“I heard about this thing called the Internet. I thought, That sounds kind of interesting. The first thing I did is I actually picked up the phone and dialed 411, and I said, I’d like the number for the Internet, please. And the operator is like, What?”
Sky Dayton (Sky Dayton later founded EarthLink, an Internet-service provider, in 1994). To read the story, click here

I’ve listed  some of the most FAQ’s below, please call or e with any additional questions!

faq

Please scroll down to get answers to these exciting questions:
How much does it cost?
Do you have any package deals?
How long does it take?
SEO, Search Engine Optimization
Web Hosting

• How much does it cost?

We will happily provide you with a quote based on your projects’ specifications and needs. Every project is different and we cost them out on an individual basis. We determine the final quote by communicating with you about your site; finding out what you need, the specific features you want, how much content you’re expecting to have, if you need a logo design, custom graphics/illustrations, etc. We’ll make suggestions if we feel a certain feature might add more value to your site, or if something you are thinking about might not be the right solution. Once we have that information, we will provide you with a detailed estimate for your project. Sometimes though, we realize that we might not be a good fit for your project. If that’s the case, we will refer you to another developer if we can.

That said, we offer a range of services and prices. We work a lot with the WordPress software and can offer our clients a variety of options using WordPress. I can give you some ballpark figures, just so you get an idea of what working with us entails financially.

•••••••••••••••••••• Please click here for an overview of what WordPress is ••••••••••••••••••••

At the basic level we charge for consulting or training on an hourly basis, at $85 an hour.  For instance, we can help you set up a simple WordPress Blog and show you how to use it. Usually, depending on your skill level with software, this takes a few hours and is in the $400 – $600 range.
Here is an example of a simple WordPress set up:
http://sahoa.wordpress.com

A more custom site with slight modifications to a standard WordPress template, $1,400 – $1,800:
http://samishneighborhood.org

Highly modified WordPress sites with custom graphics, other features, $2,200 – $3,500 and up
http://donaleensaul.com
http://marthasherrill.com
http://whatcomwomensnetwork.com

The site you are on right now is a custom WordPress site, and, it’s priceless

We also create sites that do not use WordPress, as WordPress isn’t right for every project!
Once we know the scope of your project, we’ll determine the best way to set it up.

While we have created sites in the $8,000 – $15,000 range, typically, Ritama Web Design site are $2,200 – $5,000 – it all depends on what you need. Please visit the Portfolio section to see examples of our work.

• Do you have any package deals?
Pam & I put together a “package” with artists in mind to be able to showcase their work. While every site has distinct individual graphics, there are similar structural features.

Basically, there are usually 5 rotating images on the Splash/Opening page, then a Portfolio section that is broken down into 3 sub-sections with 10 images in each section. The text pages are Bio, Galleries, Calendar and Contact. The client can update the text pages themselves, but we edit the slide shows. Of course, we’ll modify the basic “package” to suit individual needs.

Here are some examples of our “package deal”:
http://www.boydsugiki.com/
http://lisazerkowitz.com/
http://twotonestudios.com/
http://redpathstudio.com/

Cost for this kind of site is in the $2,500 – $3,200 range.

These “package” web sites are not created using WordPress, we use custom CSS to create them.

• How long does it take?
Typically, a site takes 4 – 12 weeks to complete, depending on the complexity of the site and our current scheduling demands. In addition to creating the graphics for the site design, your web site needs to be coded and browser tested and you, the client, need to provide us with your content and images in a timely manner. We will provide you with a time-line and “To Do” list once your deposit is received.

All projects are “first come- first serve” and are scheduled as so. All projects are 50% down with the balance due either at completion or at predetermined milestones.

If you are in a rush to get your site done and want to leap-frog to the front of the queue, we will add a 50% rush fee to the entire project fee. To complete your project ahead of schedule means overtime for our designers, programmers and any other associates called in for your project.

• SEO, Search Engine Optimization – or, why can’t my mama find my site on the internet?
Getting high rankings on Search Engine Results is one of the biggest concerns of my clients these days. The sites we create are consistent with the current prevailing industry standards, which means that the code used is optimal to being seen on search engine results pages. When your site is completed, we will submit your site to the top search engines and Google Local Business Listings. We can also set you up with Google Analytics to track your web site stats.

But the main component is having your site “content rich” with keywords relevant to your business that the search engines will find when a request is entered into Google or another Search Engine.

To that end, I will consult with clients to determine if they need the assistance of a professional copywriter and/or should hire an SEO expert. While my company does our best in regards to SEO, there really is only so much we can do on a basic level and SEO is a complex issue.

Hosting:
We have been working with Tigertech, a web hosting company, for close to 10 years and we adore them. Besides offering great hosting plans for reasonable fees, they also give you free domain registration! And, they have a great Stats page so you can check and see how many people have been visiting your site. If you have an existing web host that you like, we’ll work with them (we are not going to force you to move!) however, we might transfer your account to Tigertech if their plans suit your needs and budget better than your current host.

If you are a developer Tigertech offers a lot of great features, the most important being their tech support – which is outstanding.

Click the link below to find out more about Tigertech and sign up for hosting.
If you are my client, contact me and I will assist or do the sign-up process for you.