Frequently Asked Questions

• What is my initial investment to build a website?

  The initial investment can vary based on a number of factors:
  
  •    number of pages
  •    types and number of graphic images
  •    programming
  •    web copywriting
  •    back-end database
  •    site analytics
  
  A web page without any high-level programming or search engine optimization generally costs $100 to $300 per page.

• What types of web sites can you design?

  If you can dream it, Elemental Designs can deliver it. We design simple sites such as landing pages or  blogs to graphic-intensive sites with back-end databases and e-commerce functions.  Whether the project is large or small, the Elemental Designs design team will customize a website designed to get results and look great.

• Can I view my web site design as it is being built?

  We can put your web site design on our web server so you can view the site as we construct the pages. It is very exciting to see a new website take shape. With Elemental Designs’s creativity and expertise you will love the process.

• How many changes can I make to the web site once I view the first design template?

  During the information-gathering stage, Elemental Designs attempts to identify your expectations and the direction you envision for the theme of your web site.  This helps us customize an action plan that suits your company’s needs and budget.
  
  We encourage clients to give plenty of feedback so that we can get a clear direction established as soon as possible.  The complexity of the site or the level of control you want to have over your own website will determine the amount of changes available.

• What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of modifying your website and enhancing external links in order to boost your rankings on search engines. Search engines use hundreds of factors to determine a website's rankings, such as keywords in the title of a page, keyword-rich meta tags and having many external sites link to your site.  The experts at Elemental Designs will know the most important factors that need to be incorporated in your website to achieve top rankings.

• What is the difference between Natural SEO, Organic SEO and Black Hat SEO?

  Sometimes SEO is referred to as Natural SEO or Organic SEO, which means that the techniques used in the SEO process are in accordance with search engine guidelines and no tricks are used to fool search engines.   Black Hat SEO refers to an SEO technique that uses tricks to fool search engines, such as hidden content and sneaky redirections. Companies using tricks for SEO often get their clients’ sites banned in search engines.  Elemental Designs is committed to identifying and using the latest techniques in your SEO campaign, but we will never compromise our integrity, or yours, to attract visitors.

• What are Meta Tags?

  Meta Tags are hidden HTML tags used in the underlying code of a website. The search engines are able to read these tags to determine a website’s keywords and description. Although not as important as they were several years ago, meta tags are still necessary to have on your page. Often, a website's description displayed in the search engine is picked up from the meta tags.  Elemental Designs will assist your company with identifying the most efficient and profitable keywords for your meta tags.

• What is Link Popularity?

  Link popularity is one of the main factors used by search engines to determine a website's rankings. The more websites that link to your website, the more popular your website appears to the search engines and the better your rankings will be. Furthermore, the higher the quality or link popularity of the sites linking to yours, the more important the search engines will think your site is. It is also important to have links from related websites to your site. Having relevant keywords in the anchor text of the link is highly beneficial for optimization.  Elemental Designs can help your company build a fantastic link campaign that will make the search engines take notice of your site!

• What’s the difference between search engine submission and search engine optimization (SEO)?

  In the old days, search engine submissions were the only way that websites could be discovered. In order to show up on search engine ranking results, you would have to submit your site directly to the search engines. Today, websites can be discovered through link development. If you have at least one link pointing to your site from another site that's already listed, your site will show up on the major search engines. For new websites, manual submissions are still recommended. These submissions should be done as soon as possible so that you can get your site listed on the search engines immediately.  Elemental Designs will make sure that your site is submitted to the proper search engines and directories so that your site begins showing up in search results, in addition to implementing the most complete optimization program for your company.

• What is PageRank™?

  PageRank is one of the most important factors that contribute to your search engine rankings. PageRank is an algorithm that analyzes link structures and establishes a value for individual Web pages. Every Web page is assigned a value from 0 to 10. The more quality links you have pointing to your site, the higher your PageRank will be. Links from sites that already have a high PageRank are the most desirable links you can have. If you have a lack of quality links, your PageRank  will be low. By adding the Google™ Toolbar to your internet browser, you can view the PageRank of every site you visit.  Elemental Designs concentrates on improving the PageRank of each page on your company’s website.

• How long will it take to improve my search engine rankings?

  Search Engine Optimization is not a short-term marketing solution. It takes time to increase your search ranking results. The time frame for results will vary among industries and from one search engine to another. Typically, our clients will start to see initial results within three months after our optimization efforts have begun. These initial results will continue to improve on a monthly basis. The more competitive the industry and the keywords, the harder it is to rank high.  The good news is that Elemental Designs will continue working on your campaign using all of the latest SEO techniques to achieve front-page rankings on all the major search engines.