FAQ

What is a responsive or adaptive website and does HIT Web Services provide that service?

Yes, HIT Web Services specializes in responsive website design and development. A responsive website is designed and developed in a system that allows the website to restructure at certain thresholds. The code empowers the site to have the same content in a format that is optimized for specific devices based on the screen resolution, which provides the best user experience for each device.

Does HIT Web Services build websites where the site owner can manage their own content (CMS)?

Yes, HIT Web Services provides a wide range of CMS (Content Management System) development options. We provide custom CMS solutions, WordPress CMS integration, and many other CMS services depending on the goals and specifications of the website project. The majority of customers who use us to build websites end up going with WordPress, but occasionally customers need something more custom tailored and go a different route.

What is the average turnaround time for a website design?

Each website project is different and requires a specially designed solution. An informational website takes roughly 45-60 days to design and develop. Depending on the nature of the project, the time frame is adjusted based on the requirements and functionality of the project. Each project is given a project schedule upon kickoff to ensure deadlines are met quickly and efficiently.

How do we handle payment terms for websites?

Project fees are broken up into two instalments: -The first instalment is due upon kickoff. Work on the project will not start until the receipt of the initial instalment is received. -The second instalment is due prior to launch/final delivery. The website/project will not launch until paid in full.

Who do you recommend for web hosting?

We provide web hosting services. They start at $39 a month and change based on needs. Our web hosting plans all come with off-site backup, motoring for uptime every minute and automatic virus scanning nightly. Our servers are hosted with AWS and each customer is given Cpanel access to their site. They can manage FTP, Database and several other aspects of their site on their own.

Do we build custom or template websites?

We do both custom and template websites. Custom websites are custom to the brand and seen no where else on the internet. They go through a full web design process, designed and coded from scratch. These typically cost more and take longer. Template sites are generally 40% - 60% cheaper than a custom site but aren't unique. They take a little less time to complete.

Do we service clients outside of the US?

We work with clients all over the world.

How long has HIT Web Services been in business?

HIT Web Services was established in 2006 and continues to provide cutting-edge service to this day.

Does HIT Web Services provide a warranty?

Yes, HIT Web Services stands behind its work 100%. Any bugs or issues that arise from work provided by HIT Web Services during the project scope phase will be covered and fixed at no charge. However, if other development has taken place on the site and modifications have been made to the existing code, HIT Web Services will not warranty the work.

Does HIT Web Services own the digital/intellectual assets for their website projects?

No, HIT Web Services does not own or have rights to the work that we do on behalf of our clients. Everything that we do for a website project is owned entirely by the client.

Does HIT Web Services have in-house designers and developers?

HIT Web Services uses both in-house and contractors to build our websites. We are a small business and don't always have the talent in-house to develop certain things for websites. We have relationships with experts in all industries and will provide value for any project.

What makes an HIT Web Services website better than the website of a competitor?

HIT Web Services is a full-service digital marketing company that provides exceptional service with the experience of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Not only do the websites we design look great, but they also rank well and attract qualified traffic. We aren't always the cheapest, and we aren't always the most expensive. We provide a lot of value for our price point. We also don't lie, cheat, steal or blow smoke. What you see is what you get. Finally, we always do the right thing...even if it's our fault (we aren't perfect).

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is the promotion of a company through the use of search optimization, online advertising, and content marketing. At HIT Web Services, we provide integrated digital marketing plans that have a balanced and proven method for driving revenue through our clients’ websites.

What does SEO stand for?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. This is the practice/strategy behind trying to get your website to rank for targeted keywords with the hope of increasing traffic/conversions. This is done through blogging, link building, on page optimization and several other important SEO factors.

How quickly can I rank #1?

Ranking highly on Google takes time. For competitive industries, it can take several months and sometimes even a year. For niche product services it often times takes 4 - 8 months to reach the first page. Keep in mind, we don't guarantee #1 or page 1 ranking in any certain period of time. Be wary of someone who does guarantee this as they are almost always lying.

Is blogging important for SEO?

Blogging is a small factor out of many that contribute to a well-architected SEO strategy. With blogs, quality is more important than quantity. You want users to stay on your website, engage, read the whole post and get them to share or link to it... this is ultimately the goal.

Does HIT Web Services offer SEO, Paid Search or Digital Marketing?

Yes, HIT Web Services provides a wide range of services in regards to digital marketing. Each company and industry is different; therefore, we do not offer package plans. Each plan is specialized determined based on competition, search volume, specific goals and many other factors.

Does a responsive website help our rankings?

Yes, Google has stated, and industry leaders agree, that a responsive website provides better user experience and therefore helps increase rankings, especially among mobile searches. Users who are searching on a mobile phone and get a desktop website will likely bounce and move on to the next website.

How do you price SEO?

We price SEO based on what we think it's going to take from a time, resources and strategy standpoint to be relative in search for the keywords we deem critical for your success. The cost is generally in line with the amount of competition in your industry. The more competitive industries cost more than the less competitive ones simply because they require more time/resources to compete.

Are you ecommerce websites built in WordPress?

We typically build websites on the OpenCart framework because it's opensource and is packed with useful ecommerce features. We will also build ecommerce websites in WordPress if we feel that this is in the customers best interest.

How many products can we have?

You can have as many products as you want. As you add more products, there are best practices that we implement in order to keep the site fast loading and easy for the users to operate.

Can we integrate with Paypal, Authorize.net or Stripe?

Yes. Both WordPress and OpenCart integrate with dozens of payment process out of the box. We always recommend adding PayPal as we have seen it lead to an increase in conversion.

How do I setup custom tax rules?

Typically we see customer charging tax only on orders shipped to the state that they do business in. For example, Arizona shipped orders for a company based in Arizona will charge a flat rate tax...usually around 8%.

How can we configure shipping for our ecommerce site?

OpenCart and WordPress integrate with USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL. They also have plugins for Shipworks, Shipstation and many other aggregate shipping providers which will handle your shipping for you. We often set up custom shipping rules either on a product, category or location basis.

Can we have different types of product options?

Yes, most ecommerce sites that we build sell something that has different variations. Examples are sizes, colors or different configurations.

Should we get an SSL certificate for our ecommerce website?

It's now a best practice to secure every page of your website, not just the pages submitting credit card information. For this reason, we recommend to all of our customers to get an SSL certificate and secure every single page. For customer hosting with us, we handle this from end to end.

We want to sell subscriptions, is this something you can do?

Yes, we handle websites like this all the time.

If we host with you, where is our website actually hosted?

A lot of companies are the middleman and simply just resell hosting. This isn't the case for us, we actually have our own server in the Northern California data center at AWS. We utilize Cpanel to give each customer there own access and have it securely partitioned.

Is your web hosting PCI compliant?

Our server is PCI compliant. This, however, doesn't mean you are PCI compliant as there are certain rules that apply to the website/application that have nothing to do with the server. We achieved our PCI compliance just recently and spent a lot of time securing/hardening our server.

How do you backup the sites that you host?

We back up the sites two different ways:
1.) Locally so you can restore if needed through the Cpanel interface. This is done nightly.

2.) We back up the files off-site each night to place only we can access. These are stored for 30 days.

What happens if there is a server issue that effects our website out of our control?

If we have a server issue that affects your website that is caused by something we did, we fix it for free. We also maintain/update the server weekly to keep it secure and most up to date with patches.

Do you monitor the sites that you host?

Yes, we monitor the sites that we host every 60 seconds. If one goes down we investigate immediately and fix if possible.

How much does your hosting cost?

$39 a month for just hosting $99 a month if you host and want 2 hours of maintenance per month. Paid monthly by credit card. Prices subject to change without notice.

Do you detect malware or scan for virus's?

We scan nightly for these files and remediate accordingly.

Does HIT Web Services provide E-commerce websites?

Yes, HIT Web Services provides E-commerce websites. Depending on the purpose and products of our clients, we provide different E-commerce solutions. In many cases, HIT Web Services develops on an established framework, such as OpenCart. This solution enables HIT Web Services to provide custom design and integration while benefiting from an open-source framework that reduces overall time and development costs.

Can we build complex web applications?

We built applications of all sizes from starts up to fortune 500 companies.

Do we provide web maintenance?

Yes, HIT Web Services provides 3 types of web maintenance. 1.) Hourly 2.) Pre-purchased at a discount in 5, 10 and 20 hour blocks. 3.) Subscription (the cheapest) paid for monthly.

Should you use the company that quoted you $500 to build your website?

You get what you pay for.

Can you help me write content for my website?

Yes, we charge a fixed cost per word that would be outlined in your proposal.

Do I own my website?

You own your website, all of its assets, content, pictures, code and design once they are paid for in full. This is one of the things that sets us apart. We don't ever hold client hostage or play games. Once your assets are paid for in full, you own them 100% no questions asked.

How much does a website cost?

Custom sites start at around $4500 - $7500. Template sites are around $3,000 - $4,500.