General FAQ
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Does my business need to be computer-based in order to have a web site? What do I need to know about computers?
You don't need to have computers involved in your business in order to have a web site. Many companies do all of their paperwork without a computer. Creating a web site is more about exposing your business to new potential clients and generating new sales. There is no need to overhaul the way your company does business.
My company is in the service industry. Will a web site help my business?
At any given time, over 50% of those online are doing so to research about businesses that provide services or products. Your service-oriented business can provide samples, references, location, hours of operation and more right away from your web site 24hours/7days a week/365 days a year.
I want to put my business online, but I don't know where to start. Can you help me?
Absolutely! The MultMedia Factory offers free consultation on all services. We help you right from the start! We also provide a website basics pamphlet as well as other web development help materials both on-line and in-print to help you understand web development basics.
If I already have a site can you help me improve it?
Yes. We can usually redesign or freshen up an existing web without the need for a complete re-design. Whether your company's web site is outdated, takes too long to load or is not user friendly, we can help.
What is the procedure to get my site online?
- Free initial consultation.
We determine the purpose of your website and gather information on your target audience.
We research both the local and global competition to help determine the best online strategy for your business. Using this information we adjust our plan and discuss the look and feel of your site. We explain the technologies involved in the more complex designs using plain language and offer pricing packages on the variations we discuss.
Domain names are decided and registered. (If not already reserved)
A draft site and/or samples are prepared for your approval.
All resources required for the project are collected or produced. (i.e. Text images, photos, graphics, etc.)
We design and develop your site with ongoing consultation and testing.
After your approval the site goes online using The MultMedia Factory hosting service or your choice of web hosting provider.
We monitor the traffic to your site so we can make suggestions for improvement in either holding the web users attention or increasing the number of visitors to the most important pages.
Domain name registration FAQ
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You must register a domain name for your business. The name must comply with certain rules. A well-chosen domain name can help customer recognition and increase traffic. We can register your domain name for as little as $15 per year.
What is a Domain Name?
Your domain name is an address where Internet users can find you on the web. An example is www.multimediafactory.com .You will need a unique domain name for your website.
Can The MultiMedia Factory help me register a domain name?
Yes, we can help you register domains such as .com, .net, .org, .biz .info etc. at competitive market rates.
Can I transfer my existing domain name to The MultMedia Factory ?
Yes. We can arrange the transfer for you.
How much will my hosting provider charge me to transfer my Web address (domain name) to use with my new Web site?
Most hosting providers do not charge to transfer a Web address. The MultMedia Factory does not charge for this transfer at all; any transfer charges that you may incur would come directly from your current hosting provider. We will help you determine if any external fees will incur prior to transferring any domain names.
Web Design and Development FAQ
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Websites vary considerably in size and complexity and so does the time and cost to build them. All of our web designs are completely custom in order to best fit your specific needs. Our web development packages for new website design and production start at under $2000.
If you would like a web design quotation, you can call us free on 410-683-2260 in Maryland, or 877-683-2260 toll free. We will then contact you to discuss the pricing options available.
How much will a web site cost?
There are five basic costs:
- Domain name registration
- Web Design and development
- Site hosting
- Promotion
- Maintenance
What do I need to provide to The MultMedia Factory ?
It will save you time and money if you have any of the following items:
- text content
- company logos
- quality photographs and / or images
- other marketing materials
If your business does not have the time or the resources, The MultMedia Factory can take care of producing all the content. This can include copy content (text), original photography, logo design and corporate branding. We can help you establish your total corporate identity.
Can you use my business's existing brochures, and other materials for my web site?
Certainly. If your logo and promotional materials are not in electronic format, we can convert them to a format appropriate for your web site. We can accept almost any type of digital file. We will help you keep your online image consistent with your existing one.
How long will it be before my web site is up on the internet?
Once all your materials (text, photos, etc.) are submitted, and if your site does not require a database or e-commerce programming, your site will be done in approximately 30 days. For flash and database sites the average time frame of completion is 5 to 6 weeks.
Will I be able to see my site before it gets published to the Internet?
Absolutely, You will preview your Web site before it is published. Each time we change your content you can preview your site to make sure you like what you see.
What if I want to change my site content after it's been published?
Our Web sites are designed to be flexible and to grow with your business. You can always update your text and graphics by simply requesting your changes. All changes in text are free for first 30 days. Thereafter, a nominal charge applies.
How can I be sure my site will be unique?
Each website we design is completely custom and unique. We don’t use templates or modify existing sites to build yours. We work with you to develop a one of a kind website that’s right for you.
What if I am not happy with my proposed design?
You will be able to review your site throughout the design and production process. We will modify, change, or redo your design until you are satisfied.
Can I have downloadable files on my web site?
Yes, you can add Microsoft Word® documents, Adobe® PDFs, Excel® files and more. There is a size restriction of approximately 4mb, but this is ample for most documents.
When can I update my content?
If your website has been designed with anadministrative control panel, you can access your administration areas 24/7 through a compatible browser. If your site has no control panel (for sites requiring infrequent updates) you ca submit your changes to The MultMedia Factory and they will be implemented usually within a few days. There is a nominal charge for modifications performed by The MultMedia Factory.
Can I add an E-Commerce package to my site later?
Certainly. You can always expand your web site at any time. Additional fees will occur.
Will I own the web site once it is complete?
After we complete your web site and receive final payment, you will have complete ownership of your web site. We do retain the rights to any stock images or photographs owned or licensed by The MultMedia Factory that we may have used on your site.
Can I add pages at a later time?
Yes, you can add more pages at anytime. Please note there will be additional fee.
Website hosting FAQ
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What is Web Hosting?
All the files for your website are kept on one or more computers called web servers. The server computer is said to be a host for your site. In other words, they look after your site and ensure it is available 24/7.
The web hosting requirements for any site vary according to the technology used to create it and the anticipated response to the site by internet users. The standard of the service can vary greatly from one company to the next. The speed and reliability of service are crucial as is the level of customer support provided.
We use high quality servers with a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%.
Does The MultMedia Factory provide web hosting services?
Yes. We offer several hosting packages to fit your budget and needs.
What are the costs of hosting a website?
Most small business website hosting requirements fit into the $29 per month or $39 per month package depending on the size and technology required for your site.
Does my web site have to be hosted by The MultMedia Factory ?
No. You can choose any hosting service you like. The MultMedia Factory does however offer very competitive rates and the servers we utilize offer a 99.9% uptime.
Can I get e-mail with my web site?
Yes! The MultMedia Factory can supply e-mail for use with Outlook® and other mail programs, e-mail forwarding and even ONLINE mail so that you can access your email from anywhere.
Can I see how many visitors I've had to my web site?
Yes, The MultMedia Factory will supply comprehensive graphical stats from Webalizer when your website is hosted with us. This shows you when people visited and from where, what browsers they use and much much more. We can also incorporate more advanced statistic applications such as Google analytics and others.
Promotion FAQ
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Will my web site be listed in major search engines like Google and Yahoo?
Yes, we will submit you to the major search engines as part of our initial development service. If you are interested in enhancing your site’s placement in the search engine results, you should consider one of The MultMedia Factory’s Search Engine Optimization packages, or one of our internet promotion strategies.
Does The MultMedia Factory provide search engine marketing services?
At The MultMedia Factory, we can help your internet marketing in a number of ways. Ranging from internal and external search engine optimization techniques, to email marketing campaigns, to manged sponsored link campaigns, to a number of other techniques we’ve developed and used over the years.
Maintenance FAQ
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Web site Maintenance refers to changes made to your web site after the initial design. Keeping a web site up-to-date is essential in having repeat visitors to your site. Updating the site with sales, newsletters, press releases, financial figures and links are all examples of web site Maintenance.
The Internet is a dynamic environment and stale web sites just get passed over. Your site needs to change regularly to keep visitors coming back. Three options are:
- We build a database driven site where you can edit your own content. Initially more expensive, but free of any ongoing maintenance costs. This option is best for medium to larger websites or any website where content is to change frequently.
- Our programmers and designers perform changes for you. This is based on a fixed hourly rate billed in quarter hour increments.
- You can update the site yourself with web editing software and little training. You will need to purchase software such as Macromedia Contribute for about $149.
If you already have a web site but your business does not have the time to take care of keeping the web site maintained. We offer daily, weekly, and monthly updates. Contact us to arrange a custom web site maintenance contract that suits your company
Contract & Payment FAQ
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How does payment work?
A 50% deposit will be due upon the signing of the contract. The remaining balance will be required once the site is complete and we have your final approval. Once final payment is received, we will upload your site to the internet.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards including: Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover.
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