Frequently Asked Web Site Design Questions (FAQ)

Following are typical Questions we receive from potential customers:

1. Do I need a web developer or a web designer? How do I go about picking the right one for me?
   
2. How much does a web site cost?
   
3. My business is located far from you. Can you still design a website for me?
   
4. How long does it take to have a web site designed?
   
5. What is a URL?
   
6. What is a domain name?
   
7. I am currently hosted with another firm and would like to switch over to ICBS. How do I do this?
   
8. Can I choose ICBS to design my website but choose another web host?
   
9. What is web hosting?
   
10. What is site maintenance?
    
11. We are a non-profit organization. Do you offer any type of discounts?
    
12. I've made my decision - I want you to design my web site. Now what do I do?

Question 1: Do I need a web developer or a web designer? How do I go about picking the right one for me? 

If you are serious with your online presence, you will need a professional to design and maintain your website. Even if you have in-house talent, it may be a good idea to get someone more experienced for this task. The mistake many small businesses make is to have the owner of a relative to design a website and host it with a free service. There are several articles in our knowledgebase ( Website Design and Internet) you can read about this topic. Here is an especially interesting article (click on the title to read the article):

The Global Concept of Web Development
Web development is quite complex, because there are so many disciplines involved. It takes some skills to build a web site that delivers exactly what you want, with a good layout and with community building. And you need to know technical aspects as well as research and marketing, promotion, writing, etc.

Question 2: How much does a web site cost? 

No two websites are alike. We custom design your website based to meeting your objective for the website. There are quite a few factors that are going to affect the ultimate cost of your web site. These factors include how many pages you are going to have, if you will sell products on your website, the graphic work involved, database requirement, special scripting and background coding requirements, and how interactive your future web site will be. The cost will be influenced by other factors such as the need for web hosting, domain name registration, maintenance requirements, and how much of the content you already have.

Please see here for several web packages offered by ICBS. We also offer several hosting plans as well as combination hosting/maintenance packages.

Question 3: My business is located far from you. Can you still design a website for me? 

ICBS has created sites for customers locally as well as in other continents. By using the Internet, email and the telephone, it is possible to communicate effectively with clients in any location.

Question 4: How long does it take to have a web site designed? 

The time frame is determined by the size of your web site, the complexity of your site design (especially, extra coding requirements, database interface needs, special copy writing requirements, graphic designs, etc.), and our current work backlog.

Question 5: What is a URL? 

URL stands for "universal resource locator". This is the address typed in to view your web page on the Internet. For example, you would type in http://www.icbs.com  to access our home page or http://ecomhelp.com to access our Business Resource Center, or  http://www.holisticonline.com to access our award winning website for health holisticonline.com.

Question 6: What is a domain name? 

A domain name is a specific web site address that you choose and register to identify your business. The domain names may end in .com, .edu, .gov, .biz, .info, .us etc. along with a number of country-specific domain names that end int he code for the country such as .us, .ca, .uk, etc. The domain name for icbs is icbs.com. ICBS can register and maintain your domain name. Contact us if you are interested.

Selecting a domain name is very important. See the following articles in our knowledgebase for more information on this important topic:

The importance of having your own domain name
This article tells you why you need to have your own domain name in order to get a high ranking in the search engines and to provide credibility with your customers.

Domain Names: A Double Edged Sword
There has been a lot said recently, about the need to have a domain name for your business but consider some of the following before you decide when, or if you need one.

Question 7: I am currently hosted with another firm and would like to switch over to ICBS. How do I do this? 

Just fill out a request for quote (quote.htm) form and we will take care of everything. We will transfer your domain name along with all of your existing web site's content.

Question 8: Can I choose ICBS to design my website but choose another web host? 

Yes. However, we need to access the website for installing the website and for future maintenance.

Question 9: What is web hosting? 

In order for people to access the contents of your website, it has to be located on a server that is connected to the internet at all times. Some larger businesses have their own server; but most businesses will hire the services of a professional web hosting service that can watch over the servers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In return for this, you have to pay a monthly fee (web hosting fee). ICBS can provide you with this service. (Details.)

Question 10: What is site maintenance? 

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses do is to have a website developed and leave it unchanged like a brochure. Studies have shown time after time that people need to be comfortable with you before they buy. They will visit at least 3 times before they buy. The only way to have repeat customers is to have fresh, updated content. ICBS can maintain your websites updating as frequently as needed. We offer several combination hosting/maintenance packages. See here for details.

Question 11: We are a non-profit organization. Do you offer any type of discounts? 

Yes, we offer discounts for schools and non profit organizations.

Question 12: I've made my decision - I want you to design my web site. Now what do I do?

Simply fill out our request for quote form <quote.htm> to start the process.