invest in a good logo for your business. A excellent example of a logo created by Caroline is Edinburgh based Carnethy Woodfuel. The logo and branding has helped Carnethy Woodfuel become the #1 hardwood firewood supplier in Edinburgh.

Ok, thats some of the questions we get asked. If you have any more please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer.