Frequently Asked Questions
It’s no surprise you have questions! We understand that you want to be sure this is the best choice for your business. That’s why we’ve collected some of the most common web design questions and answers here. If you’re questions isn’t on the list, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always happy to discuss questions with clients. We want you to understand what your getting and be confident in your decision.
In most cases, I recommend using WordPress.org for building websites. It is the most flexible platform and offers lots of valuable features called ‘plug-ins’ that increase the functionality of any website. Depending on your needs, we can also assist you in building a website on Wix.com.
Nope. WordPress.org provides an online dashboard where you can access your website and make edits online. You login with your own username and password at www.YourDomainName.com/wp-admin
WordPress.org is what is called a ‘Self-hosted’ platform. Although the WordPress.org platform is free to use, in order to create a website using WordPress.org, you must purchase web hosting for your site. WordPress.com is a paid platform, using the same technology as wordpress.org. The difference is that the hosting is provided by WordPress. Typically, wordpress.com is more expensive for hosting and the site capability is more limited.
WordPress.org in and of itself is free. However, in order to have your website accessible online, you will need to pay for web hosting. Depending on your host and website needs, this can range from $0.80-$20/month or more. Most web hosts base their pricing on the amount of time you sign up for. For instance, if you sign up for 12 months, you pay your first year up front. You can get a better deal if you buy more months up front. Although the costs are reflected as monthly costs, you usually have to pay for a year or more in advance.
In order to make your website accessible on the world-wide web, your site and its data must be stored on a server. Web hosts offer space on their servers so you can make your site accessible on the web. Unless you’re Amazon or Google, or another extraordinarily large company, you don’t need to own your own web servers. You can simply buy space on another server.
There are lots of platforms for web hosting and many different types of web hosting. The most widely recognized and respected web hosting platforms are Hostinger, Bluehost, Host Gator, and Site Ground. Personally, I recommend Hostinger as their introductory packages are the most affordable. However, all 4 offer very similar options and are highly respected across the web.
A domain name is the URL where users will find your website online. For example, my domain name is ImagineItOnline.com.
Unless you already have a domain name, you can usually purchase a domain name when you purchase your web hosting. Most web hosting sites allow you to search the availability of your chosen domain name. When you purchase your hosting, you will have the option to purchase a domain name or use one you already have. One advantage of purchasing a domain name through your hosting platform, is that they often offer the domain for free for the 1st year.
In order for your company to show up first in Google searches, it is best to have a .com website. If you are an organization or an educational institution, .org and .edu websites are also good. While domain name companies will try to sell you .net, .blog, .site and and other .___ sites for cheaper, it is best to pay for the .com domain name. For the most part, .com domain names are only $12-18 per year. It’s not a huge investment and in the end it will be much better for your business. Not only do .com website give you better rankings on Google, but they make you look more credible to potential customers.
Ultimately, a good domain name is easy to remember and easy to spell. If you want people to find you, your website should be something they can remember easily and type in without having to verify the spelling somewhere. Although, I don’t recommend GoDaddy for hosting, they do offer a valuable resource on their site that allows you to search the availability of a domain name. When you search a domain name, they also rate your chosen domain name and let you know why it is a good choice or not. If your trying to decide on a website, I recommend using their website to do your research and then purchase your domain with your hosting company.
Yes, you can. One of the beauties of WordPress.org is that you don’t have to have coding knowledge in order to make changes to your website. Once the design of your website is completed, you will be able to access your WordPress dashboard in order to easily make updates and edits to your website. This allows you to make changes as your business grows, allowing your site to grow with you.
Got more questions?
Get in touch, I’m always happy to talk to clients about their website dreams.