Website Design FAQs

I’m not sure if anyone can build the quality of website I need. How do I know if you’re a fit?

Take a moment and review our website portfolio. We have a specific design style, so you need to make sure what we consider to be beautiful fits within your thinking as well. If it doesn’t, do consider us for your project. There are oodles and oodles of WordPress consultants and designers available and you will find one who is a fit if you look.

How is the cost of a new website determined?

Websites are quoted as a fixed bid project. The cost structure is based on the package selected, the complexity of functionality, the size of the website, and the need for marketing support such as search engine optimization, copywriting, and social media integration. Every project is unique and we try to make sure our pricing is based on your specific needs and not what we think the market will tolerate.

Do you offer customizations to existing themes?

Of course! We have WordPress coders who are experts at the Genesis Framework from StudioPress and we love helping people with WordPress installation, theme configurations, customizations, and plugin support. Whether you bought one of our premium WordPress themes or a StudioPress theme, we can help.

What payment options do you offer?

Company check and/or credit cards are accepted. All projects require a down payment of 50% to start.

How long will it take to design and build my new website?

This is hard to say, as it varies greatly by client. A custom microsite can take as little as four weeks and a large, complex B2B website can take three months. Similar to costing, the timeframe for implementation varies on complexity and the number of web pages and blog posts. In most cases, we are waiting on the client and the client is not waiting on us.

Do you accept every client?

Absolutely not. If the client is not a good fit, the opportunity is not quoted. Creating a new website is a big endeavor, so the website designer and their client need to have synergies for the project to launch successfully. The same is true for customizations of existing themes. If we don’t feel that we’re a good fit or that WordPress isn’t a good fit, we’ll quickly tell you so.

Who is an ideal client for Web Savvy Marketing?

Small to mid-market B2B or B2B companies that have limited internal marketing resources and/or who need their website to be designed around organic SEO. WSM’s differentiates itself from other website design companies by providing website design that is completely integrated with traditional and online marketing best practices. With our all inclusive packages, no design work begins until a full marketing analysis is completed. We relax these rules for our design only projects, but we still want to know everything about you so we can build the perfect website.

I don’t have an internal marketing team, so how can I support the development of a new website?

All-inclusive web design projects include SEO, guidance in the development of the marketing message and content, as well as input of the final website copy. The project is designed around helping clients create an online marketing presence that encourages both targeted traffic and conversions.

Isn’t WordPress just for blogging?

Absolutely not! WordPress started as a blogging package, but it is now a full CMS that is used around the world for creating both blogs and corporate websites. Over 25 million people have chosen WordPress to power their website or blog. Most notable users of WordPress include the likes of CNN, The New York Times, Katy Perry, The Ford Story, Michigan State University (we built one for MSU and we’re rather proud of it), MTV Newsroom, Mashable, and WSJ Magazine. You can learn more about WordPress at www.wordpress.org.

What kind of hosting do I need to support my WordPress website?

WordPress runs best on a Linux server with PHP 5 capabilities. Most hosting companies will easily support these requirements. If you have any concern on your hosting company’s support options, we are happy to investigate your existing hosting package and provide assistance with new hosting if needed. If shared hosting is enough for you, we’re big fans of WP Engine.

Can I update my website after launch?

The beauty of WordPress is the ease of use it provides. Each all inclusive website design project will include one hour of WordPress training, so most clients are more than capable of updating and adding website pages as needed. Since some clients do not want to maintain their own websites, WSM offers ongoing maintenance. If you want training and you didn’t purchase an all inclusive package, we’re happy to provide training at our standard hourly rate.

I see you are based in Michigan, do you just work with local Michigan-based clients?

We are located in metro Detroit, but we also have team members located throughout the United States and in our countries. We believe talent is more important than location. Our website design and SEO clients are found inside and outside the state of Michigan. Most clients select us based on past performance and referrals. Few make the selection based on geography only.

We don’t have a lot of high quality images so what do you suggest?

There are a number of websites that offer affordable stock images for use in website design projects. Most images cost less than twnety dollars per high-resolution image. We typically recommend iStockPhoto.com and BigStockPhoto.com. If you like one of our photos or our clients’ photos, it is safe to assume it was purchased at one of these websites.

Are your websites search engine friendly?

All of our websites are designed around Google’s guidelines for organic SEO. In addition to having a search engine friendly website, we will create a sitemap.xml file and submit it to Google and Bing upon launch if you’ve purchased an all inclusive package. We will also create a 301 redirect file to help the search engines and visitors find the new pages based on the older pages that are already indexed.

I want flash in my website. Can you create flash files?

WordPress has a variety of plugins that create “pseudo flash” right within WordPress. These images can easily be swapped out after launch if needed. We prefer this method because it is inexpensive, can be updated by the client after launch, and iPads and iPhones can actually see the images. Flash is not loved my Apple devices, so we typically avoid it if possible.

Are references available?

Absolutely. There are sample testimonials on our website for review. References can be provided prior to signing contracts. As a courtesy to existing clients and to limit unnecessary phone calls, references are not provided until we are the chosen website designer.

Where can I obtain WordPress training?

We will provide one hour of free training with each all inclusive web design project. Additional hours are available at an hourly rate. In addition, the WordPress community is vast and there are a wide range of books, online tutorials, and classes available to help new users learn WordPress.