Q) What domain name should I choose ?

ANS) The choice of domain name depends on how you plan to use it. In most cases, it makes sense to choose one that is easy to pronounce and spell if you will be telling people about it over the phone. Above all, you should choose a name that is memorable and not confusing.

Q) How long will it take for my website to be designed ?

ANS) The time it takes to build a site depends on the complexity of the site. If you have a deadline, we will work hard to meet it. The most common cause of delay is the content (text/images) from the client.

Q) Will we need to have a meeting to discuss the website design ?

ANS) Most of the time, a meeting isn't necessary and the work is completed with only discussions over phone and email. We upload our work to private websites that only clients can access. We then work with you to discuss the site and review changes. The site isn't made available to the public until it looks and works exactly as you wish.

Q) How much will a website cost me ?

ANS) The cost of a website varies depends on its complexity. We are happy to discuss your requirements and provide a quote at any time.

Q) Once my website design is completed, what after-sales service do you offer ?

ANS) We fully support any website we design and are always available should you encounter any problems or require new enhancements. Hlinesoft also offers website hosting and maintenance.

Q) Do I have to keep my website with you forever? Can I move it to another provider ?

ANS) You may move your site to another Web hosting service at any time. Once your design has been completed, we send you a copy of the site on CD.

Q) What photo, graphics and text formats should I use for my new website ?

ANS) Please provide all text, photos and graphics in electronic form. For example, the output from a digital camera, Microsoft Word or a digital scanner. If this is not possible, we can help get your information ready for the website.

Q) Will my website design be search-engine friendly ?

ANS) All our websites are created with search engines in mind, and all designs are compliant with search engine guidelines. It is a good idea for your website to be re-evaluated from time to time as search engines do alter their rules and algorithms. This will ensure that your site is up to date and compliant with new rules.

Q) I run a small- or medium-sized business and want an online presence to promote my business. What's the first step ?

ANS) You need a domain name, a Web server and a professionally developed website. You also need the website to be uploaded to your host and promoted to search engines. Hlinesoft can help you with all aspects of getting a website up and running.

Q) Are there hidden costs with Web design services ?

ANS) No. We discuss your website requirements and price accordingly. Once you have placed your order with us, we will adhere to our quoted price.

Q) Do I need a database for my website ?

ANS) This depends on how much information you want to be displayed on your website. If you have many products and services, then it will be advantageous to have a database built into your design. We will discuss this with you in detail. If a database is advised, we will explain exactly how it will work. We will tailor your website design to suit your specific requirements.

Q) How do I update my website ?

ANS) There are many different ways to update websites. The method you choose and the functionality we build into your design is solely up to you.
If you have a small website of just a few pages and will only wish to make changes very infrequently, then usually it is more cost effective simply to ask Hlinesoft to carry out these changes for you.
Other methods are largely dependent on how much data or information you have and how you store this information. We can provide an online content management system in which you can update individual products/pages/services or particular sections of your website such as company news.
We also can provide functionality so you can upload your entire product catalog to the website in one action using spreadsheets. We can also add databases if you wish.

Q) Will everyone see my website the same way ?

ANS) Your visitors will see some things differently depending on their browser, screen resolution settings and their computers. We design sites with that in mind and preview them in several browsers and resolution settings before publishing. As technology evolves, all websites need to be re-evaluated.

Q) Can you provide Web design and hosting services ?

ANS) Yes, Hlinesoft is a one-stop shop. You do not have to worry about who to call if you have problems. Hlinesoft can take care of everything from registering your domain name and designing your site to building it and maintaining it for years to come.

Q) Do you guarantee that my site will always be available ?

ANS) Hlinesoft' Web hosting service has been up 100% of the time for many years. We have the necessary backups in place to deal with the issue quickly should our servers have any problems in the future.

Q) Do you use Flash animation in your website designs ?

ANS) Yes, we do use Flash when it's required. There are times when Flash animations can be an asset, but there are other times when it is not. For example, we never use Flash to create an entire website or even entire pages. Search engines are not able to read the content of Flash and, as a result, words used in animations are not indexed.
It is best to use Flash for small banners, advertisements or demonstrations. Other animations should include some written text in the HTML so that search engines will be able to index the information on the site.

Q) What are my options for e-commerce ?

ANS) You can take payments online in a number of ways. The first is PayPal, an inexpensive way to start taking payments quickly. With PayPal, your visitors can pay with a credit card or by sending a payment from their checking account. PayPal provides a shopping cart and many other free services that are helpful to sites that are starting out. They charge 2.9% plus $.30 per transaction and have no start-up fees. PayPal, however, is not a very customizable solution, and it can have a "start-up" feel. However, this is changing and many mainstream sites are now accepting PayPal as more and more people have PayPal accounts. PayPal provides a very easy way to integrate a shopping cart into your site, which reduces development time.

There is also the option of creating a full e-commerce solution. This involves many different components - a merchant account from a bank, a payment gateway service that allows you to accept payments into your merchant account from your website, a shopping cart or payment script that integrates with your payment gateway, and certain elements of the server environment like having an SSL certificate and a static IP. Full e-commerce is much more expensive and time-consuming to develop than PayPal, but it can be integrated into your site for a truly seamless payment experience. It can also save you money in the long run if you are doing a lot of sales.

Q) How do I get my website on search engines, especially Google ?

ANS) Modern search engines will find your site naturally, through links to your site from other sites. Google especially relies on your incoming links to determine popularity and relevance. For more information on submitting your site and how to promote your site through search engines, read our white paper "Promoting Your Website."

Q) Can I register a domain name through Hlinesoft ?

ANS) Yes. Hlinesoft offers domain name registration. You can search for available names and submit registration information through our domain registration page. You don't have to purchase website design or Web hosting services from us to use this service, though we hope you will want to use Hlinesoft for all your website needs!

Q) What if I do not like the design ?

ANS) If you are not satisfied with the initial design, we will work with you further and come up with another design. Our aim is to design a website that you are completely happy with.

Q) Why should I choose Hlinesoft for my website ?

ANS) Hlinesoft is an established hosting and Web development company that has been delivering projects at all levels of complexity to clients across the United States. Our clients range from small business to large enterprises. We have developed a sophisticated style and a deep understanding of website requirements since our founding in 2003. Read more here about our Web development services.

Q) What is the difference between a static site and a dynamic site ?

ANS) Static Web pages always look the same and the content rarely changes. To make a change, you must create the page yourself or request a Web designer to do it for you. The newly created page and any images must then be uploaded to the Web servers.

Dynamic pages are the opposite. They can change every time they are loaded (without anyone having to make those changes), and they can even change their content based on what your website visitors do.

The dynamic page can be created to respond to information entered by your site's visitor. They usually store and pull information from an underlying database.

Dynamic sites can reduce ongoing maintenance costs if you don't want to change things yourself with a Web page editor. They usually cost more to develop, as they require more complex coding. A content management utility also needs to be developed to help you manage your site.

Many clients have a combination of dynamic and static elements in their sites. For instance, they might use dynamic pages for a product catalog where they have to change information or pictures regularly. The "Contact" and "About Us" pages are often left as static pages.

Q) Can I have an e-commerce system for my website ?

ANS) Yes. We have secure servers (SSL) that use the latest encryption methods to ensure that your customers can buy from you website knowing that the information they enter is secure and safe. If you want your customers' payments to be "cleared online," we can interface to PayPal, Authorize.NET, LinkPoint or other third parties. Read more about the e-commerce website design services here.

Q) How can I accept credit cards on my website ?

ANS) There are two ways to accept credit cards. The first involves using your own card machine and processing the payment yourself. The second option involves hiring an online clearance company. We can design your website accordingly once you have decided which method to use.