The Development Process
Step 1 – Domain Name and Web Hosting
If you already have a domain name or a web site, we’ll need to know your hosting user name and password. We’ll call you to collect the information by phone – please don’t email it to us because email is not very secure.
If you don’t have a domain name or web site, we recommend GreenGeeks or SiteGround. Both are reliable, have good support, and include a domain name and SSL certificate with each hosting package. If you decide to use either of them for hosting, please click the link above to sign up and we’ll receive a small commission. Thanks! After you get signed up, call us with the user name and password.
Step 2 – Choose a Theme
We’re not designers, so we rely on the skills of others for this type of work. You can use a free theme or you can have a theme developed especially for you and your brand. While a custom theme is more expensive, it gives you total control over the look of your site. With a free theme, we have a couple of sites we recommend, and you pick from the available themes.
Note: The most important feature a theme must have is that it’s responsive, which means the pages will resize according to the visitor’s screen size. It is a must-have feature.
Free Themes
There are thousands and thousands of free themes for WordPress – the trick is finding one where the basic look is what you want. We can make some changes to the free themes, such as fonts, colors and pictures (perhaps replacing the heading image with something more appropriate for you). A free theme can be a great solution if you’re willing to put in some time finding a good theme to use as a base. Or, if you would prefer, we can research a theme for you for $80. We’ll discuss what you’re looking for and then go from there.
Our favorite free theme is GeneratePress. We subscribe to the premium version, which means you get the premium version, too! Our license covers all of our clients and we’re very happy to share.
Themes at WordPress.org – On this site, if you find something you like, put your pointer on the sample image, and copy the link address. Or, click on the sample image, then copy the web address of that page, and paste it into an email for us. An example link is like this one: https://wordpress.org/extend/themes/yast-yet-another-standard-theme.
Premium Themes
We prefer these to free themes, as they are designed by professionals and have extra features built into them.
ThemeForest – This site has thousands of beautiful themes to choose from, and most cost under $100. It also has a nice search feature in the left sidebar, to help you find what you want. Be sure to click the “Live Preview” link on a theme page, to see what it looks like and all of its features.
Custom Themes
If you would rather have a site which is designed especially for you, get in touch with JoEllen Harshman at JH Graphics. She does wonderful work! It usually takes between 3 and 6 hours for us to set up the template for a custom theme.
Step 3 – Have Your Site Developed
In this step we’ll work together to get everything set up on your web site. This process normally takes between two days and a week or two, depending on the complexity of the project and our current schedule.
Step 4 – Payment
We bill at the beginning of each month for work completed in the previous month. Our rate is $80 per hour and we accept checks (preferred) and credit cards. A deposit may be required for new customers. Invoices are due upon receipt and will incur a late charge of $35 or 10% (whichever is greater) after 30 days. If you’re paying by credit card, we’ll collect the necessary info by phone at the time of billing.
Optional – Step 5 – Training
If you’re interested in maintaining your own content, we can show you how! Just schedule an appointment with us and we’ll spend as much time as you need to feel comfortable editing your site. Or if you like, we can do your updates at our normal hourly rate.
Ready to get started?
Currently, we are accepting new clients by referral only.