Frequently Asked Questions
The world wide web can sometimes be confusing. We have come up with some frequently asked questions and information we think you will find useful. If you have questions about anything please call 608-788-8100 or email us, we will be sure to get back with you.
Website Setup Questions
What do I need to do to set up a website?
Before you can set up a website there are some things to do:
1) Domain Name - Do you have a domain purchased such as 'webteam.net'? If you haven't, there are many places called 'registrars' that will 'sell' one to you on a yearly basis, to be renewed in yearly increments. Some common registrars are Godaddy, Register.com, and Google Domains, but the list goes on. A domain name may cost you anywhere from $8/year to $37.99/year. You will be responsible for making sure this is paid for and not letting the domain expire. Keep the login info for your domain somewhere safe, you will need this information periodically.
2) Website - If you don't already have a logo or color scheme, you may want to find a color scheme website online and look through it for some ideas. If you already have some design elements you like and are using in print or otherwise, use them on the website too. Think of how you want to portray yourself to your audience and come up with ideas for the menu outline of your website. If you are starting out, keep this simple - one of the great things about websites is that you can always add to them and change your mind.
3) Website Hosting - Once your website is created, it will need to be hosted on a web server. For this you will pay either a monthly or yearly fee for hosting. This may or may not include maintenance on your website. Webteam hosts most of the sites we work on locally and our personal service can't be beat.
4) Contact Info - Generally you will have email at your domain (such as info@webteam.net) that can be set up for general use on a contact page or to be listed in the footer of the website.
Do a little research into putting these pieces together and have a plan - it will make your process move much more smoothly.
How long will it take to get a new website?
On a standard website development project, we aim for 6 to 8 week turnaround, but many projects are paced by the client. There are many variables that go into the development including; input during the initial stages of development, feedback, content availability, images, and more. All of this will effect the development timeline. More complex sites will take more time to develop, which will be outlined in the development specification prior to beginning the project.
How much does a website cost?
This is a little like asking "how much does a house cost?" There's no one answer and it depends entirely on what you're looking for. An informational site (i.e. no store or other customized features) where the client brings a finished logo, a good idea of color scheme, and the content they want to the table, will cost much less than a customized secure portal or association website with membership access, store, meeting calendars and events.
At Webteam we meet with our perspective clients to discuss their individual needs and outline the project and costs prior to starting any project.
How will my website be maintained?
Each site that we develop and host includes a Content Management System (CMS) which we developed in house. This CMS will allow you to update 'most' of the website yourself, OR, you can ask us to make any necessary changes for you.
Do I have to be local to work with you?
Of course not! While our office is located in La Crosse, WI, we have clients that span from the East coast to the West coast and many places in between.
What if I need help on my website after it's done, and live?
We are here to help! If you have any issues or questions down the road just contact us by phone or email. We can help as little or as much as you need. We've been around since 1997 and won't disappear once the new site is up and running.
Web Design
What is Responsive or Mobile Friendly Design?
Responsive design is about creating websites that adjust smoothly and look good on any size device or screen size. Content can be prioritized and show differently on mobile devices compared to tablets or computer. The HTML and CSS code for your site are done in a way to automatically resize, hide, shrink, or enlarge, a website, to make it look good on all devices.
If your site is NOT mobile friendly, realize that you are probably losing potential business. Old school websites are difficult to view on mobile devices and given the short time you have to make a statement to todays users, your impression is going to be lacking.
A quick poll of a couple of our clients in January 2022 revealed that over 58% of users were mobile users (70% on webteam.net!).
If your website is not mobile friendly / responsive, Contact Webteam today for a free evaluation to update your website.
Should I Hire a Professional to Design My Website?
Many of our clients have come to us after having spent lots of time and money trying to get a website set up by "a guy someone knows", or even sometimes someone selling themselves as a professional. For whatever reason this industry seems to be heavy in the "fake it til you make it" crowd, as well as many people who mean well and can make a basic website just fine, but get in over their heads when it comes time to develop that customized event registration system you need.
Take a look at a company's portfolio or client list and get a good feel for those sites and especially pay attention to ones that do things you're interested in.
This should also give you a good feel if they've been around long enough, that you can probably count on them still being around when you need them in the future.
Do you redesign websites?
Yes we do. We can redesign your website using your current design 'look' or we can redesign to give you a complete new image. Let us provide you a Free Website Evaluation – we can redesign and update your website using the latest technologies.
Will my website look the same to everyone?
Webteam will design your website using Responsive Design - which means that the design and content will arrange according to the size of their device, browser, settings, and other factors. Before we move a website 'live' for public viewing we test in all different size devices & browsers for viewing and make adjustments as needed. Is it important to note that, as technology changes, tweaks may be needed on your website to keep it up to date and viewing properly to your audience.
So the answer to the question 'will my website look the same to everyone' is no. Depending on the factors listed above, your website may not look them same to all people. Make sure to view your site on your mobile device vs computer vs tablet to know how you present your business to everyone.
Website Hosting
Why do I need an SSL?
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is required for secure transactions such as purchases or for secure information. When you have an SSL on your website your domain will show an 'https' in front of it, meaning it is secure. An SSL makes your site look more professional, especially since some browsers now draw user's attention to the lack of an SSL by calling the URL "Not Secure" and signaling "Your Connection is Not Private".
Adding an SSL to your website is an annual 'subscription' and SSL's can be purchased from a number of organizations for a yearly fee and installation fee.
Where should my website be hosted?
Hosting is very important, and when it comes to hosting a website, you get what you pay for. With this in mind, Webteam does own and maintain our own in-house web servers with redundant fiber connections. Some of our websites are hosted on AWS (Amazon Web Services) which are maintained by our staff.
Ecommerce Websites
Which payment processors can I use?
Webteam has the ability to set up almost any credit card or payment processors for online transactions. Please contact us if you have any questions or requirements for your website project.
What does it cost to sell online?
This is dependent on which processor or service you pick. Some may charge a monthly fee while some charge per transaction. Some do both. It is worth your time to outline and know what these fees are and how they work before you commit to a payment processor.
For sites that only sell occasionally often times the "no monthly fee, but higher percent per transaction" processors come out better. For higher volume sales paying that monthly fee to get a slightly better transaction percentage works out better.
None of these fees are related to, or are charged, by Webteam.
Online Marketing
Google Ads Program
If you are looking for a different way to end up on the top of the search engine results page, google ads are an excellent option. Google ads are flexible and you can customize your ads to show to specific geographical regions, audiences, times of the day, and decide what your monthly budget will be. You also have the ability to pause your campaign at any time you like. That being said, you need to decide what your budget and goals are and stick to them.
If you would like to talk about how a google ad campaign could help your business or need help setting up a google ads program give Webteam a call today at 608.788.8100.
Social Media Marketing
There are a lot of ways to approach social media in terms of how it can benefit your business. If you want to use the free route (who doesn't like free?) you can determine content to share with the public and post it manually or set up a posting schedule on your social media page. Share content, link it back to your website, focus on a product, event - the possibilities are endless. Once you dip your toes into the social media water you'll realize there are a lot of avenues for sharing content and using information to draw attention to your business. Many of these things you can do for free but if you wish to jump into the paid advertising arena you may have some control over what audiences and geographical areas will see your information. Do some research and be sure about what programs (boost or ads?) you want to participate in. Do small trials of ads and measure the success and be open to changing things up.
If you have questions about advertising on social media platforms contact Webteam. Have some ideas and goals in mind, we can help you achieve them.
Search Engine Optimization
Do you offer Search Engine Optimization services?
Of course we do! Search Engine Optimization (SEO) packages are on a case-by-case basis. We will discuss your goals, make our recommendations, and work within your budget.
What is SEO and what do I need to do?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves creating your website for search engines to easily find your business, products, and services, and rank it high in search results so people can find it easily. When your web site is being built, it is very important to think about how people are going to be finding your site. Think about all the terms and keywords will they be using to find your site and your products/services. Are your products or services regional or worldwide? It is important to plan and consider SEO when building your menu and writing content for your site. Designing with SEO in mind is the key to bringing in more business for your company.
Because every website is different, Webteam offers a few different options for SEO which can be tailored according to your budget. Please contact us to talk about your vision for marketing your website.
- Basic SEO - Included in all new website development
- SEO Monthly Maintenance - Updating your website regularly is important for SEO. Our monthly program can be constructed to your website needs and include some or all of the following options:
- Refresh/tweak page content and code where needed
- Review stats for recommendations for changes
- Review various SEO tools on the website, review traffic, make changes based on data and reporting, resubmit website to search engines
- Google Adwords setup/maintenance - optional and according to your personal monthly budget.