Web Design

How much will it cost to get a web site designed?

Every web design project is unique - and the final cost of a site depends on many different things: the amount of content, what features it needs to have, if there is any custom programming, etc...

The following rough guide may help to give some budgetary figures to work with:

All web sites will require hosting and a domain - both of which can be obtained from literally thousands of different providers on-line - domain registration should cost under $20 per year and good quality hosting usually costs around $10-15 per month.

Simple sites start around $1100 which includes the design, XDe core and assistance with content loading.

More robust sites including additional modules or content loading and typically start around $1300

Huge corporate sites that require new development and extensive customization can run into the thousands.

Sites where the design is already complete and only require a re-coding to take advantage of PawPrint´s extensive XDe library and for search engine optimization can cost as little as $600 However, with the pace at which design trends change it´s usually advisable to consider a redesign if you´re upgrading your web site.

In the end there are just so many options and different needs that we recommend you contact PawPrint for a detailed quote catered to your specific project. We are pleased to provide not only budget figures but also general information that may help you choose exactly what you need. A consultation won´t cost you a penny and we´re always happy to discuss your web site and what might work best for you.

Do you host web sites?

No, PawPrint does not want to host your web site! Why? because we want to concentrate our efforts on designing the best possible web site for you - leaving the hosting to experts in that field.

To give your web site more buzz! We have chosen the services of Canadian owned and operated Dark French Host as our provider of choice. Through a close partnership with Dark French Host, PawPrint can directly access servers: streamlining implementation times for our customers. Dark French Host also closely monitors their servers, providing 24/7 support and a low site load on each server - ensure your web site remains fast and on-line all the time!

PawPrint.net has chosen to partner with Dark French Host to provide world class hosting solutions to our customers - because we believe it is the best hosting service currently available!

Do I need to pay extra for SEO for my web site?

We don´t think so...

Many web design firms advertise SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as an additional service for an added cost. At PawPrint we believe that a web site should be optimized for search engines by design and not as an option. This is part of the reason we code all our sites by hand, and employ custom written code that randomly rotates your keywords throughout the web site every time a page is loaded (not just in the meta tags - which are frequently ignored by search engines now) This, combined with the fact that our sites are standards compliant, accessible - providing RDF and GIS data in the header, and a free regular search engine submission regiment, all ensure that sites achieve a top ranking. We do not charge anything extra for this service as it is an integral part of creating a successful web site - which is our ultimate goal.

But a truly successful Internet marketing campaign requires more then just optimization, it requires a commitment to keep the site current, provide useful content, and respond to customer needs and concerns - for details about a complete Internet marketing plan please review our primer entitled "Building Web Site Success"

Are your pages standards compliant?

At PawPrint we believe in standards, but not at the cost of function or design. This page, for example, is totally standards compliant and yet will still display even in non-compliant browsers. In fact, all our sites are verified using the W3C verification tools and include search engine submission and tailoring. We endeavor to meet the Priority 1 and, wherever possible, Priority 2 and/or 3 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as specified by the W3C.

Do you have any completed web sites I can look at?

Certainly - just check out our web design portfolio for many examples of projects completed by PawPrint

Do you offer Search Engine Optimization services?

Many web design firms advertise SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as an additional service for an added cost. At PawPrint we believe that a web site should be optimized for search engines by design and not as an option.  

Effectively, this means building the web site correctly in the first place - rather then charging extra to fix it after the fact.

This is part of the reason we code all our sites by hand, and employ custom written code that randomly rotates your keywords throughout the web site every time a page is loaded (not just in the meta tags - which are frequently ignored by search engines now) This, combined with the fact that our sites are standards compliant, providing RDF and GIS data in the header, and a free regular search engine submission regiment, all ensure that sites achieve a top ranking. We do not charge anything extra for this service as it is an integral part of creating a successful web site - which is our ultimate goal.

Do you provide training?

PawPrint always provides training and consultation both during and after the development process to ensure our customer is comfortable with all aspects of our software and is pleased with the design, function, and user interface for the site. We also provide various sign-off points during the design and development phases to ensure there are no surprises throughout the project completion process.

Training for the prime-contact/owner for any site we design is always included - but if required we have provided on training courses for larger groups for an additional charge.

Are you familiar with the book <name of internet related book here> and if so, what are your thoughts on it?

Probably not...

In general - as printed books take about 2 years to create and subsequently go to press; and taking into account the speed of the evolution of the Internet: We usually ignore all books about it - as they are invariably out of date long before they even go to press.

Over the years (now over a decade) We have always found everything necessary to know about the net and its associated technologies was to be found on the net itself.  That is where we would recommend that you start.

In fact, you´ll probably find that most all you need to know is already available in our resources section along with these FAQs - and then beyond that you can always ask us questions.

Should a home page have a unique design, compared to the rest of the site?

We don´t think so - there are several reasons for this:

1) it confuses visitors - many people don´t know where they want to go when they first get to a web site - so they look at the navigation and choose several options and then click on what they feel is the most likely - if the navigation remains the same throughout the entire site - they can continue from where they are rather then going back to the navigation they already know - OR - depending on the person they may choose to look at the new nav and instead choose new options - this can lead to a less pleasuring navigational experience for site visitors because it slows down their progress. In extreem cases it can even cause a fair bit of frustration.

2) It limits the site´s ability to grow and expand. For example, PawPrint now has code that allows the navigation to be built from the database - that means that if all the pages are the same - the Administrator can control navigation site-wide without the need to bring back in the designer. If the home page is different, then you would need to bring the designer back to implement separate changes there.

3) False sense of design control - the assumption with a "home page" being different is that it is the first thing people will see - where in effect the home page is often not the page people see when they arrive on the site. Typically, only those people that knew and typed in the URL will arrive on the home page, whereas most visitors who have just searched will arrive directly somewhere deeper inside the site. Changing the design of the home page really makes little sense when this is considered.

Do I need to learn HTML to use a content management system?

Not normally.
PawPrint´s XDe based content management system can be used by anyone and is as simple as ´copy and paste´ from any word-processing package. However, if you do know HTML you can use code or a modified code called bbText that is a simplified coding structure.

Flexibility is key - and PawPrint tries to provide as many options as possible - you can even mix and match different formats on a single page.

If you need more information - please contact us for details.

Should I have background music on my web site?

Absolutly not! Here are the top ten reasons why (we could probably provide many more and some supporting evidence if necessary...)


#1 - Surveys indicate that the majority of people hate (not dislike but absolutely HATE) music on web pages and will immediately leave the page: why? because the page is forcing something upon them (it´s like SPAM or pop-up ads and it feels a bit like having your system violated) A web page should be about answering people´s questions not imposing multimedia content. It can feel like an arrogant assertion that we know what you want better then you do yourself.

#2 - It can be very annoying. If someone just wants to know how to order a product or service, or wants to review something they liked and it is the 14th time they have been to the site - they don´t want to hear the same piece of music over again.

#3 - It can crash some computer systems - especially those that are older or if the system is running low on memory.

#4 - Some corporate networks block all multimedia content and this can cause your site to be rejected entirely as a security/policy violation

#5 - Your site traffic will go through the roof - wav or mp3 files are typically 10-50 times larger then regular web content (pictures) - so expect your bandwidth to increase exponentially - you will probably exceed your limits with your web host and need to pay extra for it. The other option: midi files sound very amateurish and can change depending on the computer being used to play them back.

#6 - It makes your web site look old and out of date - music on sites was very popular in the 90´s - to the point of being a bit of a fad. Adding it now - will make a web site look that old.

#7 - It will slow down the web site - as the large file loads when the page is first accessed.

#8 - Audio can confuse screen reading software for the visually impaired.

#9 - Your music can interfere with music someone is already listening to - also in the very annoying category.

#10 - People browsing at work (or other places where they are not ´supposed to be´) will usually exit the site immediately to avoid being "caught"

I am looking to create and/or publish advertising for the net - what are the standard sizes?

There are several standard ad content sizes - we have a list sorted by standard type. If you stick to the standards you should be able to sell and publish more ads then if you elect to use a custom size: Standard Internet Ad Sizes