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Building Your Website
The process has started and the creation of your website has begun, but you may have a few questions. Below are a selection of the questions most frequently asked when we start a website development project.
What happens next? What’s the plan?
Once your deposit has been received, our designers will start by making a mock-up of your site. This is usually in the form of a static image. It will show the proposed graphical style of the site and how it will be laid out. Once any amendments have been made, you are happy and the ‘proof’ has been signed off (this should be done either in writing or via e-mail), our developers will move on to constructing the site. This next step will involve the hand-coding of individual pages into HTML. Plus any bespoke programming that is necessary.
At this stage we are ready to accept content for your site. This including any photography and copy, so that it can be built into the site. There is more on how to supply content later on in this guide.
Once the site has been built, you will have the opportunity to browse through the site (on our test server) to give a final check over. A final stage of amendments can be made, after which we will set the site live on your chosen domain. Whilst we do our utmost to ensure all details and content is correct on your web site it is also worthwhile having a read through yourself once the site goes live.
How long will it be until my site goes live?
For a complete website we are currently working to approximate lead times of 4-8 weeks, from client sign-up until launch, although this depends on the size of the project, the work involved and how quickly content is received. Should you require work to be completed sooner, please contact our sales team to discuss the options that are available to you.
How can I help ensure that things go smoothly?
To help our developers complete your website with minimal delays, content should be provided as early in the project as possible. This includes imagery and copy for all planned pages. We would also recommend having a very clear idea of how you would like your website to look and function before work is started, we can help you with planning at this stage. Although changes are possible at every stage, additions to the original specification along the way may delay progress and incur extra cost. Delays in payment of your deposit or the interim payment during the project can also hold things up.
You can read more on how to ensure your project runs smoothly in this article.
How should I supply content for my new website?
All content should be provided in electronic format where possible. Images/text should either be e-mailed to us or sent through on a CD (or similar). Please be sure to contact us by phone when you have sent your content so that we know to expect something from you by whichever method you have chosen to send it.
What about domain names?
If your new website requires a brand-new domain registering, providing it is available, we will register that for you at the start of the project. Our hosting package includes the registration of one .co.uk or .com domain in your company name for a period of 1 year.
If you have an existing website, or currently have domains registered with another host, you will need to contact them directly to arrange transfer of the domain. In the case of a .co.uk, a letter or fax on company headed paper asking for the domain TAG to be changed to ‘BFINTERNET’ will usually suffice. For a .com request, it is usually best to contact your current host. Ask them about their procedure for doing this (as this may involve paper work to authorise the transfer.)
Before you contact your current host to proceed with transferring a domain, please notify us by phone or e-mail of your plans. That way we can prepare our servers, copy any existing files and generally make the transfer as smooth as possible.
What about e-mail?
Once your domain has been setup with us, e-mail can either be forwarded on to an existing address, or a POP3 account can be created and set up on your computer (our preferred method). If you require POP3 accounts creating on our server, please contact us via phone or e-mail. A guide to configuring your computer to receive POP e-mail can be found here. If you have an internal e-mail server at your office, then please let us know with details of this and we can take this into account when setting up your domain.
What other services do BFI offer?
In addition to website design and business hosting, BFI offers a full print design service; from designing your next brochure to a full branding package for your new business venture. BFI can also provide a wide range of digital marketing services, including SEO, social media, content marketing and email marketing.
