Frequently Asked Questions.
Q: I have a site already - can I get Clarica to redesign it?
A. Yes! We are happy to talk with you about redesigning your existing site. However, because web design standards have changed over time, depending on the age of your site and your current needs, it might be faster, cheaper and give you a better result if we create a new website for you using current standards-based design.
Q: I'm not sure what should be included on my website. Can you give me some advice?
A. Absolutely. Most of our clients are experts in fields other than web marketing, web design, usability and copywriting, so we have prepared some resources to help our clients through the process of developing the content for their website. If you prefer to have Clarica write the copy for you, we offer copywriting services at an affordable price.
Q: Do I get a copy of all the files for my website?
A: Yes.
Q: Will I be locked into a long term contract or a technology other designers will be unable to work with?
A. Not at all. We code your website using xhtml and css and we're careful to make sure that our work is W3C standards compliant. Any good web designer who also uses standards-based design should be able to understand our code and update your website. We don't try to lock you into any long term contracts. We prefer to keep you as a client by completing work that really helps you to market and grow your business. Our aim is that you will come back to Clarica for more advanced services when you need them because you value what we offer.
Q: I've seen websites designed in Flash. Do you design your websites in Flash?
We offer flash design services but we also strongly recommend only using flash for things like galleries, banner ads, feature boxes and other appropriate applications. Whilst it is common to build whole websites using flash technlogy we strongly recommend against this if you ever want your site to be found on search engines. Our main goal is to help you market your business to as many potential customers as possible. The difficulty with Flash is that it makes it hard for search engines and potential customers with slow connections or with some disabilities to get the benefit of viewing your site. Many people also turn flash and javascript off so that they are not annoyed by all the jumping, flashing advertisements that you see on some websites. Search engines and screen readers (for visitors with a visual impairment) can't interpret words embedded in pictures or Flash. We've found that a fast loading, pure xhtml and css website is easy to use, accessible for screen readers, easy to update by any designer and search engine friendly, making it easier for you to use it as a marketing tool for your business. There are some really useful applications of Flash technology (design portfolios are an example), but we always encourage you to consider very carefully the usability, accessibility and search-engine friendliness of your site before making Flash a component of your site.
Q: Will I be able to make changes to my site once the design has been completed?
A: Yes. If you would like to make changes yourself we can show you some open source tools you can download for free that will help you to make updates to your site. If you would prefer us to make the changes for you, our hourly rate is very affordable and we bill in 15 minute increments, so you won't be charged for a whole hour for minor edits. If you anticipate you will need to make frequent changes to your website and will need more than one one staff member to have the ability to update the website, ask us about establishing a Content Management System (CMS) for your website as part of a custom design.