Frequently Asked Questions

• Why choose Excalibur Technology for my custom programming or website project?
• What is the benefit of having a website?
• What can custom programming do for me?
• How long do projects normally take to complete?
• Is e-commerce right for my company?
• Do you offer Search Engine Optimization?
• Can you help me improve the website I already own?
• I want to have a website, but I'm not sure where to start.
• What do I need to provide for my website or custom program?
• Do you provide copy writing services?
• Can I have Flash animation included in my website?
• Do I need to edit my own website?
• What is the difference between domain registration and domain hosting?
• I have received my website layout design samples, but it appears to be in a foreign language.
• How do I use my Webmail?

Websites are an excellent way of getting information out to a vast number of people. The internet has become the new phone book, with extra advantages! People are more likely to work with companies having a good, effective, informative website. Websites give you a place to be contacted, to express your ideas, and to even sell products with an e-commerce system.

Rolling a website into your marketing plan is a wise idea. Adding your website's domain name to brochures, business cards, and other marketing materials invites prospective clients to familiarize themselves with you and your company at their leisure. This will effectively increase the amount of business you receive. To view a sample of our website design work please visit our web design gallery page.

Here are a few reasons to have a website:

• Build a community
• Internet marketing via search engines or link exchange
• Supplement traditional marketing resources
• Answer frequently asked questions
• Provide an avenue for customer feedback
• Reach and serve a target market or demographic
• Sell products or services
• Generate sales leads
• Disseminate information

The amount of time a website or custom programming project takes to finish varies widely based on the size and complexity of the project. Custom programming varies the most. We've created all sizes of programming project, which have ranged from a few weeks to a few months to complete. Website design usually takes 1-2 weeks, but adding content can stretch the project out much longer. It is a good idea to begin working on the content you want for your website before coming in to meet about the website.

For a breakdown of the stages of website and program development, visit our Process Page.

One of our popular custom programming services is e-commerce. E-commerce is the term for having a system that allows customers to purchase your product or service directly on your website. This can increase your sales, because it is an extremely convenient way for your customers to purchase. However, e-commerce isn't the right fit for everyone. You will need a merchant account as well as an SSL certificate in order to do this. The e-commerce engine can also become very complex, if your product has a complex pricing structure or customized features, which results in more time needed to program.

We do not officially offer Search Engine Optimization. This is a service without significant tangible results. A top spot on a search engine is a tricky thing to guarantee, and we would be wary of those who do guarantee this.

However, we do understand the importance of getting seen on the web. Here are a few ways to help you get seen by the search engines.

1. The most important thing to do is create your copy text thoughtfully. Use key words that you want potential visitors to search for and that help them find your website.
2. Updating regularly is also extremely helpful, as it proves to the search engines that your website is relevant.
3. We can insert keywords that you choose into the code to describe your company, products or services, and website. This will complement the keywords you write into the main copy text.
4. If you are serious about being in the top five on the search engines and are prepared to make a significant investment, consider getting your company inserted into general directories, industry-specific directories, or even paying for ads or sponsored links on the search engines.

Of course! We can help you with a re-design or make updates to images and content. It's a good idea to update your website content regularly, whether that be every week, month, or by season. We also recommend updating the look of your website every few years. A stale, outdated website design can actually lose visitors and even lose sales.

We can help you get started and with every step along the way! Excalibur Technology offers domain registration, domain hosting, email services, website design, logo design, marketing material design, and custom programming. And that is just from our web department! If you would like to know more about Excalibur's many services and how they can help you and your business, check out our main website. If you would like more information or would like to get started, please visit our contact page.

If you are interested in our website design services, please give us a call to set up a meeting or use the contact page to send us an email. Below are a few resources to help you get started.

• The first thing you will need is a website name. you can check for available names using http://www.betterwhois.com/.
• If you would like to use Excalibur Technology to register your domain name, please fill out our Domain Registration Form.
• To sign up for our hosting services, please fill out the Hosting Questionaire.
• To get an idea of your goals and ideas for your website, we would like to meet with you. Give us a call and we can set up a meeting to discuss your project. To prepare yourself for the meeting, please download and review our Pre-Meeting Questionaire.

We like to think of ourselves as honest and helpful, providing our expertise to help you in every way possible. Excalibur Technology offers a wide range of services including:

• domain registration
• domain hosting
• email services
• website design
• custom programming
• logo design
• and marketing material design.

And that is all just from our web department! With all of these services covering every angle of your custom programming or website project, you have the option to have one stop for all of your needs. If you would like to know more about Excalibur's other services and how they can help you and your business, check out our main website.

For a custom program, think about what your specific needs are. If you have a clear idea about the concept and what you would like the program to do, we can more efficiently and quickly provide you with a solution.

For websites, you should first be prepared to provide the content for your website. If you have a logo or marketing materials such as a business card or brochure, it will help to provide them as well. We can create a website design that complements your current marketing materials. If you have photos or other graphics you want to use on the website, please provide them in a high quality .jpg file. For logos and other ilustrations, .ai files are preferred. As with custom programming, think about what your needs and goals are concerning your website. To help you in this process we have created the Pre-Meeting Questionaire.

We offer many services, but we cannot write your copy text for you. If you would like advice or have questions about what should be written, we can offer suggestions and ideas. You know your company better than anyone else, which is the key to writing about it effectively.

Flash animation can add an wonderful eye-catching element to your website. We can create custom Flash animations for your website, like those seen on this website and also in several of the client websites seen on the web design gallery page. These can range from advertisements, to navigation menus, to the full website. It is good to know, however, that it is more difficult to be noticed by search engines if your menu buttons or entire website are in Flash animation files. If you are prepared for this and would like to add flash animation to your website, please contact us.

You do not have to update your own website unless you would like to. There are several options you have when it comes to updating your website.

The first option is to call or email us whenever you want the website updated. We will make sure the updates are completed so that you can concentrate on your business. This option works best for those who are busy or do not plan to update very often. This is the most common website update solution.

Your second option is to have us set up an editor for you. This editor works through the web, so there are no programs to install. It is similar to Microsoft Word in look and feel, so it is fairly easy to use. This is good for those who would like to maintain their own website content, update at least once a month, and are not familiar with HTML, Javascript, and ASP code. This option works most reliably with our domain hosting services.

The third option is for us to create a login to interface with programs such as Adobe Contribute. This works best for those who already have a website editing program that they have been working with.

No matter which option you choose, if you host with us you will always have access to your files via FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

Custom programming is just that. Custom! Working with one of our expert developers, you can get software that is tailored to your needs. We specialize in many forms of programming including client-server applications, desktop applications, website programs and intranet applications. You can see a small sample of our work on the custom programming page.

Domain Registration is when the name for your website is reserved. Contrary to popular belief, domain names are not actually purchased and can only actually be “rented” for specific periods of time, at the end of which, the domain will have to be renewed through the registrar or it will be released for repurchase.

If you do not already have a domain name you will want to give this some thought. It can sometimes be difficult to find a name you would like that is available, unless your name is very unique. To check a name for availability you may go to http://www.betterwhois.com/.

Hosting is the housing for your website and/or e-mail. A web host provides server space to place your website files on and a place to send and receive e-mail from (unless this is handled internally - which is often cost prohibitive for companies.) At the higher level hosting plans that Excalibur Technology offers, you also receive statistic reports and have database capabilities.

Statistic reports can show you how many visitors your website has, how they got there, and which pages are viewed the most. A Database is needed if you plan on selling products or services through your website, but this is certainly not the only use for a database.

Excalibur Technology offers both Registration and Hosting services. For more information about our various hosting packages, please visit the hosting page of the Excalibur main site. Please contact us if you are interested in either or both of these services.

If you would like to use Excalibur Technology to register your domain name, please fill out our Domain Registration Form. To sign up for our hosting services, please fill out the Hosting Questionaire. You can send in either of these forms via fax, mail, or in person.

The majority of the copy text used in website layout designs is in Lorem Ipsum. It is gibberish in Latin which has been used in print samples ever since the 1500's. In website design, it will help you focus on the desgn aspects of the website, rather than worrying about what you will write for your content. This sample text is removed when the final content is submitted or the website is launched. You may visit http://www.lipsum.com/ for more information about the fascinating Lorem Ipsum text samples.

Webmail is one of the convenient features Excalibur Technology offers. It is in place so that when you are away from your main email box, you can still receive email. It's great for vacation use and when you're on the road.

To check your webmail, type directly in your address bar http://webmail.(yourdomainname). An example of this is http://webmail.excaltech.com (excaltech.com being the domain name). Be sure to leave out the "www" you may normally type when you go to your website.

As convenient as webmail is, keep in mind that it is NOT intended for daily use. Webmail is directly connected to the server, so it will effect your mailbox space. Even your sent and deleted items folders count towards this space. If you reach the maximum amount, you will not be able to receive any email at all, so it's best to be careful. Email programs on your computer such as Outlook or Thunderbird fetch the email from the server, so any email you keep there will not count towards your maximum space.