Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do you make the customer do all this extra work of pre-design? Is it necessary?
A. I like to have my customers involved with the entire web site process. This helps to keep everyone on the same page. The end result is a site that is everything the customer hoped it would be. I believe that this is very necessary, though some of it could be skipped if the customer doesn't care what the site looks like, or how it functions. I would do the pre-design for the customer and they would need to approve the work before continuing with the project.

Q. How long does it take to create an average web site?
A. The length of time greatly depends on what the site entails. For example, if the customer already has a clear picture of what the site needs to look like, plus it is under 10 pages, it should take a week or so. If the site is going to be rather large and there is a lot of pre-production to be done, the site could take a month to get up and going. Most end up taking about two weeks once the actual production starts. Almost all web sites are a work in progress. The customer may notice something that they will want to change or add down the road.

Q. What if there is a problem with the site that needs to be fixed?
A. I try my best to thoroughly test every site before it goes live, but there are still things that can happen. If there is a problem with something I did on the site, I will take care of it as soon as I can. I stand behind my work.

Q. How secure is the information on a web site?
A. This is a multi-part question. First of all, every site is hosted on a computer system that is designed for that purpose. These systems are kept updated and secure by the company that is hosting the site. It is very unusual to have a security problem with the host. When it comes to information that you put on the site, this can potentially be used by anyone that visits the site. For example, pictures can be downloaded and reused. There are steps that can be taken to avoid some of these problems if necessary.

Q. How do I advertise once the site is finished?
A. The most important thing about getting your site out there is to make sure the search engines index it. Google is one of the largest search engine sites. It goes through the site and indexes the words and phrases that it thinks someone would search for. The important thing is to create the site with this in mind. I can help you create a search engine friendly site. Another good way to get the site out there is in print. Business cards, phone book ads, etc.

Q. Do you design your sites to be compatible with most browsers and computer systems?
A. Yes, I design and test my sites with the intention that they will be viewed on many different systems out there. It is nearly impossible for everything to look exactly the same on every system, but I do my best.

Have more questions that are not addressed in this FAQ? Then visit the Contact Michael section and drop me a note.