Questions About...

• Metro Girl Services
• Domains
• Pricing
• Technical Stuff / Graphics

Questions About Metro Girl Services

Question: My company already has a web site, but we need someone to maintain it, adding on new pages, pictures, etc. Do you do that?

Answer: Yes, we do! Metro Girl has extensive experience maintaining web sites. Once a relationship is established, relaying edits is often a simple matter of sending files by email or sending pictures through regular mail. If more extensive editing is needed, Metro Girl is there to assist with web site redesign and will set up any necessary in-person consultations.

Read more about Web Site Fixes & Maintenance.

Question: Can you re-do my web site? The one my company has is OK, but I want something MORE.

Answer: Definitely! Whether you want a whole new look or just a few graphics changed, Metro Girl can help you out. Metro Girl will have a look at your existing site, listen to what you want, and come up with ideas for improvements.

Once a contract is signed, Metro Girl digs in and begins re-working your site. Before any changes are made, a prototype version is posted to a test area. Once the customer is satisfied, changes go on the "live" site for the world to see. Chances are high you'll love what you see!

Read more about Web Site Fixes & Maintenance.

Question: My company needs a web site but we don't know where to start and don't know much about the technology. Would Metro Girl be able to work with us?

Answer: Don't be intimidated by the web -- anyone can get started and it's not as hard as you think. From planning to design to buying a domain (www.yourcompany.com), Metro Girl works hard to make everything easy.

Metro Girl takes care of all the technical details so you don't have to, but at the same time, you will be kept informed. Metro Girl will patiently explain to you how everything works. Once your web site is done, Metro Girl will provide you will an extensive customer packet, putting you in as much "in control" as you want to be.

Read more about Building New Web Sites.

Question: How long does it take to create a web site?

Answer: There is no set answer to this question; the roll-out schedule depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the site, the particular technology involved, the availability of content, and the available of Metro Girl itself.

In general, however, unless it's a very large site, actual site development can be completed within the space of a month. Clients are always kept current with progress on their site and delays, technical or otherwise, are relayed in a timely fashion.

Question: My husband's 12-year-old nephew can make web pages for free. Why should I pay Metro Girl to do this?

Answer: Metro Girl has the professional expertise to not only create professional web sites but to plan, develop, execute, promote and provide documentation for professional web sites. If you want people to take your site seriously, you ought to take yourself seriously enough to hire someone with the right expertise to do the job.

Find out more about Wendy's professional experience or review her online portfolio.

Question: Once Metro Girl creates my web site, can I maintain it, or does Metro Girl have to do that?

Answer: Metro Girl can maintain the site and does that as a part of its business, but if you'd like to take care of the site yourself, Metro Girl can set things up so you can go forward with that. Metro Girl can even point you in the right direction and advise you on software tools, how to do things, etc. Depending on your site and the type of edits you need, site maintenance can either be very easy or a big pain requiring technical expertise you may not have. For more information, have a chat with Metro Girl.

Read more about Web Site Fixes & Maintenance.

Questions About Domains

Question: Can you help me buy a domain (www.mycompany.com)?

Answer: Absolutely! Metro Girl makes purchasing a domain fast and easy. Using her connections with Atlanta-based Interland Inc., Metro Girl can purchase a domain (assuming availability) in your name. Usually domain purchase is done at the same time web hosting is set up.

Question: I want my own domain but I don't know if the domain I want is available. Can you find out for me?

Answer: Sure, but actually you can find out for yourself by going to http://www.netsol.com. Just enter the name and decide if it's .com, .net, or .org and the online interface will show you what's available and even show you alternatives. Note: I don't recommend buying the domain through Network Solutions, I'm only suggesting it as a way to check and see if your domain is available.

Question: Which is better, .com or .net?

Answer: At this point, they are about the same. It used to be that people were unfamiliar with .net but now it's not really a problem. Your first choice should be .com but if that's not available, go for .net. You can also buy both.

Question: Our organization would like a .org address. Is that different from getting a .com or .net address?

Answer: No, the process is exactly the same and Metro Girl can take care of it for you.

Question: Can I get an email address to match my web site domain?

Answer: If you work with Metro Girl and set up your hosting with Interland, the answer is yes, definitely. In fact, Interland lets you set up an unlimited number of email addresses to go with your site, so if you're http://www.littlebusiness.com you can set up email addresses to go with it, like info@littlebusiness.com, orders@littlebusiness.com, boss@littlebusiness.com, etc. These email accounts are real accounts and can be accessed either via the Web or through your regular email program (Eudora, Outlook, etc.)

If you site is hosted outside of Interland, matching email accounts may also be available but it depends on the services and options available to you under your particular hosting set-up.

Questions About Pricing

Question: How much do you charge for a web site?

Answer: This is probably the number one question here at Metro Girl and the answer is, it depends.

Most large projects are billed using a flat-rate fee, meaning Metro Girl presents the client with a price based on an estimate of the project scope (how long it will take, what resources it will require, etc.) After a contract is signed, but prior to starting work, Metro Girl requires a 50% deposit. The remainder of the fee is to be paid at completion of the project.

Most "large projects" are new web sites or web site redesigns, but feature add-ons (e.g. adding on a bulletin board system) are also billed on a flat rate.

Some projects, in addition to the flat fee or hourly fee, required purchase of additional programs, scripts, or tools, which can be rolled into the flat fee when the estimate is made or which may be added later. The "extra" Metro Girl uses are always the most economical solutions and costs are small. Client is always informed of any extra costs.

Hourly charges are reserved for maintenance work and other "small jobs" needed on web sites. Minimum work time for hourly charges is a half hour. If desired, charges can be sent in a monthly bill showing total hours.

Clients may arrange to have a maintenance contract where for a set monthly fee, Metro Girl will do maintenance up to a certain number of hours. This eliminates variation in fee and keeps this automated.

Read more about Pricing.

Questions About Technical Stuff / Graphics

Question: Can we have a form so people can fill out surveys, send us their address, ask questions, etc.?

Answer: Yes you can -- and it's not difficult at all, assuming you are collecting plain old information, as opposed to sensitive information like credit card numbers. Regular forms require access to something called a CGI bin and the set-up of a special Perl script; Metro Girl can take care of this with no trouble, particularly if your site is hosted by Interland.

Question: I have prints of some photos I'd like to see on my web site. Can you do that?

Answer: Metro Girl can scan in your pictures (or forms, drawings, etc.), putting them in digital format for use on your web site.