Website Design Derry

Yes. We are a 100% WordPress open-source web design agency. We do not work with Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Shopify, or any other ‘locked’ proprietary platforms.

WordPress is to web design, what flour is to baking. It is a basic, popular, simple ingredient. Throw a stone down any street off the Strand and you stand a good chance of hitting someone who uses WordPress. The North West Regional College trains students in the basics of WordPress, as well as web development.

On top of the WordPress platform, we apply a page builder to make it easier for you to use the website. And we then ensure the website page load speed times are good. This is our jam 🙂 Or flour in this case. Wee buns!

Add to that the experience and talent of our team plus some well-chosen plugins to make your website better than your competitors. Isn’t that the whole idea?

Yes, absolutely. Check out our Portfolio HERE.

The planning takes one week. The website design usually takes two weeks, plus any delay due to revisions at your end.
The Development takes two weeks from the time we receive your website content, written and photographic.
Then a week to optimise and test, so usually between 4 to 8 weeks.

Everybody asks how quickly can my website be built. Our answer is “Once we have all your content in Dropbox and you have signed off on this final content. We can schedule your website, which will be built in one week. We will schedule that within the forthcoming four weeks. So the website will take one week to be developed by the team in Donegal and it will be done within a month of having all the content ready. “
Does that make sense do you?

What Does a Good Business Website Cost?

Every website project is different, so talk to us about yours, so that we can give you a proper quote. Expect to pay about €250 per page to €350 depending on which services are required plus any custom design. Any less and you have to wonder if the web guy knows what he or she is doing. Imagine a doctor giving you a prescription, before doing a diagnosis, based on a consultation. See the details of the full website costs.

At a minimum, you want a Content Management System, plus Initial Content Entry for the first 10, 20 or so pages, (add unlimited pages yourself later), Attachment Management, Image Manager, Image Gallery, SEO Tools, Google Maps, YouTube, Preview Mode, Query Form, User Manual and/or training, Website Statistics/Analytics, plus Custom Website Design, if you have the budget for it.

Monthly Support & Maintenance or SEO Options if required:

A.  CMS  – Agree on a set monthly plan to cover website updates, security patches, server support, and any plugin updates, etc.
B. Ad Hoc hourly rates to cover site, server support, and any edit requests, etc. Monthly Support Deals Optional Business Website extras – agree on an hourly rate with your web partners for these: Website Content Editing or creation New Web Page to Website – Free if done by you SEF – to make a page Search Engine Friendly Image – produce, resized, insert Downloads – Add to articles Google Map – FREE and recommended YouTube Video – produce, resized, insert SEO – Optimise the website to get to your targeted market.
C. Ongoing SEO Services

Optional Business Website items or add ons offered

• • Content Creation – do you want us to write it for you
  • Content editing – can you edit your own text
  • SEF – making pages Search Engine Friendly
  • Image – Producing, sizing, and adding to the website
  • Downloads – any pdfs, guides, ebooks, etc
  • Google Map – adding location pins
  • YouTube Video – adding and optimising video
  • Google Analytics – set up reporting in Dashboard
  • Google Business Profile – We can set this up or optimise it for you

If required, we can also refer Clients to industry Specialised SEO or Online Digital Marketing specialists for Enterprise eCommerce sites. Or we can use our tools to drive your business and get higher conversion rates. Good ‘Independent’ honest advice for you, is our way of doing things – no exceptions.

• CMS Content Management System – everything a business website needs

  Here is the full list of what you get typically from our Business Website Services (Long read).

  This Business website solution is ideal for any Client who wants a professional-looking web presence that they can edit without the need for an ‘IT’ person or ‘Webmaster’. It is a tool for Non-Techs, as no coding is required and only basic computer skills are needed. The CMS or Content Management System can be upscaled to include other functionality such as an eCommerce module at any time.
  Includes:

  • Content Management System – Easy-to-use WordPress software platform which allows you to make changes to your business website content, imagery, navigations, videos, maps, Search Engine Optimisation, Social Media Optimisation, etc.
  • Business Website Design Template – Every website needs to have a look that best suits or reflects your company brand. We recommend ‘custom graphic design’, but also have low-cost design themes for you to choose from. If your company has a unique design and brand required for the website, we can create this in the solution. The investment required for creating a web design template is dependent on the time required for our website designers.
  • Responsive Theme – For Mobile or Tablet delivery of website content in logical format is included by default
  • SEO Tools – Our CMS comes with a Search Engine Tool, allowing you to optimize each of your web pages, keeping you competitive in Google, etc. A good website design is not just for show, you will need customers to find your business ranking well in search engines. With this package, you will be given all of the means necessary to do so. A website without SEO  will not rank well or be seen by Search Engines.
  • Unlimited Web pages – The CMS is capable of storing unlimited web pages helping your website grow with your business. If your business needs that facility, this package is perfect as the website will deliver on the internet quickly whether it has 1 or 1000 pages.
  • Content Entry – While this solution is completely customisable, we input sized content provided by you, as a first draft and you can start editing from there. We do the first agreed 10 or whatever a number of pages for you.
  • Attachments & Downloads – Each Web page has a facility for attachments allowing visitors to the website to download files. Attachments can be added, edited, and deleted at your discretion on any or every website page.
  • Image Gallery – Every website page has a photo gallery assigned to it, allowing you to display your projects, goods, etc. Like the content entry, you can add as many images to your gallery or galleries as you wish.
  • Google Maps – Our Google Maps feature allows you to help customers locate you, locate your projects or locate conference locations, etc. It is an easy-to-use copy & paste tool.
    

    Integrations you can have included

  • YouTube – Your website design can contain YouTube or Vimeo video content that you have the power to embed on each of your web pages. Video is a great way of demonstrating your product or service to your customers.
  • Image Manager – Sometimes one image can explain so much more than a lot of written content. The image manager allows you to easily store your images and add them to your web pages while also allowing for linking to other areas of the website or other external sites.
  • Preview Mode – The CMS allows you to make changes to the website not yet ready for the public’s eye. Preview mode allows you to view the website with the new content, while the public is unable to view your latest website design changes until you allow them to do so. You are in control in every way.
  • Email Accounts – Email is essential for every “business website” – with this package you get an email account or accounts or forwarder.
  • Query Form – The CMS comes equipped with a standard form that can be submitted by customers and is delivered directly to an email address of your preference. These details are not stored on mailing lists, the form’s sole purpose is to allow customers to contact you with a query and leave a contact detail for you to get back to them. It helps you gather customer contact info and opinion/queries. Other custom Forms are billable options and depend on the time needed to create them.
  • Website Statistics – Once your business website is up and running you will want to know who was on your website, what they were looking at, and how they came to be on your website. We register you with Google for Analytics. And we add a panel in your website Dashboard to see your stats at a glance.
  • Hosting – As professional business website designers we do not try to do hosting as well, so hosting is currently recommended with SG Hosting.

Sample Business Website Structure or Layout
How do you lay out a business website – what sort of navigation to use?

• • • Home
    • About
    • Services
      – Service 1
      – Service 2
    • Projects
      – Project 1
      – Project 2
    • Clients or Testimonials
    • Blog or News
    • Special Offers
    • Contact Us
  • Please Note: The navigation above is for demonstration purposes only and web pages can be titled at the client’s request. With a CMS you have the ability to add sub-sections to your navigations. Like using Word it is a simple ‘wysiwyg’ interface, simply meaning that you can see exactly which pages you have and where they are. Easy to find and easy to edit or delete. Bigger websites will have Mega Menus to make it easier to find something when a site has dozens or hundreds of pages. A visitor should find what they came looking for quickly when they come looking for it. Google will reward with high ranking any site that successfully answers a search term query and where people click on the result.

Business Website Design Checklist & Layout Plan

CMS Business Website Design Costs explained

At a very basic level, anyone who can use a computer, can ‘build’ a website. Much like anyone with a calculator can add, but it does not make them an Accountant. Anyone who can get flour is not necessarily a baker, or a good baker.

If you choose a website designer in Derry, based on getting a low price, you will end up doing it all over again in the future. Remember that you are looking for a website that will deliver results, such as more sales or enquiries. It is not about the cost, it is about the return on investment.

Every website project is different, so talk to us about yours, so that we can give you a proper quote. Imagine a doctor giving you a prescription, before doing a diagnosis, based on a consultation – that is malpractice.

Expect to invest from £250 to £350 per page depending on which modules are required – Get a Free quote now.

Its just bread, or is it?

Talking about flour, have you ever baked good bread? My client and friend Sian McCann at Wild Fuschia Bakehouse, she does it every day of her life. And she gets more or less the same great result. Her Granda and her Auntie Maisie taught her as a kid and she has done it that way ever since, adding some new innovation she picked up from all her lived, worked experience in her bakery. She still uses a certain amount of flour and salt and water and whatever her secret ingredients might be. That enormous experience is why people pay Sian with pleasure to get a loaf of her bread. Oh, and her Apple Tart is to die for too.

Why is Sian so good at this? The learning she got from her Grandma, the practice she put in, the testing new ideas, the failures, the shared knowledge from other bakers, the hours she invested, the tools she bought, she is a professional. Ask Supervalu, who stock her breads, even her bread mixes. Sian now helps other young bakers learn their trade, she is a subject matter expert.
In her hometown of Dunfanaghy in Co Donegal Sian is appreciated for her talent, experience, knowledge and care about what she does. People queue up at her door to buy her bread, when they could buy a ‘me too’ loaf in any of the local supermarkets. Sian understands how to get the best results from the basic ingredients, along the addition of her experience, knowledge, tools, team and dedication to always learning. Its just bread, or is it?

Our own team is based here in  Ireland, mainly in Donegal. We do not offshore our website design or web development work. The web developers and project managers are team members on the web design agency payroll. The graphic designers are all local in Derry or Donegal and hired per project, as they all have different styles. We match the right graphic designer with your web design project. All our websites are custom designed for you individually.

Yes, we actually design for the mobile-first viewing and then make the desktop work too. Mobile page load speed is very important, especially since Google introduced Web Core Vitals, as an important ranking factor in May 2021.

This depends on how many services or products you want to promote. It could be as low as 5 and as high as you like or need. How many services do you offer? AAdd Home, About, Contact, and Blog or News.

You do. We can get written content done for you by a writer. And we can buy photos for you too if you need them.

We do not sell or resell hosting. It is too important to be used as a way of making a little side profit. We recommend suitable WordPress hosting for your specific WordPress requirements. The hosting, like your domain name, should be in your name and on your credit card – much like the deeds of your house.

No, you do not. However we often recommend having one. This is to allow you add supporting content for your main service pages. If you have a service page called Conveyancing, then why not write a supporting blog article about what is required to get conveyancing done. Or what are the typical charges are in relation to conveyancing.

Yes, absolutely. We will set you up as a User. And we will provide you with a Website User Manual. Plus you can book training with us as often as required. The website is a Content Management System and is designed to allow you to add, edit or delete content.

We are a web design agency with a team of people and we have someone to replace everyone. If one of us gets knocked down, you will still be in good hands.

If you get knocked down, we will be available to train up your replacement in how to use the website.
Genuine question from Johnny Quinn.

FREE Google tool to Test Your Website – Google PageSpeed Insights (PSI).

How good a job did your web developers do on your website? Do not take their word for it, run this FREE Google test, to find out for yourself.

Google PageSpeed Insights (PSI)  is a FREE tool from Google. It tests your website and then gives you a report on the technical performance of a given page on both mobile and desktop devices. On top of that, it then provides suggestions on how this particular page can be enhanced. Page Speed Insights or PSI is useful for capturing true, real-world user experience.

The results do two things. Firstly, it gives you a score out of 100 for the mobile and for your Desktop versions of your website. On top of that, the report gives you all the data you need to improve your score, by improving your website.

Does this affect your search engine rankings – yes it does. Keep working on your website to get a score as close to 100 as you can. At least get it into the Green zone, scoring 89 or above.

This tool gives you control. Now you can see how Google sees your website. And it is FREE.

Yes. You post your website videos on Youtube or Vimeo and we use the links or embed code to make them appear on your website. We do recommend using good-quality video for your website and social channels like Facebook and Linkedin.

Yes. Unusually for our industry, we do in fact stand over our work. We agree targets. We even offer money back because we only take on projects where we know we can add value. We have never had to give any form of warranty refund.

Imagine we are having a conversation three years from now. And you are very happy with your progress. What needs to have happened in order for you to be that happy?

No. Website hosting and email hosting are two different things. Or they should be. You could set up email on your website hosting. But if the website is offline for a few days you will survive. Having your email services down for a few days is much more stressful.

We recommend you get your IT guys to set you up on AWS or GSuite or now Google Workspace, Outlook, or Microsoft Office. eMail is usually critical to a business.

This depends on what is agreed upon. We like to plan the SEO Search Engine Optimisation in advance. We can do the keyword research for you. Or you can do it. We can make all the pages SEF search engine friendly.
Or we can optimise all the pages for the agreed key terms or phrases. You decide how much SEO we do for you. We even offer ongoing SEO services if you require them. This is what gets the website found and converting visitors.

Very important question. If you have a website already, it is critical to bring over any Google history to the new website. This is so valuable, so we make the most of it. 301 redirects may have to be done. Getting is wrong is common place and can be very expensive in lost sales.

 Guildhall,Derry

No. Google does not allow for that.  Otherwise, everybody would be at it. However, a good SEO specialist should have an idea of what they can do it. This is still a wild guess until the first few months have been done. But we do not spoof, so once we know what you want to rank for, we can check to see how challenging that would be.

Yes, we will submit a Sitemap to Google to let them know your website is live, including all of its individual pages. If someone searches your domain, you will be found. If they search your trading or company name you will be found within a few weeks. It does take time to rank on the top most pages. That is an SEO or Search Engine Optimisation issue. You may engage us to work on your SEO Derry or you may engage someone else or even do it yourself if you feel you have the skills. Where you do rank will depend on your SEO and your competition and how good they are at SEO.

This depends on what you ask us to do. We can make the pages of your website search engine friendly. We can work on optimising your website for agreed key terms or phrases. We can even do the research on your behalf to determine the best key terms to optimise for in your case.
We will submit a Sitemap to Google to let them know your website is live, including all of its individual pages. If someone searches your domain, you will be found. If they search your trading or company name you will be found within a few weeks. It does take time to rank on the top most pages. That is an SEO or Search Engine Optimisation issue. You may engage us to work on your SEO Derry or you may engage someone else or even do it yourself if you feel you have these skills. Where you rank will depend on your competition and how good they are at SEO.

This is a very common question. The truth is that this varies depending on the competitiveness of your key terms or words or your industry. And how well your competitors in the Derry region do their Search Engine Optimisation. Nobody can honestly guarantee you a Page 1 ranking for Derry or Londonderry. However, a good SEO might give you an indication after the first month or two. It depends on how competitive your business is in search. As any golfer in Prehen or  Portrush would tell you, it is all about playing the course in front of you on any given day.

City of Derry Golf Club

You will see people offering to do SEO for less money. Some will even guarantee more traffic or higher ranking for some words. Or higher CTR click-through rate. Usually, these guys just want your money and it is a numbers game for them. They are forever selling and getting more short-term clients. That is how they work. Check, in an Incognito window, for private browsing, if they even rank for the services they offer themselves. Look at their Google Reviews and see if businesses like yours recommend people like them.

What you invest in is up to you. The more you invest the better the results in leads or sales. If you could invest £500 and get back £1500 or invest £5000 and get back £15,000 – which do you want? However, the fact is that the first few months are a gamble, to find out if we can do what we say and deliver results. You decide where you want to start and commit to one SEO provider for Derry.

 Peace Brideg, Derry

SEO is never-ending. And if you do get more traffic and more sales, why would you stop doing it?
Only after a few months will be able to tell you how long it should take to rank for a keyword or term.
Pick someone to work with and try them for 3 or 6 months. That is the extent of your investment or gamble with them. Maybe have a review meeting after every 3 months.

City Walls, Derry