Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do I need a website?
A. If you want to compete in today’s marketplace, you need a website, whether your customers live around the corner or around the world. Why do you need a website? Let us count the ways:

1) To expand your customer base.
2) To improve service to your current customers.
3) To help communicate what makes your business unique.
4) To provide 24-hour-a-day access to the information your
customers and prospects need.
5) To free up your staff’s time and resources.
6) To respond quickly and efficiently to your customers’
changing needs.
7) To increase your revenue if your site includes online ordering.
8) To enhance your credibility.
9) To compete with your competitors who already have a website.
10) To complement your current business and marketing strategy.

The professionals at Kesa Creative can help you determine if you need a website and, if so, how it can improve your business.

Q. What can I put on my website?
A. Your website should serve as a valuable resource for your target audience, whether you’re trying to reach customers, prospects, members, volunteers, government officials or community leaders. What you say, and how you say it, will determine visitors' impression of your site, and therefore, your company. It's crucial that you deliver a simple, compelling, unique marketing message. Many websites mistakenly focus exclusively on the company, its products and its services. While it’s important to communicate this information, your overall website content should reflect the needs of your target audience. When creating your website, ask yourself: “How does this benefit our website visitors? Why should visitors come to our site, and, more importantly, why should they come back?” To help your website achieve its communication goals, Kesa Creative offers the following content ideas as a starting point:

  • Company Information: company overview; management/key staff members; company history; awards; professional affiliations; directions to your facility; hours of operation; job postings; contests; product giveaways.; news announcements; contact information (address, phone, fax, e-mail).
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  • Marketing and Sales Information: calendar of events; special promotions and incentives; product description (text, pictures, videos); description of services; online catalog; samples of your work, product or services; customer testimonials; FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with answers; news releases and media contact information; forms (feedback, industry surveys, follow-up requests, order forms); list of resellers/distributors.
  • Customer Service Information: product usage tips; product updates; training resources; support telephone numbers; FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with answers; user manuals or instructions; diagrams and illustrations; forms (feedback, user surveys, referrals).
  • Other Information: You're limited only by your imagination 
    here, but keep your content relevant and useful to your website visitors. Consider these “value-added” content ideas for your website: links to related sites; research findings; resources (books, videos, industry contacts); industry trends and news; “Sneak Preview” section featuring soon-to-debut products or services; “client only” sections to view their individual accounts.

Finally, you want your website visitors to feel a sense of belonging when they visit your site. One way to accomplish this - create a sense of community by including content that encourages visitors to explore your site and come back for future visits. For instance, if you sell bicycles, your site could build community by providing maps to great bicycling routes; chat rooms for discussions about the most recent cycling issues and industry news; online calendars that list upcoming events and cycling trips; etc. This visitor-focused content encourages people to stay at your website longer and increases the chance that they'll come back frequently for updates. More importantly, your visitors might start telling their friends and family about your site, and before long, an online community will develop. 

Tip: Kesa Creative's writing and website development staff can help you create a site with content suitable for your particular industry.


Q: How much will a website cost?
A: Website designers and programmers set prices in a variety of ways. Some charge by the project, some by the hour, and some by the page. Hourly rates range from $40 to $125, depending on the experience level of the programmer/designer and the complexity of the project. The cheapest designers usually lack extensive experience, often have no programming background and are willing to take on their first clients at a discount rate in return for finished products to list on their resumes. You'll often find it more difficult to deal with such designers. Missed deadlines, oversights and mistakes are common complaints about these “cut rate” designers. Generally, prices range from about $500 for a simple “information-only” website up to several thousand dollars for a complex, interactive, fully-functional website. A good website site usually runs about $3000+. 

Tip: Kesa Creative employees are experienced writers and programmers who can create a professional site in a cost-effective manner. We've worked with a range of clients, from Fortune 100 companies to small, local non-profit organizations.

Q. Why doesn't your site use Macromedia's Flash?
A. Macromedia's Flash is a plug-in enhancement that will allow your website to use animations and presentations.  While there are some great sites out there using Flash (www.lexus.com), most of them overuse this medium to convey a simple message.  A recent survey estimates that almost 76% of the people will skip the Flash Intro when they visit a site.  Is this worth it?  Did they miss your message? When designing and implementing a site, it is important to remember that people who visit your site are looking for what is in it for them. They are interested in getting to information quickly and easily.  We advocate using Flash only when it enhances your message and does not hinder visitors from enjoying your site. We can help you determine and implement when and how you should use this rich medium.