WEBSITE DESIGN FOR SOLICITORS
Over 20 years of helping Legal Services businesses in Ireland be effective online
WEBSITE DESIGN FOR SOLICITORS IN IRELAND
Tips and advice for planning good Website Design for Solicitors, depending on what you want from the web.
Web Design For Solicitors & Legal Firms Ireland
Solicitor Website Design – web design advice for a legal practice
Solicitors regularly struggle with communicating on the web. We employ our own proven formula to create a web presence that attracts and converts visitors, making you impossible to misunderstand. This way you can engage your chosen audience, attract more ideal clients, and stand out as the best legal practice option in your area. Get started with a solicitors website today.
We help ‘Professional Legal Services Businesses‘ to be effective online
> to get the customers they really want
> do the work they like to do
> make the profit they deserve to make
Faster – More Secure – More Visible
And we totally appreciate that it is not a website design you really want, but rather the results a suitable website platform can deliver for you… sales, customers, staff, time savings, reputation, etc.
Your website is either your best or worst salesperson – how well is your website working for you?
With 20+ years of experience and 100’s of websites developed, we know what we are doing, have a proven process, and have a good portfolio of happy clients.
Talk to us to find out if we are a good fit for you. Or look at our Portfolio page, Pricing page, or About Us page, to answer any questions you may have, before making the call.
For a Solicitor or Legal practice – why bother to create a well-designed solicitors website? Seven obvious reasons for Solicitor Website Design include:
1. To look professional when someone Googles you (and they do). You would make a point of looking professional in a court of law, so why not do it on the web?
2. To answer commonly asked questions about the legal services you offer. It would save a lot of time for your legal practice team.
3. To attract a certain type of desired client or business and to put off certain types of unwanted clients in search of legal advice.
4. To allow potential clients to send you an enquiry 24/7 through the solicitors website.
5. To avoid losing work from existing clients who Google your name and find someone else, a ‘specialist’ who seems to fit the bill.
6. Attract high-quality trained legal staff who are searching for a suitable legal practice. How do you look when these people search for solicitors website
7. Automation of some of your process via the website will create a system to keep your practice busy, doing what you want to be doing and freeing you up to focus on what is important to you.
Anthony Carmody of Carmody Moran Solicitors, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 talking about their experience working with MEANit Web Design Agency and SEO.
Your solicitors website is more than a tool, so do research how you will invest in it to look professional. You have to learn how to use it to good effect or have someone ‘competent’ do it for you or with you, by outsourcing some of the work, so add that resource to your plan. There are various options and each one comes with challenges and opportunities, costs, and returns on investment. And your web presence is a lot more than just your solicitors website.
Have a complimentary 30-minute consultation about Solicitor Website Design with us, no obligation, just to see what you need for your particular practice. Meantime, below we include 10 guidelines, 10 questions, 10 tips, and some general advice, to help you get your solicitors website right the first time, to save alot of your valuable time.
Dr. Clare Ryan of ITUS Secure Technologies, Donegal & Dublin talking about their experience working with MEANit Web Design Agency and SEO.
FULLY
IRISH TEAM
TRUSTED &
EXPERIENCED
100s
OF CLIENTS
RESULTS
GUARANTEED
We
Plan & Design
We
Develop & Market
We
Train & Maintain
Allow us plan, design & create your business website design or overall web presence. Then manage it and market it or train your team to do it, using independent metrics to show you the return on your investment using agreed set targets.
We get results, which makes us stand out.
Our aim is generally to find out who you are, who you serve and what is the problem you solve, then communicate that message to your target audience.
SOLICITORS WEBSITE DESIGN IRELAND PORTFOLIO
We have been working with MEANit for a number of years and have nothing but good things to say about them. Michael, John and Maryann really know what they are doing and the team are always on hand when needed. Their regular meetings with Michael and the updates regarding website performance are insightful and helpful. As a web design agency they are second to none and their marketing strategies are closely geared to our firm and to our practice areas.
WordPress Website Design Platform
A complete, easy to use, web-marketing solution for any professional services business
“Get your business or practice found in Google search and then get your visitors to actually connect or engage with you”
What type of website design do you need for your business? We do Business websites of all sizes. Generally, our clients do not want a website, they want more customers or different customers, more sales or higher sales.
Each of our business websites is built on a WordPress CMS Content Management System, which allows you personally add, edit or delete your content, written or photographic. All our websites are responsive or mobile-friendly by default.
SOLICITORS WEBSITE DESIGN IRELAND PRICING GUIDE
“We can only give a detailed quote when we truly understand what you want or need.
Prices below give a rough guide, as we are 100% transparent about everything”
ESSENTIALS
WEB DESIGN BUILD
Get a clean, fast, mobile-friendly, custom-designed website that ticks all the boxes.
An online presence that makes a big positive impact on your business without investing a fortune initially.
Build your brand and grow your audience with a Mobile-friendly
WordPress websites typically have 5 to 10 pages
Training provided, so you can grow your site yourself over time
Ability to add your own content
Search Engine Optimisation to get you found in Google search results over time
IDEAL FOR:
Starter or small firms, practices, or businesses. who need a high-quality custom design website
without needing any large initial investment, but a platform that they can build upon over time.
INCLUDES.
- Simple Brief or Plan
- Wireframe or Layout
- Custom Graphic Design
- Website Development of typically 5 to 10 pages
- Initial Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Training
From €4,800
OPTIONAL EXTRAS:
- Keyword Research
- Keyword Mapping
- Competitor Analysis
- Monthly Support Plan
- Ongoing SEO Services
CUSTOM
WEB DESIGN BUILD
Get noticed with a totally custom-designed, fast-loading website built to your specific needs.
Engage your target audience with unique page layouts perfect for feature content and focused landing pages.
Full training is provided
Custom-designed WordPress website, typically 10 to 30 pages
Allows you to make all the changes you want.
And we can add in the critical Search Engine Optimisation, so your website ranks well in Google.
Plus a written plan for your team to follow.
IDEAL FOR:
Medium-sized firms, practices, or businesses ‘ who need a quality custom ’ website and a marketing plan along with some ongoing help every month to generate the leads they want
INCLUDES.
- Simple Brief or Plan
- Wireframe or Layout
- Custom Graphic Design
- Website Development of typically 10 to 20 pages
- Initial Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Training
From €6,000
OPTIONAL EXTRAS:
- Keyword Research
- Keyword Mapping
- Competitor Analysis
- Monthly Support Plan
- Ongoing SEO Services
STRATEGIC
WEB DESIGN BUILD
You probably have an underperforming website, but realise you need a better web presence. One that will consistently generate the ideal pre-qualified leads and work you really want.
However. you do not have the team time to be doing all this digital marketing stuff. So you want some expert help.
This allows your whole team to focus on what you do best.
Results guaranteed by us
Let’s start with a meeting, then we can write up a digital strategy or plan, to ensure we set some agreed goals or targets for us to deliver for you.
Growth focused medium sized
firms or practices, who want to outsource all the website management and digital marketing responsibility to generate new business
INCLUDES.
- Simple Brief or Plan
- Wireframe or Layout
- Keyword Mapping
- Competitor Analysis
- Custom Graphic Design
- Website Development of typically 20 to 100 pages
- Initial Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Training
From €9,500
OPTIONAL EXTRAS:
Built on WordPress
Each of our business websites is built on a WordPress CMS Content Management System, which allows you personally add edit, or delete your content, written or photographic. All our websites are responsive (mobile-friendly) by default.
Effective
Great website design and digital marketing plan and advice ensure that you are effective online, rank well in Google searches, and attract the customers and staff you really want.
User Friendly
WordPress Website Design Platform is a complete, easy-to-use, web-marketing solution for any professional services business.
Management
Our team of Irish business website designers can manage your business website or train you to manage it. This could be the last ‘new’ website design platform you ever invest in !
Experienced Team, 100% Irish
With 20+ years of experience and 100’s of websites developed, we know what we are doing, have a proven process, and have a good portfolio of happy clients.
Successful people want to be as professional online as they are off-line.
With so many experts and platforms and apps, it’s difficult to know where to begin, right?
Meet Michael from the MEANit Web Design & SEO Team
With over 20 years of experience in the web, we can help you develop an overall web presence to give you the opportunity to engage with your chosen audience. This helps ensure that you get to do what you want to do, with the people you really, really want. If that sounds interesting to you, get in touch now for a complimentary chat. Let’s see if we are a good fit for you!’
10 Tips for Planning and Layout of a Good Solicitor Website Design
Guidelines for Legal or Solicitor Website Design
Start with ensuring that any plan conforms with guidelines in the Irish Statute Book S.I. No. 518/2002 – The Solicitors Acts, 1954 To 2002 Solicitors (Advertising) Regulations, 2002
1. CMS
Get a website for your practice that is built on a CMS Content Management System, which makes it easy to edit. Content is king, it will decide your success on the net, so create it, add it, curate it, and make yourself stand out as an authority on matters legal. You are the best person to produce good content, do not leave its creation to someone else unless they are ‘competent’ in creating content for a legal practice.
2. Blocks
Get a website that is Modular, so that you can move elements around without needing a developer again. For example, add or move a scrolling ‘Testimonials module’ on the Home page yourself or move it to your ‘About’ page.
3. Open Source
Use a platform that is open source and allows you to move from one web partner to another. Avoid a one man band, someone who offers to be everything, planner, designer, developer, digital marketer. How many professional legal practices have just one person employed to do everything?
4. Solicitor Website Design Theme – Cheap or low-cost option
Get a solicitor or legal website that is theme-based, so that you can change the whole design theme without having to create a new website. Also, this makes it easier for you to move to a new web partner – avoid any basic HTML developers who have to make every code change for you – at a price, in time delay, frustration and money.
5. Custom Design –Professional Option
Plan your branding, colours, content and CTAs Calls To Action before or when talking to a professional web developer, if how you look online is important to you to build your brand. Think Goodbody, Cox or Mathewson, Frys, McCanns or Mason Hayes & Curran.
6. Navigation
Make Navigation simple, intuitive, stand out and logically show what you specialise in, services such as Family Law, Conveyancing or Litigation, specialist areas such as Medical Legal and show your experience or qualifications.
7. Blog
Show off your knowledge, experience, and useful information from the industry, maybe articles about Family Law or Tax Guidelines on property sales. Try Guest Blogging or answering questions in forums!
8. Social integration
Tie in all Blogging, Social Media, and Advertising to your website content and draw people to the site – they might just connect with you by asking a question. It also helps you monitor all your web output, so you have more control over what gets seen. You can to some point dictate what people see when they search your name.
9. Maintenance
Bear in mind a solicitor’s website, like a car, has to be maintained and updated. It needs constant attention, security updates & patches, cleaning, plugins, software updates, app updates, and useful add-ons – but most of all helpful content or advice to engage with visitors, to help promote your practice, on an ongoing basis.
10. Budget
For a spend in Year 1 for the design, branding, photography, CMS website, advertising, digital marketing, etc., and then do a new budget for year 2 for building on that platform. The higher the spend or investment the higher and faster the return – GUARANTEED (if done well)!
Three Quick Takeaways:
1. Get good web partners, and pay them to be supportive – establish an ongoing relationship in the same way you do with your Client Management Software provider, Accountant, or other key suppliers. It is outsourced qualified labour, ready to support you when you need help.
2. Treat this web project like opening a new office. How much would that cost? How much attention would you give it? Build what you need rather than buy something off the shelf at a set price.
3. Most web agencies are not good at multi-tasking.
Chances are you need a:
1. Domain Registrar
2. Hosting Company
3. Web Graphic Designer
4. Web Developer
5. Digital Marketer
The good news is – a good solicitor website can promote your practice, show your professionalism, get you found in search, showcase your work, answer frequently asked questions, save time, make appointments, take fees or payments online, or allow client access.
Now you know the brief! What is your next step? Have a no-obligation 30-minute discussion with us to get some direction on your specific requirements.
SOLICITORS WEBSITE DESIGN – options for a good Legal Practice website design
Some Solicitors will want:
1. a simple professional looking Starter website with about 5 pages as a basic web presence or digital business card, with contact details and with the general services all listed on one page.
Others will want
2. a Business website to expand on their services in more detail, to attract more visitors, to educate them, answer questions, explain terminology, to filter them and engage with them, to use digital marketing to grow enquiries. We list lots of tips here to help you plan what you need and avoid the pitfalls –contact us any time for a personal 30 minute complimentary consultation.
10 good opening questions to consider before building a website for your legal practice:
1. Why do you want a website?
2. Do you need a website at all?
3. Is it just a simple brochure site a more informative one or a Blog
4. Who is the Target Market?
5. Who will create the website for you? Why choose that web partner?
6. Who will manage it, support & maintain it, and train you?
7. Do you have a Digital Marketing Strategy?
8. How much business will come to your project from your web presence?
9. How will you measure success or your return on any investment?
10. What other questions come to mind for you – every Client have specific requirements for their target market? Case management software, client access to files, secure email, shared cloud folders, taking payments online, etc
PS Keep it simple but do plan it. Talk to Michael about your Solicitor Website Design directly on 01 969 6060 or get in touch
10 Reasons to get a professional web presence and a competent team of web partners.
Most people are timid about approaching a solicitor or even changing their solicitor. They are afraid of legal costs or meeting gruff, intelligent, academics with poor interpersonal skills.
1. Look professional– if someone finds your website you want it to reflect the real you whatever that may be. You can dictate how people see you rather than leaving it in the lap of Google search results. You can even look friendly, inviting and agreeable, at least on the web 🙂
2. Save team time– answer common questions on your website and save a lot of phone calls that are time consuming and repetitive. Invite questions and if you get some with any frequency then answer them on the website too.
3. Spell it out– ensure that the practice policy is adhered to by having your enquiries or questions answered the way you want them to be answered, rather than having team members speak off the cuff when the phone goes
4. Make a statement – by using your website to record and promote your policies and standards, terms and conditions – this will help ensure that your team are aware of them too, especially if you have any HR issues around the misunderstanding of policies
5. Engage visitors– add value by offering useful information such as standard costs for conveyancing (not necessarily your fee structure) or how much a barrister charges a day or steps to making a will, how long does a legal separation take and so on.
6. Help– let people find you and contact by having your correct full address, postal code, telephone number, email and functioning Contact Form
7. Provide downloadable forms – on your website as PDFs to save on postage and speed up delivery as well as providing a useful service.
8. Social– Integrate all your social platforms, your various publications, statement or comments, by linking your accounts to your website including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
9. Blog– use your blog to post news about you, your legal services, your industry news or your activities in the community
10. Security– ensure that your domain name and hosting is in your name on your business credit card
WHAT OUR HAPPY WEBSITE DESIGN IRELAND CLIENTS SAY
WEBSITE DESIGN FOR SOLICITORS IRELAND FAQS
Can you guarantee more sales ? Will we definitely make more money ?
YES
We may be able to generate more traffic, better traffic, and more enquiries, however, it is still down to you to make the sale. If we get 100 more people a month to your door, how many can you convert? We can get you the right traffic or visitors.
And we will only take on a new client IF we feel that we can deliver the results they want. If we do work together you will get more pre-qualified leads and as long as you convert them you will grow your sales and make more money. We even offer money-back guarantees if we need to remove any worries or stress. We are not out to take money off you for nothing. Far from it, our work generates more profit for you, to a point where you will be very happy to be paying our invoices. It is a mutual benefit.
Talk to us and let’s find out if we are a good fit for each other.
Do you use Design Themes or do Custom Design?
We ‘Custom Design’ your website design for your target clients. We can work with your graphic designers if they design for web. Or we can have the design created by our own local talented web designers. Remember the adage ‘simplicity scales and fancy fails’, so do not get too caught up in getting a design that could win an award for aesthetics, unless you have a 5* property and a 5* budget. Winning design awards does not necessarily win you business. We need to design for your specific audience and for both desktop and mobile interaction.
Is it a WordPress website?
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 and you stand a good chance of hitting someone who uses WordPress.
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.
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?
CMS Content Management System - what do you get with this?
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. Visitors 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.
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What does a good CMS Business Website Design Cost?
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.
Want to see a Business Website Design Checklist & Layout Plan? Just click here.
Business Website Design Checklist & Layout Plan
Reduce the need for costly revisions by planning well. Get this list covered and it will help ensure a smooth delivery for you and your web developers. It is very common for web developers to fall out with their clients, simply because this list is not covered.
Brief – Write up an initial brief for yourself, your team, and your web developers, including the website designer as well as the digital marketer. Or get the agency to write this for you
Domain name – What is it, do you own it, who has control of it, is it on your credit card, what is your username and password to access it?
Hosting – Where will you host and can they manage your new website solution? Ensure that this is also in your name and on your credit card
Project manager – Who on your team will oversee the new website development for your firm?
Lead time – When are you going live and what are the milestones?
Budget – How much of an investment is needed to build, market, and maintain, and what are the payment terms?
Goals & Objectives — What results do you want – set SMART goals, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound targets, then include some metrics.
Problem – What problem will you solve? For you or your customers
Target Audience — Who is it – your written or photographic website content should talk to that persona or those personas
Look — How do you want to be seen? Big, Corporate, Local, Arty, Professional?
Design — Get a graphic design mockup done after the web designer reads your approved brief and sees your planned layout or wireframe. Let them know which websites you like or do not like. Have a look at WordPress Themes for business websites, if you are on a tight budget. BUT do not do the designer’s job, let them be creative.
Content — Plan a Menu structure, list the pages and then prepare good content for each one and work with the web Designer on the look, the developer on the layout, the digital marketer for the content
Functionality — What smart stuff do you want on your business website, payment gateway,booking engine, blog, contact forms etc
CMS – Content Management System? – Can you edit the website or who will do that for you?
eCommerce – How will you take money securely?
Booking – How will you handle bookings or enquiries?
Digital Marketing — Who will look after this to get the right traffic to the website and convert the ‘right’ visitors to buyers
Measuring – Once targets are set, check the metrics regularly, so that you have a plan and can see how you are doing
NB: Our WordPress Open Source CMS packages let you add unlimited pages to your business websites.
Lastly, if this is too much for you when getting started, consider our Simple or Starter website option. You can do all this in stages or phases. Maybe start small, see some return and reinvest from profits gained.
How long will the project take?
The planning takes one week. The 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 and it will be done within a month of having all the content ready. “
Does that make sense do you?
I see lower cost options, why?
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, 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, based on getting a low price, you will end up doing it all over again in the future. If someone has a set price, before they get to know about your project in detail, walk away. No, run away.
Remember that you are looking for a website that will deliver results, such as more sales or enquiries. If you make the wrong decision, you may reduce the initial investment, but it will cost you opportunity.
Imagine a doctor giving you a prescription, before doing a diagnosis, based on a consultation – that is malpractice.
Every website project is different, so talk to us about yours, so that we can give you a proper quote. Expect to invest from €250 to €350 per page depending on which modules are required – Get a Free quote now.
You probably want this website to be your online salesperson, how much would you expect to pay a salesperson?
Results – Your website needs to do a lot more than look good or just be there, it needs to get found by Google and convert visitors to customers. Pick a web design agency team who can prove that they have done this for other firms in your sector.
Support – Lastly, pick an agency who will be there to support you when you need help again, next month or next year. Ensure the agency you choose has staying power, has been around for years and look like they will be there for you in the future, even if some of their team members change over the years.
Could you please clarify who will be doing the work?
Our own team is based here in Ireland, mainly in Donegal. We do not offshore our work. The developers and project managers are team members on the web design agency payroll. The designers are all local and hired per project, as they all have different styles. We match the right graphic designer with your project. All websites are custom designed for you individually. We do not even offshore SEO, as our SEOs are also on the staff.
Will it be responsive and optimised for mobile viewing?
Yes, we actually design for the mobile-first viewing and then make 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.
How many pages do you need?
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? Add Home, About, Contact, and News.
Who provides the written content and photos for the website?
You do. You can give us written content about your firm and your services. Likewise send us original photos or engage a photographer to create some new photos of you, your team and your premises. Don not worry about how well written it is. We can make it look well and optimise it.
Likewise, we can get written content done for you by a writer. And we can buy photos for you too if you need them.
But we do guide you through all this, step by step, as we have done with hundreds of clients in the past.
Where will my website be hosted?
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 specic 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.
Do we need a blog?
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.
Will we be able to update our new website after it is delivered?
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.
What happens if you get knocked down by a bus?
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 stil be in good hands.
If you get knocked down, we will be available to train up your replacement in how to use the website.
FREE Google tool to Test Your Website – Google PageSpeed Insights (PSI).
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 your 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.
Can we put video on the new website?
Do you offer any kind of guarantees or warranty on your work?
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?
Do you handle emails?
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.
How does getting a new website design affect my current SEO and page ranking?
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.
Can you guarantee Page 1 listing ?
Outside City Hall, Dublin
No. Google does not allow for that. Otherwise, everybody would be at it. However, a good SEO specialist should have an idea of how they can do it. This is still a wild guess until the first few months have been done.
Will people be able to find my website in a Google search?
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 pages. That is an SEO or Search Engine Optimisation issue. You may engage us to work on your SEO 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.
What search engine optimisation tactics or techniques are included?
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 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 may engage someone else or even do it yourself if you feel you have the skills. Where you rank will depend on your competition and how good they are at SEO.
How long does it take to get on Page 1 in Dublin ?
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 Leinster region do their Search Engine Optimisation. Nobody can honestly guarantee you a Page 1 ranking for Dublin or Ireland. 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 Portmarnock or Luttrellstown or Druids Glen would tell you, it is all about playing the course in front of you on any given day