The main in-house creative service from ★webstar is all about creating and presenting online content.
Dealing with short...
Three Seconds. A site has to look appealing at first glance and load in super-fast time. If your visitor experiences unnecessary content or heavy load times, they may already be twitching and ready to move on.
...attention spans
The information must be organised and easy to reach. Graphics, photography, and video should look professional and consider the user experience. Text content (the copy) should be accurate, easy to read, and to the point.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization. This deals with how people find websites. Search engines (such as Google) automatically index web pages. They access sites, read the text content, and decide how relevant the content would be to a person searching for particular words or subjects. This information is displayed as search results, and ranked in order of perceived relevance.
Is it necessary?
It's likely that a site will be indexed whether you do any SEO or not. Optimisation is the process of tweaking website content to make it as relevant as possible with the aim of jumping over similar websites in the search results. The top of the first page of search results is as far as many users go. The aim is to appear on page one at least.
Optimizing your site for search means you can get the most out of your online efforts and begin to set targets and receive some measurable traffic.
What is SEM?
Search Engine Marketing. This builds on SEO by adding paid advertising offered by the search engines and social media outlets. The creation of content specifically for focussed marketing purposes can also come under the term SEM.
Is it necessary?
This kind of marketing is often used in highly competitive market places such as online stores. It can also be used to boost a new site when launched or to push a promotion. Paid advertising can get you in the search results right away, whereas SEO is more of an organic process.
Traffic value
Generating a lot of traffic, or friends or followers is great, but a couple of questions should be kept in mind - is it the right kind of traffic, and how much of it is likely to turn into customers or useful contacts?
Be aware before you pay
Hiring SEO services or paying for SEM can be daunting. Some understanding is vital if you don't want to get lost in a world of data and gobbledegeek.
Armed with a little knowledge, you can ask the right questions before you hire, and have an idea about correct procedures and what the outcome should be.
★webstar follows guidelines outlined by the search providers themselves, and uses professional software for research to ensure sites are as productive and as search friendly as possible. We don't use guess-work or create useless traffic. We research and monitor.
★webstar highly recommends that you get up to speed with a visit to the sharp end of things. Go to Google's guide for a full overview of what SEO is, what to look for, and more importantly - what to avoid.
www.your-own-domain-name.com
Domain Registration. The first step is to secure your online identity. This involves registering a web address (a domain). This usually reflects your business or project name, followed by a dot and a reference indicating intention or country of origin. Many companies register a .com as it is the most common and represents a commercial entity. Some also register a country specific domain such as .co.uk to protect their brand locally (and to stop others registering it). Other top-level domains are also available, and can describe what you are about such as .shop, .online, .blog, and many more.
email @ your-own-domain-name.com
A domain can be used to run your own independent email accounts instead of relying on third-party providers. These accounts use your domain name as a reference, and you can set-up your own mailboxes to give professional email addresses and services. Mail is stored on your own hosting and/or on your own devices if you install email software.
Example: you can use YourName@your-own-domain-name.com instead of YourName@gmail.com or YourName@yahoo.com
You can also configure and synchronize mail for all your devices, or check mail online using webmail.
★webstar can register a domain for you and provide email settings. We highly recommend that you talk to us before registering a new domain name.
Hosting - A home for your website
High-spec computers run by hosting companies are configured for the purpose of hosting and serving files online, and are connected all the time. You can rent space on these hosting servers. Your website files can then be uploaded to your space which connects to your own domain name. Site visitors connect to your website using the domain name through a secure connection (https). The inclusion of the 's' and a padlock icon in your browser bar, means the connection is protected from prying eyes as the information travels between the online source and you.
★webstar offers managed and secure hosting services that are run and maintained by a professional third party hosting provider to ensure the very best for our clients.
Website Construction
★webstar offers fast loading, mobile-first responsive templates using the Bootstrap framework (this site is based on Bootstrap 5), or database driven CMS sites with user administration, such as WordPress and Joomla.
We don't just use templates.
★webstar brings years of coding experience to the development process. We have full html5 and CSS3 capabilities and can produce original code that validates and follows W3C guidelines.
We run our own in-house test projects that are designed to push what is effective and possible in terms of site design. We also test third party version upgrades and developments before offering them to our clients.
Website Content
Video production, photography, graphic design, stock images, branding, location maps, contact forms, site maps, content structure, and copywriting are all elements that need consideration in terms of content creation.
You will also need to consider legal aspects such as a privacy policy and compliance with EU law (GDPR) regarding the use of cookies - especially if you intend to run a store, run on-site advertising, or plan to collect data from site visitors. More information and useful links can be found in our cookie policy.
The Cost
Adding or writing content is typically subject to hourly rates to keep things flexible. The final cost depends on the amount of content, the format of any provided content, and if new content has to be created from scratch.
Great content along with ongoing updates is the key to a successful site. These days, many businesses opt for websites based on Content Management Systems (CMS) as this reduces or removes construction costs, and frees-up budgets for a focus on content creation.
Website Content Management Systems (CMS) are secure and robust enough for professional application, and are now widely used online by everyone from small businesses, to online stores and big brand names. This means you can deploy a tried and tested website template without commissioning any bespoke coding - everything runs right out of the box.
New installations are rapid, and applications include online administration areas that remove the need for most of the skills associated with website construction and maintenance. Easy-to-use interfaces help with adding and managing content, and various add-ons are available for a more customizable site.
The good news is that CMS sites such as WordPress and Joomla are distributed under a free public license, and are supported and regularly updated in terms of security. New versions and bug fixes are ongoing and also free. If there is a downside, it's that you need to understand how admin works in terms of controlling features and content, and the best practices for maintenance and security.
Add style with a theme
Once a CMS website is installed, the next step is to apply style and format. A theme is a set of files designed to work with CMS sites. A theme typically takes care of colour schemes, navigation, and how things look. They are are often configured with a particular use in mind such as real estate, restaurants, printshops, and business services to name only a few. If the free or default CMS themes are not to your taste, professional themes are available from various outlets, with many offered at under 100 USD.
To get an idea, you can take a look at a few of the thousands of available themes. WordPress offers a selection, or you can search for commercial theme providers (use the keywords 'WordPress Theme' or 'Joomla Theme').
Themes from WordPressCommercial Themes
Choose a theme you like.
If you plan to work with ★webstar, we recommend that you talk to us before purchasing a theme to ensure it's suitable, stable, and has some kind of support. Alternatively, we can suggest possible themes to suit your needs and purchase them on your behalf.
★webstar can then apply the theme to your CMS website. Your site will then look and behave as the theme you selected, and is ready for your content.
★webstar.design can connect everything together for you and set-up your complete online presence ready for business.
Complete support packages include the following :
Advice and help about :
Adding your content :
Some elements are free :
Note: Set-up charges apply if you opt for us to install and configure CMS site files (recommended)
One-time charges :
Subject to recurring fees (yearly in most cases) :
Subject to hourly rates :
Some SEM elements are payable to third parties :
Don't abandon your website after launch, or default to using social media as your only update source. Use social media and SEO to build website traffic and get your own domain name and email out there instead. Use your website to inform and update your visitors and keep your homepage active.
CMS provides an easy way for businesses to do this in-house, or we can maintain or suggest content for you, and help with ongoing content such as promotions, features, or news items.
Keep things fresh
How many times could you visit your own homepage without getting bored of seeing the same thing? Your visitors feel the same. Give them a reason to keep visiting if this is your aim, or refresh your content from time-to-time to keep things moving.
Our service is professional, consistent, and friendly. We are open and honest about how we do things, and value the security and privacy of our clients. If you would like more information, or have a project in mind, please feel free to contact us via websites at webstar.design
