You Asked, We Answered: About Website Development

What is a CMS (Content Management System)?

CMS is a platform that helps webmasters & developers build websites quickly & cost-effectively. There are a few CMS platforms that are commonly used in Singapore for website development. Below are some of these CMSs:

• WordPress
• Shopify
• Drupal
• Joomla

What are the different types of websites that I can have?

There are different types of websites for different needs. For example, if you want to showcase your services or your company’s services online, you can build an informative website. We also call it a business website or a corporate website.

If you want to sell something online, you can go for an eCommerce website. An eCommerce website or an online store enables you to publish your products or services on your website and enable your customers to buy them online.

If you want to build an eCommerce platform where buyers and sellers can meet each other, then you can build a marketplace website. A marketplace eCommerce site enables sellers to publish their products so that website visitors can view them and buy them online. A perfect example of an eCommerce marketplace is Lazada.

If you want to share your thoughts or ideas with others through an online platform, you can build a blog.

If you want to start an eCommerce website without investing in products or warehouses, then you can consider building a dropshipping website that allows you to sell products from different merchants and sell them under your brand name.

In short, there are a lot of options for you to choose a website type that’s suitable for your needs. All you have to do is, write down your needs and consult with a web developer who can suggest the right kind of website for your needs.

What is the difference between a theme/template and a custom website design?

Below are some of the major differences between a theme and a custom design:

• A theme is a pre-designed template that can be applied to any website to define or change its design. It comes with pre-defined layouts, structure, & elements. A custom design is built from scratch and adjusted according to the unique requirements of the business brand.
• A theme is cost-effective as compared to a custom design. So, if you need a low-cost website, go for a theme instead of a custom design.
• A theme may not be flexible because of its pre-defined structure however custom design is easily scalable.
• It may take more time for a web developer to work on a custom design however using a theme/template can enable them to complete the website quicker.

How can I reduce my website development cost?

Well, there are many ways in which you can reduce your website development costs. Below are some of the best ways to save your money:

• Use a website template instead of a custom website design.
• Use a website CMS such as WordPress, for building your website.
• Use free stock images from the websites like https://pexels.com.
• Subscribe to a reliable yet affordable web hosting company.
• Hire an affordable website developer who can provide you with the best quality at an affordable price.

Have a look at our affordable website design package!

Is there any recurring cost involved in website development?

Yes, there are a few charges that you may have to pay every year or month, depending on your subscriptions. Below are some of the recurring/ongoing charges of a website:

• Website hosting (usually renewed every year)
• Website domain name (usually renewed every year)
• Premium plugin costs (could be on a monthly or yearly basis)
• SSL charges (usually renewed every year)

What kind of services do web developers in Singapore provide?

Well, there are many services that a Singapore web developer can provide you with. Below are some of those services:

• Website development (new website design, or existing website redesign)
• Logo design (Not all of them, but most website designers assist their clients in designing their company’s logo)
• Website hosting & domain name
• Website optimization (for SEO)
• Website performance enhancement (to fix slow loading speed or troubleshoot any bug on the website)
• Website repair
• Website maintenance (updating the website’s plugins & modules regularly and updating the content & images on the website)
• Website consultancy (to help their clients resolve their queries or concerns related to website development)

Do you need web design services in Singapore? Get in touch with me now!

How to maintain a website?

• Regular update: It’s important to regularly update the core software of your website to its latest version. Other than the website’s core software, it’s crucial to update its plugins & theme to their latest versions. Failing to do so may attract security threats for your website.
• Content changes: Always make sure to update your website’s content with the correct information. Be it a new service, new product, or address change, make sure your website has all of them.
• Backup: It would be a great idea to take regular backups of your website. This will help you to reinstate your website in case of any unforeseen server downtime or website hack. When you hire a web developer to maintain your website, they will always ensure to take regular backups of your site.
• Check for broken links: Having broken links on a website can affect both its user’s experience and search engine credibility. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that there are no broken links (links that open nothing but a message “page not found”) on your website.
• Speed optimization: Various studies have shown that slow-loading websites tend to lose their user retention rate. So, if you want your potential customers to stay on your website for a longer time and get converted, make sure your website opens quickly. 
• Security: Taking care of a website’s security is an integral part of any website maintenance. There are many things that you can do to secure your website such as installing a security plugin, restricting access to critical files, changing passwords regularly, upgrading the theme & plugins regularly, etc.

What is a content management system?

A content management system (CMS) is software that helps webmasters make changes (edit, add, or delete) to the website content without any need for technical skills.

Over the last 2 decades, we have witnessed the growing popularity and demand of CMS platforms. A CMS has become a preferred choice for all the webmasters and website builders.

Below are some of the popular CMS platforms:

• WordPress
• Drupal
• Joomla
• Magento
• OpenCart

Why should you use CMS for your website development?

• Ease of use: A CMS makes it easier for even a layman to make changes to the website without having any coding skills.
• Flexible: With a CMS like WordPress, you can start with a basic website and expand it to your specific business needs.
• Secure: Most CMS platforms offer security features or plugins & modules that are used to secure the websites.
• SEO-friendly: All the popular CMS platforms come with an SEO-friendly architecture that makes it easier for webmasters to rank their websites on search engines.
• Design options: All the CMS platforms have a provision to change the design in just a few minutes by installing and configuring different themes/templates.

Can I make changes to my website myself?

Yes, if your developer has developed the website using a CMS such as WordPress, it becomes much easier to manage the website content from the backend.

Below are some of the things that you can manage on your website through the backend:

• Website’s texts and images
• Website’s menus
• Website’s sliders
• Website’s form fields
• Website’s backups

What are the essential features of a business/corporate website?

Building a corporate website can help your business grow manifold. But you have to make sure that your website has all the necessary features to make your website successful.

Below are some of the basic yet essential features that a business/corporate website should have:

• Contact form
• Easy-to-manage backend
• WhatsApp widget integration
• SEO meta tags (meta title, meta description, etc.)
• Blog
• Intuitive navigation
• Call-to-action buttons like contact us, call us, etc.
• Social media integration

How can I track users on my website?

There are many tools that you can use to track the user’s behavior on your website. One of those best tools is Google Analytics. It’s free to use and install on your website. With the help of Google Analytics, you can monitor the user’s behavior on your website and make necessary changes to your website accordingly.

Once you install the Google Analytics tool on your website, you will be able to monitor the activities of your users such as:

• Pageviews
• Bounce rate
• Page loading speed of your website for each user
• Time spent on each page
• Source of traffic
• Conversions (form submission, sale, etc.)

What is website redesign and how much does it cost?

The facelift of a website is generally known as website redesign however enhancing the features of a website can also come under website redesign.

Below are some of the criteria when you may have to redesign your website:

• When your website design is outdated.
• When your website is not getting any sales or conversions.
• When you change your business services.
• When you want to outrank your competition.

The cost of redesigning a website can be the same as building a new website. This means revamping an existing corporate/business website may start at $800. The cost to redesign an eCommerce website may start at $3000.

Can I add a live chat feature to my website?

Yes, a live chat feature/widget can be added to any website. There are many plugins/modules available for websites to integrate and activate a live chat option for the users.

One of the best live chat plugins is Zendesk Chat however you can also install a WhatsApp chat to your website that will help your users chat with you.

How to website designers optimize the website’s loading speed?

There are many things that can be done to optimize the loading speed of a website. However, most professional web developers & designers in Singapore perform below activities:

• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML to reduce file sizes & remove unnecessary code.
• Optimize images by compressing them without losing quality.
• Enable browser caching to store static resources locally on users’ devices.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute content across multiple servers globally.
• Reduce HTTP requests by combining files and using CSS sprites.
• Enable gzip compression to compress files before sending them to the browser.
• Optimize and delay loading of JavaScript to ensure critical content loads first.
• Implement lazy loading for images and videos to load media only when it enters the viewport.