Website Development: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my existing domain name (e.g., VISTECH.com) for my new site?
Our technicians will work with you to reuse your existing domain name with the newly developed website.

How do I obtain a new domain name?
We will work with you to select and acquire a new domain name.

Can you help me improve my existing site?
Websites are powerful tools for building relationships with your customers. We can help you to redesign your website so that it reaches its fullest potential.

What is my level of involvement throughout the development process?
Feel free to be as involved as you wish. We welcome your input.

In what format should I submit materials for my website?
You can either send your images and documents as attachments via email, or you can mail them on a disk. Please make sure images are in .jpeg or .gif formats.

Can I monitor the progress while you are working on my site?
You will actually have two websites—a test website and a production website. During the development phase, you will have access to the test website in order to periodically review its progress. After the site “goes live,” the test site will be used to review scheduled updates, as required, prior to moving these updates to the production site.

How long will it take for my site to be up and running?
Our development process can be broken down into two phases. The first phase consists of gathering requirements, which will involve a minimal amount of your time. The second phase consists of constructing the information architecture of the site, and proceeding to development. The duration of this process tends to be a month.

What is website architecture?
Website architecture is the art and science of constructing websites. Just as building architects use blueprints to plan and design structures, we will use tools to plan and design your website.

Where is the website hosted?
We recommend VISTECH hosting services. Many of our clients host their websites with us and our sites are generally formatted with our FREE Content Admin updating system. Though it is important to note you the client are the owners of the domain name, webs pages, content, and images, our sites are designed to be linked to the online management system that is solely owned by VISTECH. In order for this function to operate, the website would need to be hosted with our company. In the event your intentions are to host the site elsewhere, we can accommodate that option, as long as this decision was conveyed before the delivery of the formalized quote.

Will my site be compatible with all browsers?
We thoroughly test all sites using Microsoft Internet Explorer, and conduct a basic review of functionality using various other web browsers.  If you have a specific requirement, just let us know.

How do I get my website listed on popular search engines?
Once it is on the Internet, your website will automatically be listed with search engines. However, getting your website to show up first on the Google results list takes a lot of work, so we have an add-on program that can be purchased to enhance the ranking of your listing.

What aspects of the site do I own?
The domain name and the content, including any logos or pictures, belong to you. You should know that certain features of the site are supported by software licensed in our hosting environment. If you decide to move your site to a different hosting environment, you will need to acquire licenses for this software.

What if I want to make changes to my site?
While aspects of the website supported by Administrative Web Pages allow you to make changes directly, those which are not will require our assistance. Simply contact us with the changes you would like to make, and we will help you through the process.

How frequently should I update my site?
Depending on the content and purpose of your website, you might find it useful to update as infrequently as twice a year, or as regularly as twice a month. Fresh content is an important factor in ranking. So, if search engine optimization is one of your primary concerns, it is critical to put new information on your website as often as possible.

Can you associate an email account with my site?
We can set up several email addresses (e.g. sale@yourdomain.com) and program them to forward to your already existing personal email account.

Can you add credit card processing to my site?
We can certainly add this feature to your site provided that you already have a merchant account. A merchant account is one that is issued by a merchant processing bank that allows a business to accept credit cards.