Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions to help you in your decision to create a website. Keep in mind that websites take time and effort to create and web design is a specialized skill requiring years of practice and learning. GoldCoastDesign is dedicated to bring you the fastest, most affordable, and experienced site design experience we can.

FAQ links:
How much will my web site cost?
Why does it take so long to create a website?
Do you have a toll-free number?
I have seen cheaper rates for web design. Why should I hire you?
Once my site is made, will there be additional costs to keep it avaialable to the public?
Will my site show up on search engine search results such as Google?
Will my website look the same to all visitors?
How do I keep my website updated?
What are your hours of operation?

 

Q: How much will my web site cost?
A: The cost of your website depends highly on what you want to do. Very basic websites can be completed in less than one week, while more complex sites such as an ecommerce website will take longer. We will always strive to build your website in the most time effecient fashion we can. It all depends on how much interaction/functionality you want to apply to your site. We can usually complete a full-blown professional website in less than 2 months, which is rather fast.

Q: Why does it take so long to create a website?
A: Web design is a very specialized skill that requires many years to develop. Buiding a website is not a simple case of dragging images around and typing in content. All content on a web page is made up of code (called HTML). The breadth of learning involved is almost limitless. There is a plethora of web design technologies and most designers gravitate to specializing in just a few. To put it into perspective, a web designer with over 10 years experience could be considered at a high intermediate level. We like to compare web design to hiring someone to build you a custom hotrod. You could find someone to do it for cheap, but it probably won't run very well...

Q: Do you have a toll-free number?
A:Yes. You can call toll-free from anywhere in the US and Canada at (877) 306-GOLD.

Q: I have seen cheaper rates for web design. Why should I hire you?
A: Well, there's the old adage: "You get what you pay for". While you could get a site made for less in some cases, you might not be getting a quality finished product. You'll probably end up waiting a very long time to get anything done too as many freelance artists are still learning the craft and may be a struggling beginner. All of our crew members have a minimum of 5 years experience in professional web design which translates to the finished product in very significant ways.

Q: Once my site is made, will there be additional costs to keep it available to the public?
A: Yes, but not payable to us. You will need to find a hosting service to host your website to make it available to the general public. Most hosting services start around $10 a month for basic hosting services. Additional costs may apply for additional features. You will also need to pay approximately $15 a year for domain-name registration (getting a www.yoursitename.com). Beyond that, there are no more costs.

Q: Will my site show up on search engine search results such as Google?
A: Yes, but it takes extra effort to get your site to show up on the coveted 1st and 2nd pages of the search results. Most search engines (Google, Yahoo. etc) will allow you to pay a fee to be a "sponsored link", but beyond that, the best formula for higher results listings are unique site content and extra coding on our part. We can work with you to try to get you the best results we can.

Q: Will my website look the same to all visitors?
A: Yes and no. This is the age-old thorn in a web designer's side. Think about the many different web browsers people may be using, coupled with the different operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc) and monitor sizes that are available these days. All of these factors play a role in how your website will render to different users. We at GoldCoastDesign design our sites to meet the broadest market we can. We garauntee that your site will work and look good in Internet Explorer 5.5+ (windows only), Mozilla, Firefox, Opera 6+ (mac), and Safari 1.2+ (mac). This browser list covers close to 98% of all users, so you're in pretty good shape.
Special note: Certain web access provider's browsers such as AOL and SBC are really based on Internet Explorer with each company putting their own face on it so these are included in the above list automatically.

Q: How do I keep my website updated?
A: There are many ways you can update your website. You can have us do it, hire a student to simply change text, learn how to manage it yourself, or our most preferrable way (and our clients' too) is for us to build in our very effecient and easy to use admin edit content interface. With this interface, you may never need to call on anyone again to manage your own website. Woohoo!

Q: What are your hours of operation?
A: We are available 7 days a week, pretty much all day every day. While some of our artists do have a life outside of designing websites, we are never all that far away from our computers. Some of us are night-owls, some love the early morning hours. Regardless, you may contact the main GoldCoastDesign number at (831) 469-3797 seven days a week between 9:00am and 11:00pm. How's that for rediculous service? :))