FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where did you get the name Etherjazz?

Our company name is a metaphor for what we do.

The “Ether” part of our name refers to the Internet communications medium. The word “ether” was a scientific term used in the past to describe what was thought to be the medium in which electromagnetic waves traveled.

The “jazz” part of our name describes what we want to achieve on the web. Jazz music is characterized by the sophisticated harmony and interaction among the players. This is like the type of harmony and interaction we seek to create among the diverse elements that make up a web site.

Why do I need to have an Internet presence?

The Internet is one of the most significant technology developments since the advent of the personal computer. It has changed the the way we do things, and it is changing customer expectations of how businesses should treat them.

Today you may have hundreds of new competitors for your customers than you had last year. Your competition is no longer limited to the folks across town or down the road. With the Internet, every business like yours that has a presence on the World Wide Web is now competing for your customers.

The Internet may eliminate the need for some customers to physically come to your place of business. Your competition may already have "virtual stores" on the Internet where they advertise and sell their products & services online. The Internet represents no less than a revolution in how we get information, goods and services. How well are you positioned to meet these challenges and opportunities?

What are the requirements to have a web site?

The technical requirements for a web site are:

  • A domain name to uniquely identify your site ("www.yourcompany.com").
  • A server to host the pages for your site.
  • The web pages themselves
  • Visibility on the web through search engine registration and other techniques.

There are also strategic requirements that need to be defined. You should be able to answer these questions about the web site:

  • What is the purpose of your site?
  • What are the goals of the site?
  • How does the site fit into your business strategy?
  • What audience are you trying to reach?
  • How will you know if the site is successful?

What is your development methodology?

The methodology we use for developing a new web site consists the following tasks. These are generally done in the order presented.

  • Analysis
    This includes defining web site goals, intended audience and expected results. It also may include a "best of class" survey of peer web sites.
  • Site Architecture
    Content identification, site map, hosting hardware & traffic requirements, e-mail, e-commerce, forms and multimedia.
  • Graphic Design
    Develop color palette; acquire existing graphics; identify requirements for special artwork and/or stock images.
  • Page Layout
    Develop composite page layout images identifying content organization, navigation elements, colors & graphic themes.
  • Content Development
    Develop text and graphical content for each page. Create internal and external links & bookmarks.
  • Testing
    Test prototypes and optimize for fast page loading. Test final design prior to production release.
  • Publication
    Move final pages into production.
  • Search Engine Optimization
    Optimize pages for search engine keywords and add META tags. Register site with search engines and paid placement services as required.

Do I have to develop my whole web site at once?

No! As a matter of fact, we advocate an incremental site development approach.

It is often better to build a web site using smaller incremental steps than to attempt to do it all in one big step. This is particularly true if you aren't sure about all of the functionality you want in your site.

We advise our clients to build for their needs today, but with an eye towards what they think they may want tomorrow. This saves time and money in the long run, and also gets you up on the web faster. The incremental approach also allows us to monitor the performance and response of your web site and to make adjustments as the development progresses.

How much does it cost to develop a site?

Every site has unique requirements. Costs are a proportional to the number of pages in the site and the complexity of the pages. The more pages, the higher the cost. Sites with custom graphics, database integration or e-commerce will add to the cost.

Here are the main cost components you need to consider:

  • Domain registration (~ $20 per year)
  • Site Hosting ( ~$10 per month)
  • Site design and development costs (depends on the scope and nature of the project)
  • Search engine registration and placement (depends on your advertising budget)

For budget purposes, we suggest allowing $150 - $200 per page for basic sites. That would include domain registration and a year of hosting.

We will develop an estimate for your project that details out the expected hours by phase of work. This provides you with an overall cost estimate for the project for the work as specified. Our preference is to work on a time-and-materials basis with a not-to-exceed total. Progress billings are submitted monthly.

Site maintenance and web mastering work can be billed either on a retainer or as-needed basis. For more information about pricing, please contact us. We would be happy to meet with you for an initial consultation at no cost.

How long does it take to build a web site?

Small projects such as a single-page web site can take as little as one week to complete. A typical project will run between 4-8 weeks. More complicated projects with database integration, e-commerce, animation and other advanced features will require additional time.