Frequently Asked Questions

· Why do I need a website?

Sell products and have a shop window visible to thousands if not millions of potential customers either locally, nationally or internationally, 24 hours in a day, 365 days a year.
Distribute information easily to a large amount of people with ease.
Add an after-sales-service' for customers to help with their questions and problems thus saving you time!
Virtually whatever use you can imagine for the website can be produced with a combination of available services, design and programing. If you have any ideas then call us and we can discuss the possibilities, problems and costs incurred. If you've seen it on a website then it can be done.

· Couldn't I make my own website?

Yes. Producing a simple website can be quite easy with new software being released all the time to make the process easier BUT there is much more to websites than cool looking sites. Use the benefit of our experience to save you hours. We are dedicated to producing quality web based solutions at affordable prices. We will undertake any web based job, large or small, from your idea to the final, complete website or any part of the process.

· Do I need a computer to have a website?

No, although it will help the creation process if you can view it on-line while it is under production and will give you peace of mind to see what your potential customers will see. The actual site is stored on a remote computer called a 'host' which is connected to the internet all the time making it visible to anyone on-line by typing in the unique address (domain name) given to the site, or via search engines as long as it is registered with them.

· Why does my site look different on somebody elses computer?

A large part of the art of web design is making the style and layout consistent across many computers. The language used to build web sites was originally created to display information in a logical manner (this is more important than that, etc.). Producing visually attractive pages is actually an abuse of the language. As such extensions of the language have been developed and alternative technologies to counteract this. The problem is that some computers may not have the required software to interpret these correctly if at all.
The pages may look fine on your PC but making sure they appear that way to others is dependant on many aspects of their computer. Monitor size, browser (Explorer, Netscape, etc.), operating system, graphics card, fonts available, etc. can all change what is seen at the other end. Many aspects of how the person viewing has their computer configured can make a big difference.

· How do I have my site listed on search engines?

If your site doesn't appear in the first one or two pages will it get seen at all? This is an art in itself, with search engines all working in subtly different ways to counteract commercial abuse of their service. Anyone who tells you that they can put you at the top of the search engine is lying. If they tell this to more than one person selling the same product, who will be at the top? It will all depend on which search engine, the service you offer (more importantly your competition), even factors like when you submit your sites address and who else is submitting on that day can change the outcome. If you enter too frequently you may get blocked, too seldom and you won't get noticed!
The search engines rate your site and how high up their listing it is by measuring the relevant information in the text of your site or the hidden information embedded in it, some search engines penalise you if keywords appear too often.
There are companies who specialise in this service and keep informed of all the specifications of the current search engines and know how to promote your site with them. It is not economical for us to actively provide this service but we can administer the service if needed or put you in touch with the relevant companies. Be patient though as search engines take between 2 weeks and 3 months to 'see' a submitted site, only then will you find out how high it rates and although this is a free service with most search engines some have started charging for their 'premium' service.
There are also alternatives like banner advertising and link exchanges and webrings as well as real world advertising that are all viable.

· Can I put photos on my website?

Yes. Supply them in computer files or the real thing which we will put into a computer format. Cartoons, diagrams and animations are all possible to put in your page. Some require more work or better formats than others. Contact us if in doubt.

· Can I have a counter on my site?

Yes. Some are offered as a free service which will include the sponsors name on the counter. If you want custom or more advanced counters then you must have webspace that will support these. This can vary in price but is not available with free web hosting.

· Can I have a message board on my site?

Yes. The same is true of message boards as with counters (see above).

· How much does hosting of a website cost?

Some are free but will include the hosts name in the address to promote their service and may include adverts in your page too. Paid web hosting can vary drastically and will also depend on the service you require from the host. Things like ready made message boards, counters, logs, etc. or the facility to use databases, programming, etc. will effect price. See our prices on the Price Guide page.

· Will I have access to my webspace and pages?

We are quite happy to hand over all the details for your domain name, website, pages, etc. as soon as we have set them up. If you wish to then take over the maintenance of the site you are quite welcome once our bill has been settled. We, obviously, cannot then be held responsible for the subsequent functionality of the site.

· How do I acquire my own domain name?

If we are producing your site we will acquire your domain name for no charge so you will only pay the cost of the name. Tell us what you want and we will find out if it is available. We can acquire a UK domain name (ones ending in .co.uk or .org.uk, etc) for £10 for 2 years, other standard ones (ending in .com, .net, etc.) for £25 for 1 year and newer types (ending in .tv , etc.) at their going rate when you apply as these are still settling down.
If we are not producing your site there will be a £20 fee for setting up space or domain names.

· Why do I need my own domain name?

You will have to have a domain name of some sort just for your site to be accessible to the public. If you do not purchase your own domain name you will be seen as a subdivision of a larger organisation (ie. "www.wehostforfree.co.uk/mysite/" rather than just "www.mysite.co.uk" which is easier to remember and looks more professional.

· How long will it take for my site to go on-line?

This depends on complexity and how much work we have on at the time but a basic site ( 3 or 4 pages ) with no specialist programming and your co-operation can be up and running within a week.

· Can I have a personal e-mail address?

Yes. This comes with the domain name if you buy one. It can be set up to either forward e-mail sent to that address straight to your existing address which is the easiest but the least reliable or it can be set up as a real mail server which would require the e-mail program on your computer to be set up correctly to receive it. If in doubt we can set your computer up. These options will depend on the domain name service you have been signed up to.

· Will my site download quickly?

Because of the large amount of information required to produce graphics and the very small amount that a telephone line can carry, sites have to be developed using every trick available to make good looking visuals from small files. If you have used one of the quick start type programs, your pages will probably be inefficient in their use of graphics and space which can all add to the time that the information takes to get from the web site host to whoever wishes to view it. Even without one of these programs the correct file formats and use of those files can greatly effect the efficiency of the page. If your page takes too long to appear then the person viewing will probably just move on to another site. We take care to make your site as efficient as possible.