Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How much does a web site cost?
A: Each website designed by ConvergeFx is custom tailored to the business, so we don't have a "cookie-cutter" answer to this question. Prices for web design can range anywhere from $600 and up for a 3 page HTML site. We also added a 1-page brochure site, starting at $199 for design, to our service offerings. This allows you to start small and expand the site later as your small business grows. See our Fees page for more information on pricing.

There are many factors that determine the total cost of your website, including:

• number of pages and functionality required on each page
• extent of graphic and/or logo design required
• use of e-commerce
• website hosting
• website maintenance
• domain name registration

Q: How much will it cost to talk to ConvergeFx about designing a website?
A: An initial consultation is free (up to 2 hours). After discussing your needs we are usually able to come up with a high-level estimate of charges. A detailed estimate and proposal can be drawn up after the detailed requirements have been discussed.

Q: How long will it take to have my site designed?
A: Each site is different. The amount of time it takes to complete depends on the size and complexity of the site, and the speed with which the client and ConvergeFx move through the web design process.

Q: What is a domain name and how do I register one?
A: What exactly IS a domain name? It looks like this: www.yourdomain.com
The www part (World Wide Web) is automatic. The middle part (yourdomain) is the unique name that you will register for your website. The last part (.com) is the domain suffix. Other possible suffixes are .org, .net, .biz, .edu or .gov. The .com suffix is by far the most popular. The .edu and .gov suffixes are not available to everyone. Some businesses like to register many permutations of their domain name…for example, if their website was at www.ourbiz.com, they might also register www.ourbiz.net and www.ourbiz.biz and have the secondary domains redirected to their primary .com site. The advantages of this are twofold: 1) it allows visitors to get to your site even if they make a mistake typing in the URL 2) it prevents another business or entity from registering a domain name similar to yours; this is especially important if the name would be desirable to a competitor.

Keep in mind that your domain name is more than just your address on the web. It is also a form of marketing in itself. The domain name should be easy to remember and reflect the personality of your business if at all possible.

Time is of the essence when it comes to registering a domain name. If you wait, somebody else might snatch it right out from under you.

Your first step should be to check www.uspto.gov under the trademark search section to be sure your domain name won’t infringe on a registered trademark or service mark. Omit the suffix and the www when doing this search. For example, if you are researching www.mybiz.com, do the search on “mybiz” only since it is the portion of the URL that could infringe on a trade name. What is a trademark? A word, phrase or symbol that identifies a brand, such as Dell computers, Chevrolet, or Coca Cola. What is a service mark? A word, phrase, or symbol that identifies the provider of a service, such as Pizza Hut or Best Buy.

After verifying that you are not infringing on a trademark, check to see if the domain is available. You can do this at www.networksolutions.com or any other domain name registrar. If the name is available, you can register it by entering your billing information. You can register for a year or multiple years. Fees vary by domain registrars. If you register the domain for one year and then forget to renew after a year is up, somebody can register the domain name as their own. If the name is not available, try using a different suffix. For example, if you wanted www.mystuff.com and it’s taken, try www.mystuff.biz or www.mystuff.net instead. Another option is to vary the name a bit. For example, you could use www.my-stuff.com instead.

To make it easier for you, ConvergeFx offers domain name registration services.

Q: How long does it take a newly registered domain name to be active?
A: It normally takes 24 to 48 hours for a new domain name to propagate.

Q: What if my business is located in another state? Shouldn't I use a local web design firm instead of ConvergeFx?
A: We can create websites for clients all over the United States. Information can be exchanged via phone, email or fax no matter where the client is located. Operating out of a "virtual office" helps us keep costs and overhead down and pass the savings on to you.

Q: Does ConvergeFx have a referral program?
A: Yes. Our clients can receive discounts on their own monthly fees by referring new web design clients. Discounts will be given at the time of the new client's site launch with ConvergeFx, LLC.

Q: How do I set up my email accounts?
A: Here are the basic email client settings:

• POP3 & SMTP Mail Servers: mail.yourdomainname.com
• UserID: user@yourdomainname.com
• Password: your password

To access mail using Webmail: http://yourdomainname.com:2095
When the login prompt comes up, enter your full email address as the user name and then your password.

To set up in Microsoft Outlook Express:

1. Open Outlook Express
2. Go to Tools / Accounts
3. Click Add / Mail...
4. Enter your name
5. Next enter your e-mail address
6. Select POP3 as the server type from the drop-down menu. The incoming mail server should be in the format "mail.yourdomainname.com". The outgoing mail server should also be in the "mail.yourdomainname.com". Click Next.
7. Enter your account name (same as your domain name), then enter your password. Click Next.
8. Click Finish.

Q: What is web hosting?
A: Hosting is storage of a website's HTML documents, graphics, and other files on a web server. The files are made available on the World Wide Web for viewing by the public.

Q: How do I transfer my existing hosting account to a ConvergeFx hosting account?
A: Important: Do not discontinue service with your current host until your new account is set up (as guided below). Follow these steps to ensure zero downtime:

1) Do not change your nameservers yet and do not discontinue your current web host yet.

2) When you establish a hosting account with ConvergeFx, LLC you will be given all of your account information via an activation email. You will then be able to access your new account via the server IP address or by using the client Control Panel. Upload all of your web files to your new hosting account via FTP, File Manager in the Client Control Panel, or whatever your preferred method may be.

3) Go to your domain registrar and change your name servers to those that are mentioned in your activation email.

4) Within 24-72 hours, your site will be updated worldwide. Although you may be able to see your website on your new server within possibly 12 hours, please allow a complete 72 hour cycle before you discontinue your old host. This is necessary because it does take time for the change to propagate completely around the entire world wide web.

Q: How can I create an effective banner ad?
A: Here are some tips for creating effective banner ads:

• Define the goal of your ad. Some possibilities are to increase brand awareness, to sell products online, to generate qualified leads, or to generate traffic to your website. The design of your ad should vary depending on which of these is your primary goal. If brand awareness is your goal, your logo, company name, and URL should be the most prominent features of your banner ad. If you want to sell your products online, you need a fast message that will create need in the viewer.
• Define your target audience. Who is the ideal customer for your product or service? Design the ad with them in mind, in terms of your message, use of color, font, images and animation, etc.
• Develop your pitch. Your banner ad is like a billboard on the Information Highway. Whatever your pitch may be, it must be short, simple and to the point. You only have about 8 to 10 seconds to grab the visitors attention, and you want them to take a specific action. Remember to keep your target audience in mind and use language that speaks to them. Using a question (such as "Wish you had more free time?") or a catchy phrase (such as "There's no place like home") that relates to your product or service is a good way to initiate interaction with the visitor. Using fewer words and a larger font adds impact to your message.
• Keep file size low so your banner loads quickly.
• Use the same look and feel as you do on your website and other promotional materials. This helps promote brand awareness and prevents confusion.
• There are several animation guidelines to keep in mind: Keep the speed of the animation moderate...if it's too fast it will annoy the visitor. Use a maximum of 5 frames in your animation so that your whole message has time to be viewed. Loop your animation no more than 3 times...again this relates to the annoyance factor.
• Sometimes less is more. Don't clutter the ad with too many images, words or colors, or your message may get lost.
• Include a specific call to action so the visitor has no question about what to do next. You could use underlined blue text to simulate a link, or a button shape that says "Click here". Once the visitor clicks your banner ad, they should be taken to the specific page on your website that will meet the goal of your ad. For example, if you are trying to get subscribers for your monthly e-newsletter, you would want the visitor to be brought straight to your opt-in form instead of dumping them on your home page and making them hunt for it. Chances are they will get frustrated and move on. If your goal is brand awareness, it may make sense to deliver the visitor to your home page.

Contact us with additional questions or to set up your initial consultation.