FAQs
[01] Why do I need a web site?
More and more people are doing business and looking for services on the web. The web isn't going away, because it's so convenient. People want to find you via a web site and, where relevant, to buy what you have to offer online. But if a web site really isn't going to be of any benefit, we'll advise you not to buy one. We're only interested in happy, satisfied customers.
[02] Can you manage a web site hosted by my ISP?
Of course. While we prefer the reliability and simplicity of our own servers, we can upload and maintain your site anywhere you want it.
[03] Can I upgrade my web site as my business grows?
Naturally. We hope you will come to rely on us as a part of your business, a part which helps you raise your profile or become more profitable. When you need more from your web site, we'll be there to discuss the possibilities with you and to do the work required.
[04] What is ecommerce?
Just another buzzword. In this case it means selling things online. Generally it's used for consumer-based transactions where money changes hands over a secure connection at a web site, though strictly-speaking you could probably apply it to any deal done over the Internet.
[05] What makes a good web site?
Not that easy a question to answer quickly, as different sites need different strengths. But all sites should look good, be easy to navigate through, have clear and useful content, and download quickly. Obviously they also need to work for at least the popular browsers, but that goes without saying.
[06] What is DHTML?
Dynamic HTML or DHTML is shorthand for web page code that creates a high degree of interactivity. This is done using HTML 4+ and JavaScript which is interpreted by DHTML-clued-up browsers such as Netscape 7 or Internet Explorer 6. The effects you can create include collapsible navigation menus (like the one on this site), animations, games, displaying hidden content at the click of a mouse etc. etc.
[07] What does "client-side" mean?
Your computer is a "client" which means it handles information passed to it by a server, in this case a web server. "Client-side" just means anything that happens on a client computer, so client-side code is code (such as HTML and JavaScript) that is downloaded to and interpreted by your computer, as opposed to server-side code which runs on the server only, such as a script that takes data from a form and inserts it into a database.
[08] What is a "Style" web site?
Some of our clients would not get value for money from a large, complex and highly designed web site. What they need is a quick, professional-looking, attractive web presence that represents the business or organisation in an effective way. To deal with this, we have created a number of "Styles" which are relatively simple to implement. You provide a logo, colours, or whatever you want us to use, and we use them to create a unique Style site. The cost of the Style site includes the first year's standard maintenance fee which covers site hosting, administration and monthly search engine submissions.
[09] What is a bespoke web site?
For businesses and organisations that want to or need to impress, we can build beautiful, unique web sites that will look better and work better than your rivals' sites. Every page on the site is designed to work in the most effective way possible with the content it contains, while the overall effect is one of a sophisticated and well-considered online presence.
[10] What is a domain name?
All computers on the Internet are identified by a unique number called an IP address. This consists of four sets of numbers such as "212.33.101.98". It's nice and unique, but not very memorable. To make a web server easier to find and remember, its IP address can be linked to a friendly domain name, such as "reallywrecked.com". These domain names are stored in domain name servers (DNS). When you type in a web address, your browser asks the nearest DNS if there is an IP address linked to it, and if there is, the DNS directs your browser to it.
[11] What are domain hosting and forwarding?
When a domain is hosted, the domain is permanently attached to the location of your web site. Pages within your web site all then start with your domain. A page called "aboutus.htm" on a hosted domain "yourdomain.com" would have a web address something like "http://www.yourdomain.com/aboutus.htm". This gives a very professional appearance.
With domain forwarding, the DNS merely points the domain to the home page on your web site. So if your site is actually hosted at something like "http://www.yourisp.com/~users/yourname/" typing in "http://www.yourdomain.com" would take you to your homepage, but typing in "http://www.yourdomain.com/aboutus.htm" would produce a "missing page" message. You can only access pages within the site by clicking on links within it. The "aboutus.htm" page would actually have the address "http://www.yourisp.com/~users/yourname/aboutus.htm" and this is how it would be listed on search engines. Obviously this does not look quite as professional as a hosted domain and it is most useful where cost is an issue or where you have a number of secondary domain names (such as "yourdomain.com" and "yourdomain.co.uk"), where one domain is hosted and the other is forwarded to the hosted domain.
[12] What is included in the hosting packages?
The standard hosting package covers the administration and hosting of your website, including regular (quarterly) submissions to internet search engines, to ensure a high profile within these search engines' results pages. Standard hosting is recommended for most hosted sites and is provided in the price of all Style Sites for the first year. We also provide a Basic hosting package for sites that don't require search engine submissions, which just covers our costs for hosting your site. Whichever option you take, the costs are annual.
In addition, if your site needs to be updated from time to time, or on a regular basis, we can do it for you. You can either pay for it on a per hour basis, or pay a fixed fee which gives you a set number of hours updates at cheaper rate. If your site needs only occasional changes, it's best to pay for this at the hourly rate, but if you need to change the information more regularly, you can save money with the discounted fixed hours agreement. Update contracts cover a set number of hours work to be undertaken within 12 months of taking out the agreement. They can be renewed at anytime but no refund will be given for any unused allocation.
If your site requires constant updating (e.g. an online store, news site or recruitment site), you would probably benefit from using our Content Management System, which allows you to update your site yourself.
In addition, if your site needs to be updated from time to time, or on a regular basis, we can do it for you. You can either pay for it on a per hour basis, or pay a fixed fee which gives you a set number of hours updates at cheaper rate. If your site needs only occasional changes, it's best to pay for this at the hourly rate, but if you need to change the information more regularly, you can save money with the discounted fixed hours agreement. Update contracts cover a set number of hours work to be undertaken within 12 months of taking out the agreement. They can be renewed at anytime but no refund will be given for any unused allocation.
If your site requires constant updating (e.g. an online store, news site or recruitment site), you would probably benefit from using our Content Management System, which allows you to update your site yourself.
[13] What is a content management system?
A content management system (CMS) allows you to update all or part of your site yourself. You are provided with a login to a secure area where you can edit, add to or delete the contents of your site. You do this by filling in and submitting online forms. There's a set-up fee for each area of your site which requires the CMS and then an ongoing maintenance charge (see our price list). TRaining in the use of the CMS is included in the price if you require it.
[14] Are site stats useful?
Site stats give you accurate information as to how many people are visiting your site, how long they stay there, which pages are most popular and when you can expect peaks in traffic. These can help you work out whether your site is working as you require and how to make your site more popular.
[15] How can I get email addresses linked to my domain name?
With every hosted or forwarded domain, you get an email address which we can point to any existing email address of yours. This service is free. If you require multiple email addresses pointing to multiple email inboxes or with their own unique mailbox, we can set this up too.
[16] How can I get a high search engine ranking?
Search engines, such as Google, rank sites according to complex rules by which they judge the relevance of your site to the word(s) being used in the search. These rules make it much more difficult to fool them into giving you a high ranking, especially for general search terms such as "lawyer". Companies that promise to do this for you are basically making it up.
It is possible to ensure that any search on your company name returns your web site at the top or close to the top of the list, and we do this as a matter of course. There are also a number of techniques that help get your site closer to the top on search words that are important to your business. These involve regular submission of your site to search engines and listings sites, making sure your site has lots of text and description relevant to your business, and that links are placed in a relevant context, along with the judicious use of links pages and separate entry point pages.
We will work out, with you, which words are most important to your Internet profile. These words then form the basis of your search engine presence. When we build a site, we use these words and techniques to make sure the site is as search engine friendly as possible. So when a search engine visits your site, it can easily find its key points and rank it accordingly. One important thing to note, the longer your site is around, the more sites will link to it, and the higher it will tend to be ranked by virtue of its longevity and the number of sites linking to it.
[17] How much will it all cost?
It depends what you want. You could have a six-page web site up and running on your ISP for as little as £500, or you could spend many tens of thousands of pounds on a database-driven, dynamic site with hundreds of pages of content. Have a look at our price list and then come and discuss the options with us. We won't sell you anything you don't need.
[18] What makes you so great then, huh?
Everything. We make lovely sites for very reasonable prices. We're friendly and easy to deal with. We don't talk in jargon. And we smell good too.
[19] Ok, so how do I get one?
Have a good look around our web site and check out the information in our FAQs.
Try and decide what you want to achieve. Who is your web site aimed at? What sort of content should it have?
If you want to use an existing BB "Style", select one that suites your tastes and think about what you can provide us to give your site its own "feel" in terms of preferred colours, logos, branding etc. If you don't have any of this ready yet, BB will be glad to help but branding design will normally be in addition to the standard "Style" fee.
Give us a call or fill in the query form, so that we can arrange to discuss your requirements, scope the work and send you a quote which will include any first-year fees such as site maintenance and domain registration etc.
Place your order, and we will schedule the development and give you an estimated completion date.
During the development, we will contact you regularly to finalise layout and content. "Style" sites will be posted at the Beetlebrow staging site on completion for your approval. Bespoke sites will be posted after the initial design-cut for ongoing feedback and approval. Your feedback is very important and key to successful implementation.
Upon completion and approval, we will bill you, implement your site and discuss any Update tariffs that you may wish to take out to keep your site's content up-to-date in a hassle-free manner.
And that's not it… BB will advise you about progress in web site technology and development, so your site may evolve along with your business. Relevant content maybe king, but a web site is only as good as the service it provides its audience. This could include different delivery mechanisms and platforms in the years to come, as the web becomes more pervasive. Whereever the web goes, BB can help you get there.
Try and decide what you want to achieve. Who is your web site aimed at? What sort of content should it have?
If you want to use an existing BB "Style", select one that suites your tastes and think about what you can provide us to give your site its own "feel" in terms of preferred colours, logos, branding etc. If you don't have any of this ready yet, BB will be glad to help but branding design will normally be in addition to the standard "Style" fee.
Give us a call or fill in the query form, so that we can arrange to discuss your requirements, scope the work and send you a quote which will include any first-year fees such as site maintenance and domain registration etc.
Place your order, and we will schedule the development and give you an estimated completion date.
During the development, we will contact you regularly to finalise layout and content. "Style" sites will be posted at the Beetlebrow staging site on completion for your approval. Bespoke sites will be posted after the initial design-cut for ongoing feedback and approval. Your feedback is very important and key to successful implementation.
Upon completion and approval, we will bill you, implement your site and discuss any Update tariffs that you may wish to take out to keep your site's content up-to-date in a hassle-free manner.
And that's not it… BB will advise you about progress in web site technology and development, so your site may evolve along with your business. Relevant content maybe king, but a web site is only as good as the service it provides its audience. This could include different delivery mechanisms and platforms in the years to come, as the web becomes more pervasive. Whereever the web goes, BB can help you get there.
