Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a sample of important questions commonly asked by new and prospective clients that are looking to start a web design or marketing project, as well as a few suggestions we created to eliminate potential pitfalls and streamline things for those new to the process.

“How much does a website cost?”

We provide competitive pricing based specifically on the requirements of your project. After the initial consultation, Ink and Link Creative will provide you with a detailed proposal outlining your project needs. Tailoring our pricing to your project is how we keep your costs as low as possible. While you can get quotes from $100 to $10k, be sure that, foremost, you trust the company and have confidence that they will do what they say they will do. Our track record speaks for itself – last year, 80% of our projects were repeat clients.

“How long does the design take?”

For a typical project, a month to two months, depending on how quickly the content can be generated. Of course, we are able to work with any time requirements or special conditions.

“Who owns the website / domain / design at the end of the project?”

YOU! This is extremely important; several clients have come to us after signing agreements that left them with nothing at the end of the project, in some cases having spent thousands of dollars over several years of service agreements. We consider these types of service agreements dishonest and unethical. There is no work we do that isn’t yours at the completion of the contract.

“What is SEO – do I need it?”

Yes; SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is the measure of over 200 separate items that search engines use to determine the value of your website for any given search; optimization is identifying and maximizing this value for your ideal users. This is important for getting your website listed high on search engines. Although there is no ‘magic bullet’ to SEO, we use best design practices to make this value as high as possible. However, there are things that you can do as well to boost your SEO value; check our ‘Articles’ page for more information.

“Do you have a portfolio?”

To see our portfolio, click for web design, logo design work, and past graphic design projects.

“Where does the content come from?”

The client is responsible for providing content for the website. We can and will certainly help with this, but no one knows you better than you!

“How does the design process work?”

Our process is designed to keep you, the client, feeling involved and connected in every step as the project progresses. First, we build the structure of the website; the location of the menu bar, important graphics, company logo, images, etc., are placed, and a general color scheme is identified and implemented. We host this on our own server, allowing you access to the construction site from any device that uses the internet, but only from the specific link we provide, keeping the build private. Upon client approval of this phase, the rest of the pages are created, resulting in a fully-operating website. Some images may be used as placeholders until final images are identified, and most text will be a form of English known as ‘lorem ipsum’; by using text and image placeholders, the client is able to see what the page will look like fully fleshed-out, without the time and content commitment at that point in the project. Any forms or widgets are installed and generally activated at this time as well, to begin testing for functionality. The final phase is personalizing the website; all placeholders are replaced by final content. We check over the content several times for clarity, misspellings, and keyword / search engine optimization value. Finally, we check to see that the site looks good in all different types of web browsers, including older versions of those browsers. This is called ‘cross-browser compatibility’, and ensures that the site looks good from most any angle. Then comes the best part – going live! This is when everyone gets to blow out the candles, and reflect on a job well done.

“I like this site; does that help?”

The more feedback you are able to give as a client, the better the website will be shaped to your style. Having other sites that you like gives the designer valuable insight into the design style that fits you, and will help to ultimately shape your site into one that fits.

”How do I get the domain name I want?”

We can help you decide on and purchase the domain name that you want. If it’s not available, there are many new top-level domain extensions (the .com in a typical web address is called the domain extension) that are now coming on the market that are becoming very attractive; from .design, .guru, to .vegas and .nyc, new frontiers are opening up online for more personalization and customization. Once your domain is purchased, we will set up and manage hosting and other details to make getting you online as simple as possible.

”Can I get email with my site’s domain name?”

Yes, we are happy to help with setting up email for multiple users, connected to your site hosting plan.

As always, feel free to email us any time here with your questions – we’re happy to help!

Keep up with us at Ink and Link Creative with more useful articles to help you navigate the net; www.inklinkcreative.com

Your Premier Web Design
Huntsville | Cullman | Birmingham