We host our sites using a tool called WordPress.  WordPress is actually a blogging platform but it handles basic websites really easily as well.  We create a website framework (called a “theme”) using a great theme generator package.  This theme is provides the common content and layout on the site.  We can choose which options are displayed on the page, how things will be presented, choose the colour scheme, add background graphics and a customised banner.

Because WordPress is a blogging platform you can even have your own blog or news section – all at no extra cost.  WordPress allows you to edit the content as you need to, including adding pages, news/blog posts, inserting pictures and other media elements – all without needing to get a geek involved!

Sound great so far?  Excellent!  But I’ve got to point out a couple of limitations as well.  Remember – this is a low-price service so we don’t do customisation beyond the theme, and there are many things that we don’t include.  For example, we don’t include Search Engine Optimisation (it’s a bit of a black art and you can pay people thousands for that).  While we can include Facebook like buttons and even a facebook feed, we don’t build or integrate with facebook or other social media applications in this price.  Nor do we set up or maintain your mailing lists (we can help you there, but not at the starter price).  We will integrate your video clips but don’t create them or set them up elsewhere for you.  We will use the content you provide, but don’t write or edit it (again, we can do that for an extra fee)

So enough with the restrictions.  Here’s what we DO do for you!

• create your basic theme
• create a customised banner
• Add a facebook Like button
• setup your website
• create your web pages and menu
• configure it all for search engines to read it
• send you monthly google stats*
• backup your site*
• manage upgrades*

* = support package required

The process is easy.  Here’s how it works:

1. You meet with one of our team to work out what you want your site to look like – this is best done face-to-face, but can be done remotely.  Takes up to one hour.
2. We create a prototype of the style and a banner and send to you for your approval.
3. You create your content and send it to us (Word documents are usually best).
4. We create your hosting space, install WordPress, install the theme, tweak the settings, enter your content, and switch it on.
5. Every month we run our support tools over it and make sure that everything is working fine.*

We’re here to change that – a basic website for your business that you can afford – fully explained!  We’ve answered many of your questions on our FAQ page.  But here’s the nuts and bolts of setting up a website:

The first thing you need when you set up a website is what’s called a “domain name.”  This is like your on-line address or phone number – it’s how people find you on the web.  You need at least one, but you can have more than one (if that doesn’t make sense, don’t worry – one is all you need).  You don’t actually own your domain name – you merely rent it from the people who keep the list.  You must pay every year, and if you don’t you lose it and it becomes available for someone else to claim (and you may have to pay a ton of money to some schmuck to get it back).

A web site is more than a name – it needs something to say. At it’s simplest, a website is nothing more than a set of computer codes that instructs another piece of software (a browser) what to display. You need to create something to display. If you are a masochist (or a geek) you could program it yourself in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language – the programming language of the web) – or you could do the smart thing and use a software system that makes it easier. But no matter what the brochures say, every system requires some skill or knowledge, so having someone who knows a bit more than you is a great asset. Oh, and it also pays to have something to say as well!

Having content is a good start, but not if it’s trapped on your computer and the rest of the world can’t see it.  While you can host a web site on your home PC – it’s probably best reserved for the technologically advanced.  Mere mortals will need help getting their content accessible on the web.  A hosting services rents you a section of their expensive server space and connects it to the public internet for the world to see as well as handling the email traffic sent to your domain name.

Every web site needs some TLC every now and then. You may want to make changes to your pages, add or change an email address, add new pages, or post some news. Web software can also be complex, and often need upgrades and maintenance. You should also keep backups in case something terrible happens (like you press the wrong button and send your web site to oblivion).

We rekon that every business should have a web site.  We’re surprised that some still don’t have one, but we forgive them given the price that some web designers charge for creating and hosting simple websites.  Of course, there is some skill involved in putting together a web site – even a simple one.  In fact, if you want a custom web site with bells and whistles, then most designers are great value.

But if you need a simple site, with a few pages, that you want to be able to edit yourself, there’s no need to pay $2000 or more for a simple website.  For about 25% of that we can give you a great looking website and give you the keys so that you can make changes to your content without having to pay anyone else.