Web Design Services2023-09-08T18:14:09+00:00

Frequently Asked Questions

Web Design Services

Web Design Services

Do I need to update inactive WordPress themes?2022-02-18T22:22:01+00:00

Even if you have an inactive theme, you should still update the theme.

Should I use WordPress automatic updates?2022-02-19T02:30:52+00:00

We don’t recommend this as you never know which updates will create a conflict between the various pieces of code and software on your site. Your site could be broken or showing an error for weeks and you’d never know about it until you examine the front end of the site.

Should I hide my WordPress login URL?2022-02-19T02:31:15+00:00

This is an additional step to hide your login url from hackers and spammers. We don’t recommend this as a one-size-fits-all solution, but it may be applicable for some sites. The problem with this is that it makes life difficult for the actual users of WordPress who will have to remember the new login url. Other WordPress experts argue that this is unnecessary as long as you enforce strong passwords.

How do I update my PHP version in WordPress?2022-02-19T02:29:20+00:00

The most common method to update your PHP version involves logging into your hosting account and searching for “MultiPHP Manage” via your C-Panel dashboard. If your web host does not use C-Panel as many high-quality WordPress hosts do not, you will want to do a search engine query for how to update PHP on your particular host’s server.

Ex: “how to update PHP on WP Engine” or “Bluehost updating php wordpress.”
In some cases you may need to contact your web host directly and have them perform the php upgrade.

How do I update WordPress manually?2022-02-19T02:31:48+00:00

Most required updates will be displayed in your WordPress backend. Login to your site and look for orange circles with the number of updates that need to be performed. You can do all of your updates at once by going to “Dashboard” (the first item in the left-hand sidebar) and looking for “updates.” But please, make sure to test your changes on a staging site first!

Do I need to update WordPress core?2022-02-18T22:13:58+00:00

Yes, the most common cause of a WordPress site getting hacked or having malware injections is failing to update your WordPress Core version.

Do I need to update WordPress?2022-02-19T02:32:50+00:00

Yes, you need to update WordPress in order to keep up with important security updates.  Security patches are also released for old versions of WordPress, so, for example, it is possible to stay on WordPress 4 by updating your site each time a security update is released.

See a full list of WordPress releases

How do you optimize a WordPress website for SEO?2019-12-13T22:48:47+00:00

Absolutely, we realize that even if your website doesn’t need “new” traffic you want to make sure your site doesn’t drop in rankings with the new site launch. We offer a comprehensive approach no matter your goal.

We take care of the following items:

  • Informational architecture – SEO optimized
  • Keyword research – focused on organic search
  • Blog SEO content strategy – guidelines, topics & headings, recommended articles to write
  • SEO copywriting including meta descriptions
  • Google rich snippet – ex: five-star review under your page title in search results.. the goal is to improve your click-through rate
  • Google Analytics – will provide valuable analytics of your website traffic and performance so you can further improve your website conversions
  • Google Search Console – submit sitemap to Google to make sure the site is properly indexed
  • SEO Plugin – Page editor and real time page analysis functionality that helps you optimize your pages content, images titles, meta descriptions, and XML sitemap
  • 301 redirects of internal website URLs to make sure you don’t drop in search rankings
What’s the correct project management process for a website project?2021-05-22T00:21:19+00:00

We use the waterfall approach based on years of experience. Your project includes 3 phases: Strategy, Design, and WordPress Development. Once a phase is completed we move on to the next phase.

You will have a dedicated project manager, a point of reference for anything you need. They will assist with the organization of the project, answer questions, identify project risks, sending updates, adjusting project timeline, identify change orders, and quality control.

We utilize the following tools for project management:

  • Client Portal – it’s our project management tool where everything lives – all tasks, milestones, documentation, messages, links to documents, and uploaded assets such as logos and images.
  • Design Preview – allowing for a review of wireframes and mockups in the web browser. You will be able to validate the user experience by performing specific tasks. Lastly, you are able to comment on any element on any page for collaboration and edit requests.
  • Google Drive – Docs & Sheets – used to deliver strategy documents such as the website strategy document, keyword analysis, copywriting, etc.
How do I maintain my WordPress website?2021-05-22T00:18:42+00:00

We offer WordPress maintenance for our client’s websites. The focus is on WordPress security. We perform critical software updates (WordPress + Plugins) by our development team on a monthly basis in a staging environment (a copy of the live website). Once tested for theme compatibility we push those updates to production (the live website). See our full list of WordPress maintenance deliverables.

Will my website be Responsive?2019-11-02T01:01:35+00:00

Yes, all the websites we build are responsive in nature. We go the extra step by customizing the mobile experience – prioritizing above the fold content to 1-2 focused areas and improve the call to action placement, making sure it’s not buried at the bottom.

How will you build my website? Altering a template? Building a custom theme from scratch?2024-03-19T07:14:15+00:00

We build custom WordPress themes. If you have a limited budget of around $10,000 we do utilize a pre-built theme to accommodate budget constraints. See our in-depth article on The Difference Between Custom WordPress Theme vs. Template.

How many website pages do you typically custom design?2019-12-13T23:36:23+00:00

We design mission-critical website pages, typically 4-12. The pages that are critical to the conversion point, moving the user down the marketing funnel from the awareness stage (Homepage, Blog, Resources), to interest (About Us, Services/ Products) to consideration (Case Studies/ Projects, Why Us?, Clients/ Reviews), interest/ evaluation (Contact Us), and purchase for ecommerce (Cart Checkout).

How do you make sure that the developers understand your designs and implement them correctly?2024-03-19T07:11:08+00:00

We always have a design to development hand-off meeting and include the client once the mockups are all approved. This way everyone is on the same page. Also early on in the process from the initial design concepts we work closely with our WordPress developers to stay aligned and on track from design to function.

Do you outsource any of your work?2019-11-01T23:53:46+00:00

No, our team is fully in-house. We consider ourselves a high touch, high-quality boutique agency that has a small team of professionals. Each team member has 8+ years of experience.

How many round of edits are typically included for website wireframes and mockup?2019-12-13T23:44:00+00:00

You get one round of edits in the wireframes (phase 1) and two rounds in the mockup phase.

Do you use WordPress templates?2023-02-17T19:48:51+00:00

No, we custom design your WordPress website based on competitor analysis, inspirational research, best practices for user experience, and trends. The design is presented before we start coding and building a custom WordPress theme.

Can we migrate our current content?2019-12-03T20:51:11+00:00

In most cases, yes. However, if your site is using shortcodes it will have to be a manual process, which is more time-consuming.

Who will be working on the project?2019-11-02T00:45:08+00:00

Three team members and a project manager, with one for each phase – strategy, design, and WordPress development … see our team page for more.

What do you typically recommend for website photography?2019-12-13T23:45:48+00:00

We almost always recommend professional photography. We typically work with a photographer on providing photography direction – what to do and not do. Sort of a style guide. Usually a website ends up using a blend of professional and stock. We do recommend a few high quality paid stock libraries including a few free ones (with limited inventory).

How do I know you’ll do a good job?2023-02-17T19:49:37+00:00

We have 170+ five star reviews online on Google, Clutch, UpCity, Yelp and elsewhere. We deliver on client’s expectations. Our business started in 2009 and has experience working with small to enterprise-level clients. Beyond that, we rank as a national leader on UpCity and Clutch for our excellent service. Your project is our passion. We will do whatever it takes to provide the absolute best service that meets your expectations.

How much does a website cost?2023-02-17T19:47:16+00:00

There are many one-man or outsourced companies that quickly build websites from a template for $10,000 or less. Read our in-depth guide on How Much Does a Website Cost? (with Website Cost Calculator).

Our approach is different, we have a heavy focus on strategy, fully custom design, and custom WordPress theme development. A typical project has three team members each with 8+ years of experience in what they do.

Our projects are for businesses that expect a high-end outcome. The end result is a website that is well integrated between sales and marketing, has the appropriate branding voice, is optimized for Google search, and is designed to stand out from the competition with a high-end unique design while being easy to update on the back-end. A typical engagement starts at around $15,000 all the way up to six figures.

How long should a web design project take?2020-08-27T00:58:30+00:00

A project typically takes 10-16 weeks provided we get timely feedback (within 2-4 business days) and all of your content is finalized. We use a project management tool with milestones and Gantt charts to keep your project on track. You will be able to upload information, photos, and other assets (maps, graphics, charts, etc.).