Questions
What clerks, managers and boards usually ask before they request a quote.
Cost and paying
How much does a new town website cost?
Every town gets a written quote, because a village of 600 and a city of 4,000 need different things. The quote has two lines: the one-time build, and a monthly fee. If your manager or supervisor can approve purchases up to a set amount without a board vote, tell us the number and we'll work the quote around it.
Is there a deposit?
No. The build is paid when the site goes live, after you've approved it.
What does the monthly fee cover?
Hosting, security, upkeep and changes. Layout changes are usually done within 2 to 3 business days, and bigger projects, like a new section of the site, are quoted first.
Why does it cost less than other town websites?
The repetitive work of moving pages and documents is automated, there's no software license to pay for, and the features come standard instead of as add-ons. More about how we work.
Ownership
Who owns the website?
Your town does: the site, the web address and every file. How it's built is written down, so another developer could pick it up without starting over.
What if we want to leave one day?
You keep everything. We hand over the files and documents and help move them wherever you want them to go.
Can we keep our web address?
Yes. Your address stays the same, whether it ends in .org, .gov or .us, so residents don't have to learn a new one.
Switching over
How long does it take?
Most of the time goes into moving your old pages and documents, so it depends on how much your current site holds. We'll give you a timeline along with the quote.
What happens to our old agendas and minutes?
They all move over, and the site search reads the text inside them. Older documents can sit in a clearly marked archive section.
Will links to our old site break?
No. Old web addresses point to the new pages, so links in old emails, on Facebook and on Google keep working.
Can we keep using our bill pay, reservations and newsletter services?
Yes. The new site links straight to the services your office already uses.
Your staff
Do our staff need training?
Posting is done through simple forms. Your staff get a written guide and a walkthrough at launch, and questions come straight to us after that.
Can our staff break the site?
No. Staff post through forms, and the pages and layout stay with us. Every version of the site is saved, so anything can be put back.
Accessibility and security
Is the site ADA compliant?
Every page is built to WCAG 2.1 AA, the standard in the federal ADA web rule. The documents your staff post count too, so we show them what to check before they post. More on the ADA deadline.
Is the site secure?
Yes. Every page is served over HTTPS (the padlock in the address bar), and because the site is made of simple files with no database, login page for the public or plugins, there's far less for anyone to break into. Every version is saved, so the site can be restored in minutes.
About us
Do you work with villages and townships?
Yes, and with cities, anywhere in West Michigan.
Where are you based?
Plainwell, Michigan.