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We answer your questions about web design, e-commerce, SEO, and website hosting.
Frequently asked questions.
Not Your Typical FAQ Page! We talk about your real concerns and provide answers to questions you genuinely want to know.
Not Your Average FAQ Page
We know what you’re thinking. Another boring FAQ page. One where they only answer the frequently asked questions that benefit the agency. e.g., “How can I work with you?” and “What was your favorite web design project?”
We like to do things differently. Our FAQ page isn’t your typical FAQ page. This FAQ is the type of FAQ where we discuss the REAL concerns you have. You’ll be able to find answers to questions that you genuinely want to know.
Web Design Questions
Our website packages usually range from $4,500 – $9,000. However, it really depends on what kind of website you need. A simple landing page costs about $1500, while a large business website with all the options can run $25,000 or more. We published a guide on how much it costs for a website to give you an idea of the different options available. You can also learn what your website or online store will cost by using our interactive website cost estimator.
The process we use to build your website takes a certain amount of time and a lot of planning and research. Unlike other agencies, we DON’T use templates. We build your website from scratch, which means you get a unique design tailored around your business.
Buying a website from us should not just simply be seen as a business expense as your website is a sales tool that should earn you money. Therefore, you should treat it like any other business investment.
Yep. We’ve also been asked that question as well. We’re typically cheaper than larger agencies because…
- We work remotely which means you don’t pay for a fancy office, designer water or foosball tables.
- We’re a small team who take on a limited amount of clients each year. All of us are focused on web design and related tasks. We manage our own projects and answer our own email. This helps us avoid unnecessary administrative costs.
It takes approximately 6-10 weeks to build a website from start to finish, providing we have all the information from you. Our full web design process is broken down here. Generally speaking, the website will only take a long time if we are still waiting for text and images from you.
Before we begin working together, we’ll usually have an initial chat on the phone or via Zoom to discuss the project. Once we get started, most of the communication will take place over email. This makes the process a lot easier as we’ll have all of the information saved and can come back to it later. Once we’ve finished the project, we will book your one-hour WordPress training session.
It really depends on what type of website or online store you want. We’ll be able to discuss this on our discovery call before we start working together. Depending on which package we agree on we may need…
- Your logo
- Any images and graphics you want to include on your website
- Content for the website e.g. text, PDFs, etc.
- Product images and descriptions
- Any videos you would like to add to your website
- Login details to your existing website
- Access to your email marketing and social media platforms
Some of this might already be on the existing website, in which case it can be transferred over to the new site.
We start our web design process by designing an initial version of your new site on our staging server. The initial design is usually limited to the home page and a few subpages. This is your opportunity to review the design on a number of devices and screen sizes and give us feedback.
Based on your feedback we will either modify the existing layout or create a completely new design. If you are still not happy with the design, we will go back to the discovery and strategy phase to see what we missed. If you don’t want to continue working with us you pay us for the work we did, and we part as friends.
Yes, we offer complete website support and maintenance services. We can arrange a maintenance package to suit your needs. This can range from 1hr per month to 10+ hours per month and we can discuss a package that’s right for you.
Yes. We want our clients to be able to update their websites themselves. We use the WordPress CMS and provide you with training and tools so you can add, edit, and delete content without paying us to do it for you.
When we design your website, we’ll build in all the features you want, including an email sign-up form. As we design all our websites from scratch, we’ll make sure it fits in with your website style and branding. What you will need is an email marketing platform such as Aweber, Mailchimp, or Sendinblue. As you’re collecting customers’ private data it’s best to invest in a secure and reliable third-party service, such as these. We can set this up for you, however, some of these services do charge as well. For example, Aweber charges approximately $16.25 per month for an annual subscription.
You can have as many pages as you like on your website; that all depends on your business objectives. We will usually design 3 different page layouts, i.e. a homepage, a subpage, and a contact page. Some websites will also have a service page and a blog page.
In addition to the above, e-commerce sites include a product page, a shop page, and shopping cart and checkout pages. You can then use whichever layout you want for each new page you want to add.
No. Just because we write a lot of blog posts doesn’t mean we are qualified to tell your story or write about your business. We will help you develop a content strategy for your website and find a professional copywriter if you need one.
We build your website from scratch using a number of professional tools. We use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create and optimize the visual aspects of the design. The actual website design and development is done using the WordPress platform. We also use code editors to modify your website code and functionality.
Here is a complete breakdown of our entire web design process.
No. We only use the WordPress CMS to build websites. WordPress is a platform that makes it easy for our clients to update themselves, it’s search engine friendly, and it’s easy to integrate with third-party functionality. Here are some additional details of why we recommend WordPress for your business website.
If you already have a website it will not be affected while we build your new site. We build your new website on our staging server while your current website is still live.
Once we are ready to go live and you are happy with the new site we can then swap the old site for the new one. It can take as little as 15 minutes for the new website to be visible. This means you’ll barely even notice a dip in your traffic numbers.
Yes. Your website will be fully responsive and will look great on all devices. We don’t charge extra for this. It comes as standard.
No, technically you don’t. If you have more customers than you can handle and don’t want any more leads then you might not need a website.
However, if you want to expand the business, get more leads or become the go-to person in your space then you should have a website. Here are a few more reasons why you need a website.
No. While PixoLabo was founded in Seattle just like Amazon, we are not Jeff Bezos. We don’t have billions of dollars or our own spaceship. This means we simply don’t have the resources to build the next Amazon for you.
Websites like Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter are not like standard websites. They require hundreds or thousands of hours of work just to get the website launched. Not to mention that you’ll need a team of developers on hand 24 hours a day to keep the website running smoothly.
Yes. We can either purchase images for you or help you select images from stock image sites like iStock Photo, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, or Depositphotos. You can then buy your images so that you own the license instead of us.
If you are budget conscious you may want to check out free stock photo sites such as Pexels, Unsplash, and StockSnap.
E-Commerce Questions
Yes, we use a combination of WordPress and WooCommerce to build online stores. This combination gives us the ability to design and develop custom e-commerce sites that meet even the most demanding business requirements and consumer expectations.
That depends on the number of products you intend to sell, and the basic functionality you require. A simple online store can cost as little as $4,500, and large e-commerce sites with hundreds and even thousands of products and product configurations can cost well over $50,000.
We specialize in WooCommerce stores. This platform integrates seamlessly with WordPress since both are owned by the same company. This makes it easy for shop owners to manage their online stores and update their products. Plus, WooCommerce is compatible with every major online payment processor and integrates with hundreds of third-party tools and applications.
Yes. We include basic security features in every e-commerce site we build. On request, we can also develop a package including advanced security options such as two-factor authentication (2FA).
Yes. We add the initial set of products to your new store, configure shopping carts and payment gateways, and provide you with initial training to familiarize you with your online store, how to manage your products, and how to track your orders.
We can also manage your store for you so that you can focus on running your business.
Yes. We offer secure high-performance hosting options specifically for WooCommerce stores. Hosting packages include SSL Certificates, regular backups and updates, enhanced security features, and website optimization.
That is pretty much up to you and your business. Many of our clients sell physical products ranging from jewelry and décor items to clothing, furniture, and even food and beverages.
You can also sell downloadable and virtual products, such as e-books and videos, and even online training, subscriptions, and memberships. Pretty much the only limit is your imagination.
As many as you want. Some of our clients only sell a single product; others have large online stores with hundreds of items.
Yes. We can help you establish a subscription model for your products, including recurring billing.
Yes. Once you received payment you can allow buyers to download virtual products such as e-books, podcasts, PDFs, and videos from your e-commerce site.
Yes. All our e-commerce design packages include setting up an online payment processing service such as Stripe, Square, or PayPal. This will allow you to accept credit card payments from all major credit card companies.
We can also help you accept payments from payment providers including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and AliPay. Please note that not all payment providers are available in every country or region.
No. Sales tax can be a complicated issue, and we are not tax professionals. We can install tools to help you simplify sales tax collection on your e-commerce site. But for specific requirements based on your location, we recommend you consult with your accountant or tax advisor.
Yes. We can help you set up both retail and wholesale user options and pricing.
Yes. We offer complete e-commerce maintenance and support packages. We can also create a package suited to your specific requirements.
No. We are a web design agency, not a digital marketing agency. We can connect your online store to your social media profiles and help you collect emails for your email marketing. But for anything else we recommend you reach out to a digital marketing agency. If you don’t have one, we are happy to recommend one for you.
Hosting + Domain Questions
Yes. Hosting is like renting space on the internet. You’ll need to buy hosting otherwise people won’t be able to access your website.
That depends on what type of hosting you select. Here are some different hosting options you may want to consider. We recommend that you avoid low-cost hosting options. Expect to spend around $150 or more per year to host your site. For that amount, you can expect some basic options, decent website performance and security, and regular backups.
Our website maintenance packages include hosting and provide you with a number of options for regular theme and plugin updates, daily backups, and website updates.
We can manage the hosting for you, so you don’t need to do anything. We use the same hosting company for our own website and for ALL our clients. Each website is managed individually to avoid any security issues. Every website we build has unlimited bandwidth, 20GB of disk space, 2GB Ram, and 99.9% uptime. If you’re interested, the company we use is Cloudways.
Alternatively, you can host the website elsewhere and manage it yourself. It’s completely up to you. We recommend Cloudways for WordPress and WooCommerce hosting.
Yes. We can purchase your domain and bill you for the cost. Domain ownership is like leasing a car; you get to use it for a certain amount of time ranging from one to ten years. We recommend purchasing a domain for a minimum of two years; otherwise, search engines will not index it.
If the domain name you have in mind is not available, or you don’t have a domain name, we can help you choose a domain for your new website. You can also purchase your domain yourself on a domain registry; we recommend GoDaddy.
You will own the domain. We will register the domain in your name and address and it belongs to you. This means you have ultimate control over it. It also means that you will be responsible for renewing your domain after two, five, or ten years.
We can also manage your domain for a nominal fee.
Yes. We can set up and configure your email through Google Workspace (formerly G Suite for Business.) This gives you a branded email (my****@my********.com) and several additional business and collaboration tools.
Please note that Google Workspace charges a monthly fee starting at $6.00 per month per basic user.
Yes. Our hosting and maintenance plans all include regular WordPress, theme, plugins, and database updates. We also offer plans including website content and e-commerce product updates.
Yes. We install Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificates on every website we host. You don’t have to pay extra, this is included. If you want to use your own hosting provider, you will need to check if they offer the same service. Most providers do.
If you require, we can also install other types of SSL Certificates, and bill you accordingly.
Yes. Page speed optimization is essential to meet the requirements of Google’s Core Web Vitals. All our website and e-commerce projects include basic page speed optimization and receive performance scores above 90%.
Should you require we also offer additional page speed and WordPress optimization services.
SEO Questions
Yes. All our website and e-commerce projects include basic on-page and on-site SEO. We follow all current Google webmaster guidelines as far as the site and page structure and information architecture are concerned.
If you provide us with keywords for your content, we will use them in the SEO page titles and meta descriptions. We will also create your sitemap, and submit your site to search engines.
It can vary dramatically. Our monthly SEO packages start at $275 per month. This is generally a starter plan for a local business with a moderate amount of competition.
Some of our other clients pay over $1000 per month for our SEO services. It really depends on how much work will be required and how much competition you have in your industry.
We track your rankings using Google Analytics and RankMath. We get regular updates and we’ll be able to see what’s working and what isn’t. We’ll send you a monthly or quarterly report so you can see your traffic numbers and rankings.
There’s no clear answer to this question as search engines change their requirements all the time. We have had clients get to the first page for their main keywords within 2 days of launching and we’ve had websites take 6–12 months for Google to show them on the first page.
However, there is no guarantee you will ever get to the first page of Google for your main keywords, some of your competitors might have huge marketing budgets or have been there for years.
Please note that we are unable to guarantee specific SEO results, nor can we be held accountable for any business loss due to reduced search positions.
SEO is usually an ongoing commitment and will require continuous work. Depending on your business and competition it may take longer to show an increase in search rankings and traffic.
Stopping search engine optimization will result in a decrease in search rankings and traffic. This decline will be gradual at first but increase over time. Therefore, we recommend you perform at least some SEO duties every month.
If you are looking for immediate or short-term results, we recommend pay-per-click advertising.
Generally, search engine optimization is divided into the following types of SEO:
On-page SEO – the practice of optimizing web pages to improve a website’s search engine rankings and earn organic traffic. In addition to publishing relevant, high-quality content, on-page SEO includes optimizing your headlines, HTML tags (title, meta, and header), and images.
On-site SEO –what you do to your website to make it easy for the search engines to find.
Off-site SEO – actions taken outside of your own website to impact your rankings within search engine results pages (SERPs), including linking to or promoting your website, and effectively “vouching” for the quality of your content.
Local SEO – a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy that helps your business be more visible in local search results on Google.
Yes, technically you can. But we advise against it. SEO requires a certain amount of training and experience to achieve measurable long-term results. It also requires a significant amount of time, which most business owners do not have. If you want to do your own SEO here are some SEO tools that will help.
General Questions
No. We only work with business owners who we can TRULY help. We’re not the type of company that works with anyone and everyone just to make money. We need to be confident that we are the right fit for one another. This is why we have a free discovery session at the start of the process.
We specialize in custom WordPress web design focused on consumer goods, retail, and hospitality, medical, technology, and professional services. Our team works with both the B2C and B2B segments, as well as non-profit and educational organizations.
No. Although our headquarter is in Japan with a technical support office in Seattle, we serve clients and business owners all over the US and Canada, Europe, and SE Asia. The type of business we run means we can work with any business anywhere in the world.
We believe that remote work is the best solution for both ourselves and our global clients. The digital age has made business simpler in the sense that by leveraging the latest technologies costs can be cut but quality doesn’t need to suffer.
No. All of our client meetings are done over Skype or Zoom. It’s rare that we NEED to meet people face to face. Technology allows us to do so much in a small space of time so we don’t believe face-to-face meetings are necessary.
We are always happy to meet you in person if you really need us to but we’ll arrange a consultation and expense fee for travel and possible accommodation depending on the distance and time required.
Yes. We split the payment into several parts, depending on the scope of your project. We require a deposit to start work on your project, and progress payments at the completion of key stages of your project. This will be outlined in your project estimate and proposal.
Projects costing less than $1000 need to be prepaid in full. We also reserve the right to bill you for work completed to date, or the entire project balance, if your project falls behind because we are waiting for feedback or content from you.
Yes. Your final payment is due when the project is completed and has been approved by you. We require final payment before we launch your website unless we agree to different terms at the beginning of your project.
Yes. All our projects include a free consultation via Zoom or Skype. We will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, explain how we can help, and see where we go from there.
Yes. At the beginning of every project, we will ask you questions related to your website or e-commerce requirements. Based on the answers you provide and the scope of the project we will either offer you a detailed written proposal or a quick written estimate. You get to review our proposals, request changes, and upon approval, we will provide you with a written contract outlining what both parties agree to.
We issue payments through our online invoicing and payment system, and you can pay via credit card directly from the invoice. Please note that online payments incur a fee charged by our payment processor.
Depending on your location we also accept payment via bank transfer.
Typically we don’t. Social media is not a part of the web design process. However, we are always looking for ways to make your life easier. If you’d like us to do this for you, we can arrange a package that suits you.
No. We are a web design agency, not a digital marketing agency. But we do try to help as much as possible. If you do not have a digital marketing agency in mind, we will help you find one.
Usually, we don’t. We are not a content marketing agency. While we write posts for our own blog, we may not be the best fit to tell your story or write your posts.
However, we would be happy to discuss other options, such as potentially writing a few guest posts for you.