FAQ
Q. How much does it cost to have a website built for my business?
A. Without being coy, that is like asking "How much does it cost to buy a car?" That depends on whether you want a Prius or a Mercedes. Fortunately, unlike many big design houses, having a website built for your business by MultiCoastMedia will cost you nowhere near the price of a car. We offer comprehensive packages that cover needs from only a few pages to social media management and video needs. Our basic package starts at $599 and provides the first page of beautiful content.
Q. Isn't that a lot of money for a website?
A. No, actually it's one of the most competitive rates you will find. Think about it this way... $599 can buy you a few radio spots on a local station for a month, and that will reach only those who listen to that one station. $599 can buy you a spot in the local paper for a month, and I will reach only those who read that paper. Or, $599 can buy you a website that is available to the entire world. A recent report that states that 80% of people in United States use the Internet. Even if you only have local customers that's 80% of your local area covered. There isn't a better advertising value for your money.
Q. Can't I just build a website myself?
A. Yes, you can. You can also build a car yourself if you order all the parts. But would you want to drive that car? Will you want to put up that website? As a professional, your time is worth money. The fact is, you will make more money by doing what you do best, your business and letting us do what we do best, building websites.
Q. But I saw an ad that said GoDaddy was offering websites for $2.99 a month! Is that legit?
A. (...Chuckle, Clear throat) Ok, here's the deal. That $2.99 is an "introductory" offer for the cheapest level of hosting only. That does not pay for any of the services listed under our "What you get" section. It buys you a few months of a server (computer) with nothing on it, that you share with many other websites, all competing for bandwidth, ready to show that nothing to the world for you. If you want a website, you'll notice how quickly all of the GoDaddy add-ons add up. Very quickly, you're paying what you would pay MultiCoastMedia to build one, when you factor in the time and money you've lost not caring for your own business.
Q. What is my monthly subscription paying for?
A. First and most importantly it pays for reliable hosting. In other words, the multiple server computers that deliver your website to your customers. They need to be running perfectly 24/7, or someone may never get to see your website.
Second, it pays for maintenance. Suppose your site goes down through no fault of your own. Who will fix it? Your subscription covers that.
In addition, your subscription covers SEO, which stands for search engine optimization. Your website maybe live, but how do you know people can find it on Google and other search engines? Your subscription covers continuous maintenance and behind the scenes tweaks that help your site be found by all major search engines. We're like a cheerleader for your website. In addition, you'll receive a monthly report via email to let you know how your site is doing.
Q. Suppose I want you to build a website for me, how does the process work?
A. First we talk with you either by phone, video conference or in person to determine the needs of your business. That includes getting a feel for the concept of your business, your goals, and just simply what design language you like.
If you have asked for help with your business branding, we will start designing a logo, company colors, company fonts, all with your continual input.
Then we provide two possible web design mock-ups that represent what your new website could look like.
When we settle on a design that you like, we start the build-out process, filling your new design with content; descriptive words, pictures and video.
Finally, we link all of your social media together with your new site and launch it to the world, attaching it to your new or existing domain name.
Q. Will my website be visible to someone using an iPhone, Android phone, or Windows phone? And what about iPads and Surface tablets? Will my website look good on those too?
A. Yes. Every website MultiCoastMedia designs includes either a mobile site or responsive design, which is a fancy way of saying it "looks good on everything"! Making a website work on everything does require extra design time, but all of this comes at no extra charge.
Q. My cousin who's good with computers said MultiCoastMedia just dumps pictures and text into a Wordpress template. Is that true?
A. No. While we proudly use Wordpress for some of our sites, we use a variety of technologies to achieve your desired results. Whatever the technology used, we NEVER just dump text and pictures into anything. Every site is custom designed to meet the unique needs of YOUR business.
Q. What happens if I decide to use someone else for my website? Am I locked into your service for a period of time?
A. There are never any contracts or limitations in going elsewhere. You may cancel your subscription at any time. Your domain name, i.e. "yourbusiness.com" is 100% yours and goes with you. If we designed a logo for you, it is 100% yours. And if we took custom photographs of your products or place of business they are always yours to keep.
Q. How do I know that I can trust MultiCoastMedia to handle the web needs of my business?
A. Look at our portfolio. Read our testimonials. If you're still not sure, drop us an email, or give us a call. You'll quickly get the sense that we are honest people trying to fill a need that many small businesses have. And it works out in our favor as well! And rest assured, we are never too prideful to tell you that we are not the right fit for your business if that is the case.
Q. What if I really, really want to build my own website? Do you have any suggestions on builders that make it easier?
Sure, there are plenty of great resources out there if you are prepared to put the time and energy into it. We recommend Wix and Squarespace as two of the best do-it-yourself web builders out there. In fact, if your dead set on do-it-yourself, you can get started here. We would also be happy to provide consultation on customizing an otherwise unoriginal web template that Weebly or Squarespace may provide..