FAQS FOR CLIENTS
CLIENT FAQS
All of our web design and Internet marketing/social media marketing services begin with a Terms of Service contract that defines the scope of our agreed service offerings that "must be signed" for our project(s) to begin.
- Web Design Terms of Service
- Internet Marketing/Social Marketing Terms of Service
- Website Hosting Terms of Service
We then proceed to our client start process with a question and answer forms for our team to understand your business, industry and marketing goals.
- In most website projects, we require a 50% deposit before starting all projects and the remaining 50% at the completion of every job.
- We also offer payment plans.
- Our standard hourly rate is $120 an hour Canadian + HST.
- For monthly Internet marketing packages, we divide the total by the months performing the services to equal payments monthly over the project term.
- If you are a client and require help with non-company services like Paypal, your domain Registrar, Google Apps Email, Zoho, etc to sleuth out solutions our Critical incident rates are charged on a per-call basis. Note: It's also a higher rate when you want that day priority service if we have the available team to help. Rates begin at $125 an hour for emergency day service of troubleshooting, phone support is at $90 an hour on top of our service (min 2 hours will be billed).
- Website updating service plans do not cover phone assistance for non-service offered items and will be billed at our standards hourly rate or $90 an hour.
- Accepted payments are by cheque, Interac e-Transfer (send to hello@gemwebb.com) and all major credit cards through QuickBooks Cloud Online and Moneris PayD. There is an additional 3% transaction fee for credit card payments.
- American clients are billed in American funds and request money transfers using a Swift BIC code to our American bank account (a form will be provided).
Once the 50% deposit is received, we roll into a start-up meeting for the team's ideas. We review your industry, competitors, your old website (if applicable) to see the strength and weaknesses in Google Search.
Once we've learned about your business from the perspective of what you'd like to achieve and what services you want, we then want to dive a little bit deeper into your day to day operations and how you hope your clients will interact with your website. This will be done in the form of a questionnaire that will be set up for you on a test server. Once you've completed our questions then the clock can start on our team to get things ready for you.
For small business websites, once the questionnaire is filled out, a complete build can take from 1 week to 2 months depending on the number of pages required and the amount of additional content that will need to be created.
For larger websites with more functionality, once your questionnaire is filled out the process can take anywhere from 1 to 4 months or more depending on the amount of functionality, the amount of content that needs to be created, and the ability of the client and their team to respond timely to requests for new content.
We offer full-service website updating packages for those who don't want to learn or don't have time to update their own sites that may include: blog posts, update text, images, and even layout changes at an easy to afford retainer rate. We also offer the following website updating service packages.
Education Learning Sessions: Every 30 minutes of a live, phone call or screen sharing session counts as 1 task. IE: 1 Hour is 2 tasks.
What qualifies as a request?
A single submission for a change or multiple changes to the physical appearance, text or updates/changes to existing website functionality. If you have multiple changes at once (up to 10) we will count that as 1 request. The new functionality will be subject to review before we can count it within web concierge as some functionality could come with significant development costs. We promise to work with you to find the best and most cost-effective solution.
1: Company hourly standard rates are normally $120/hr, so the above packages reduce clients yearly service rates.
2: We do not charge to repair anything that is broken or not working, please contact us immediately if there are any issues with your website and we will work to resolve them as soon as possible.
All projects are assigned by the owner, Gem Webb, to a specific team member once a foundational understanding of the client and project scope is acquired.
At Gem Webb Internet Marketing & Web Design Inc., our agency works during traditional business days. We grant access of the team to our clients via a variety of channels, including but not limited to, email, text, cellphone, social media messaging, etc. Although we are accessible, it should be noted that we may take up to 24 to 48 hours to follow up with a client's request. This gives our team the opportunity to coordinate the best path to move the project forward.
Client Project Management & the Gem Webb Team
Please be respectful of your access to our team during evenings and weekends and contact us only in urgent situations.
As there are many channels of communication available, please note that messaging our team through text or social media does not constitute providing us with project direction. Please email project-specific directives to the appropriate team member. This will ensure that your projects proceed most smoothly.
Behind the Scenes: How we Coordinate as a Team Internally
Please understand we handle many clients and keep our team in the loop as communication progresses within an a-synchronous project management environment. This takes many internal meetings on our end to keep everyone in the loop so that fact that you might have communicated with your account manager or lead on social media might not have been reported to the owner or the lead web developer until our internal end or mid-week meeting or other various department meetings.
Proper Client Direction is Through Email or Basecamp
Messaging our team through texting or social media does not constitute providing us with project direction. We must receive your project direction within an official email written messages or within BASECAMP(one point of contact email required) to work with your project. The activity of copy/pasting from text to our project management systems does not integrate with texting nor social media and is simply is too personal a way of communicating for professional projects. We are not responsible for any projects not proceeding if you the client sent direction through text messaging or social media messaging as it will be on the client for not adhering to our clearly stated process of doing business.
As a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) agency, we are regularly approached from similar industry clients that may know we are behind the success of their main competitor. In the case of conflicts of interest, we offer transparency to clients onboarding of other similar industry clients we currently are working for with similar target markets. We now offer "Exclusivity Contracts" if you want to have us solely marketing for your business within a renewable yearly term.
We will always contact our current industry client and offer an Exclusivity Contract prior to signing a similar industry client.
Target market similarities could include, but not limited to.
- Physical Geographic Location
- Industry Function
- Industry Keywords
- Demographic Targets
- Geographic Keywords
Please read this article we believe makes a good case for how each client can be marketed differently. https://cloud9marketing.ca/blog/agencies-deal-competing-clients/
We offer a $100 commission for every website delivered to us as a lead. Upon successful signing of a Terms of Service contract with the client lead plus a paid initial deposit, we then will e-transfer the $100 Canadian to the affiliate email address within 30 days.
REFER A SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING LEAD
We offer a $100 commission for every signed and started quarterly social media marketing contract given to us as a lead. Upon successful signing of an Internet & Social Media Terms of Service contract with the client lead plus a paid initial deposit, we then will e-transfer the $100 Canadian to your email address within 30 days.
We work very hard to ensure that all of our clients are completely satisfied with our services.
Please consider leaving us a review on Google Business, sharing your experience of working with us.
WEB DESIGN FAQS
We use WordPress. This is the most used "open-source" Content Management System used globally.
We design and redesign all websites with a "content-first" approach. Without organized quality content with a specific content strategy to lead a website visitor, your website will perform less for bringing you the leads you want. Content-first solidifies the importance of the "journey" we refer to that your website visitors take to educate themselves on your product, service, company prior to taking action to contact you, download, buy, etc. 
The structure of your navigation and page to page content is the framework that sets the stage for the design. The design is the visual aspect that leads and guides and also converts with your client branding fully integrated for mind real estate. Mind real estate is the term that refers to when your customers and clients think of your industry or service/product that you come to mind. By aligning your brand logo, colours, images, and content properly, target markets will think of you when they have a need.
Note: It is also important to structure content first for 3 peripherals: desktop, cellphones, and tablets.
Great good articles on Content-First approach in website development:
https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/planning-website-redesign-content-first
https://www.circlesstudio.com/blog/content-first-approach-redesigning-website/
https://devrix.com/tutorial/perform-website-redesign-content-first-approach/
Yes, we call it "porting". We will port all of your content into a mobile-friendly, also technically known as "responsive" website frame. We will, of course, take you through our new client startup process of getting a firm understanding of your business goals so that we can advise on structuring it with target market conversions in mind.
A port is taking the existing content of the website and adapting it into a new site. The structure will stay similar but your editing experience will change. The benefits of our service are enhanced SEO, mobile optimization services as well as re-integrating your content in an editor that is accessible via drag and drop modules so you have more control over your website's design.
If you're already hosted, we can work with you to come up with a custom updating or security package that will fit the needs of your website.
We will still do content (page/blog posts) updates to your "self-hosted" site but we will not provide regular backups and security/maintenance. Site maintenance would have to be audited on a per project basis as we cannot guarantee other hosts have dependable security/protection. We will take backups whenever we do work, but keeping a site secure will have to entail a backing up solution for the client if not hosted with us - one solution would be for the client to pay for a WordPress backup plugin.
Our company operates with premiere managed WordPress hosting for our client's site security and updates.
The website client portfolio section https://www.gemwebb.com/web-design-portfolio/ of our website shows the past three years of our top website jobs. To read an in-depth overview of each client project, visit our company news section.
Getting found and ranked on Google is one of our top priorities for all websites brand new and old. But the fact remains that "No one can guarantee a #1 rankings on Google nor keep you there as rankings change often."
We perform fundamental Search Engine Optimization "SEO" techniques on all client websites + submit sites to Google, link you up for Google Analytics monthly reporting and link you to Google Search Console. This is turn has had increased keyword ranking positions for all of our clients from the moment we launch their new mobile-optimized website. This is why we begin all website contracts with a "Please share with us your keyword targets" startup form. From there it is all about providing the best content to your target markets - that is what Google's mandate is all about.
On-site SEO helps to organize your site by the keywords your potential customers could use to find your business products and services. We have a 60 point SEO checklist for every site that goes live offering competitive advantages in your industry!
For more understanding, please read this article for more information on How Long Does it Take for SEO to Start Working? https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/2015/02/07/how-long-does-seo-take-to-start-working/#e717be3464c8
If you're really interested in learning more about SEO for a solid understanding, read this multi-part series on The Beginners Guide to SEO.
Please read this article about Client SEO expectations.
https://jennymunn.com/expect-setting-realistic-expectations-around-modern-seo/
For all e-commerce store based client websites, we implement the top global WordPress system add-on named Woocommerce. One of the key differentiators of WooCommerce versus other eCommerce platforms is its tight integration with WordPress, meaning you get world-class commerce plus a powerful business website that has great content. Note: for processing of customers it is the responsibility of the client to have the proper merchant systems in place for processing like PayPal Pro or other payment gateways.
Two Ecommerce client examples:
https://meafordfactoryoutlet.com/
HOSTING FAQS
INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FAQS
GRAPHIC DESIGN & BRANDING PACKAGES
GOOGLE ADS & FACEBOOK ADS (PPC)
Our base Ad campaign process overview.
- Research and Understand Target Audiences
(Create personas) - Outline Specific Goals for Each Campaign
(Clicks to website landing pages, calls, emails, etc) - Create Targeted Landing Page or use existing website pages for Your Ads based on client business persona
(Increase conversion is a focus of this step with analyzing current website page and considering customer landing pages for increased campaign goals). It's a fact that more relevant custom focused landing pages convert higher and get improved Quality Scores with Google Ads that in turn cost less per click in comparison to less focused landing pages. - Create Lots of Versions of the Ad Copy
- Verify Positive ROI based on campaign goals. We focus on COST PER LEAD "CPL" vs COST PER MARKETING "CPM".
- "Now, more than 50% of Google searches end without a click to other content, study finds ZERO CLICK SEARCHES.
https://searchengineland.com/now-more-50-of-google-searches-end-without-a-click-to-other-content-study-finds-320574 - Review Campaigns weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly for Ad insights to improve ongoing campaign goals.
- Update the current campaign with client involvement and signoff.
- Reports are given in phone meetings, email and PDF format.
If you want to learn more about what to expect from our Google Ads setup and management, please read over our Google Services page.
"PRECISE GEOGRAPHIC TARGETING POWER."
If your business is looking for full social media marketing that will increase your companies online awareness, contact us for a social media package.
Everyone is on Facebook, and we know how to reach them! We create targeted Facebook Ads for your business that will reach your specific customer's age demographics, interests and where they are located locally, provincially, nationally to even worldwide. Our experienced digital marketing team will work for your business creating Facebook posts and ads that will reach your target market customers + inspire them to consider and remember you!
Now offering RETARGETING ADS with Conversion lead event tracking in Facebook pixel insights! Once people visit your website, your ad will continue to remind them about your business on Facebook. This tactic will increase the likelihood of them returning to your website + keeping your business front of mind when they require your specific industry products or services. Front of mind awareness achieved!
We create posts focused on your business goals such as driving traffic to your website, increasing your page engagement, and educating your target markets about your products or services by focusing on the benefits. Once we receive approval for the posts by you "the client", we then add the posts to a calendar released at specific times and days to your social networks. Learn about your social media manager here.
How it works
- Firstly, you pay us "your external marketing agency" a monthly service rate to set up your campaign, strategize a great campaign, work with you for the campaign copy, image, and video. We also report and update and modify your campaign week to week and month to month depending on the results that we're generating as leads to you.
We have 3, 6 and 12-month contracts. - You also must allocate a monthly "ad-spend" that will come off your credit card. This can be from $5/day ($150 month) to $500month to $1000+ a month depending on how aggressive and competitive your industry is. Read this article to understand how Facebook works for budgeting and pricing: https://blog.wishpond.com/post/74072092834/facebook-advertising-costs-cpc-cpm-cpa-cpl-guide.
- Don't worry, we will help you understand and use the right budget for the right amount of leads. All marketing campaigns take time to learn from. Sometimes it is instant and sometimes it takes time to get those leads.
UPDATED: November, 2019
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/143465?hl=en&ref_topic=1626336
Personalized advertising policy principles
Advertisers can’t use sensitive interest categories to target ads to users or to promote advertisers’ products or services. We define sensitive interest information in terms of the following three policy principles:
Personal hardships: Because we don’t want ads to exploit the difficulties or struggles of users, we don’t allow categories related to personal hardships.
Identity and belief: Because we want ads to reflect a user’s interests rather than more personal interpretations of their fundamental identity, we don’t allow categories related to identity and belief, some of which could also be used to stigmatize an individual.
Sexual interests: Because we understand that sexual experiences and interests are inherently private, we don’t allow categories related to sexual interests.
The Personalized advertising policy principles apply to advertisers using one or more of the following features:
- remarketing
- affinity audiences
- custom affinity audiences
- custom intent audiences
- in-market audiences
- similar audiences
- demographic and location targeting
- Gmail ads: Personalized advertising policies apply to all Gmail ads, including Gmail ads that aren’t targeted to users using keywords. See our Gmail ad-specific policies.
Prohibited categories
The following Personalized advertising policies cover categories that are legally or culturally sensitive and are not supported in personalized ads. The following sensitive interest categories can’t be used by advertisers to target ads to users or promote advertisers’ products or services.
Alcohol in personalized advertising
Alcoholic beverages and drinks that resemble alcoholic beverages
Gambling in personalized advertising
Location-based gambling in personalized advertising
Clinical trial recruitment in personalized advertising
Restricted drug terms in personalized advertising
Users under 13 in personalized advertising
In addition, Google's privacy policy applies to all Google features and dictates how Google collects, uses, and protects user data.
Personal hardships
We understand that users don’t want to see ads that exploit their personal struggles, difficulties, and hardships, so we don’t allow personalized advertising based on these hardships. Such personal hardships include health conditions, treatments, procedures, personal failings, struggles, or traumatic personal experiences. You also can’t impose negativity on the user.
Advertisers can’t use personal hardship categories to target ads to users or to promote advertisers’ products or services. See below for specific examples of what we don't allow.
Health in personalized advertising
- Examples: treatments for chronic health conditions like diabetes or arthritis, treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, counseling services for mental health issues like depression or anxiety, medical devices for sleep apnea like CPAP machines, over-the-counter medications for yeast infections, information about how to support your autistic child
Health content includes:
- physical or mental health conditions, including diseases, chronic conditions, and sexual health
- health condition-related services or procedures
- products for treating or managing health conditions, including over-the-counter medications for health conditions and medical devices
- long or short-term health issues associated with intimate body parts or functions, including genital, bowel, or urinary functions
- invasive medical procedures, including cosmetic surgery
- disabilities, even when content is oriented toward the user’s primary caretaker
Negative financial status in personalized advertising
- Examples: bankruptcy services, welfare services, homeless shelters, unemployment resources, predatory lending products and services
Relationships in personalized advertising
- Examples: divorce services, books about coping with divorce, bereavement products or services, family counseling services
Commission of a crime in personalized advertising
- Examples: bail bonds services, criminal defense lawyers
Abuse and trauma in personalized advertising
- Examples: domestic abuse shelters, victim advocate services
Imposing negativity in personalized advertising
- Examples: body shaming, negativity related to physical attributes or social interactions, suggesting negative outcomes for users if they don’t take specific actions
Identity and belief
We consider identity and belief systems to be deeply personal and complex. They’re highly dependent on diversity of cultural norms, geography, history, and personal life experiences. We also understand that how one identifies or what one believes can be used to segment users based on judgments or stigmas.
We want ads to provide a positive experience and to be informed by users’ interests rather than by who they’re perceived to be as a person, so we don’t allow personalized advertising based on a user’s fundamental or intrinsic self-identity or their belief systems. Such identities and beliefs can include inherently private classifications of one’s self; classifications susceptible to stigmas, discrimination, or harassment; membership within groups that are susceptible to stigmas, discrimination, or prejudices; and personally held belief systems.
Advertisers can’t use identity and belief categories to target ads to users or to promote advertisers’ products or services. See below for specific examples of what we don't allow.
Sexual orientation in personalized advertising
- Examples: information about revealing your homosexuality, gay dating, gay travel, information about bisexuality
Political affiliation in personalized advertising
This Personalized advertising policy does not apply to Gmail ads. See the policy below for political content in Gmail ads.
- Examples: political ideologies, political opinions, political parties, political organizations, political campaigns, engagement in political discourse
Political content in personalized advertising
This Personalized advertising policy applies only to Gmail ads.
- Examples: local political ballot measures, political opinion blogs, political party information, political engagement
Trade union membership in personalized advertising
- Examples: trade union sites, information oriented toward members of trade unions, trade union blogs, and trade union support for work disputes
Race and ethnicity in personalized advertising
- Examples: racially or ethnically oriented publications, racially or ethnically oriented universities, racial or ethnic dating
Religious belief in personalized advertising
- Examples: places of worship, religious guidance, religious education or universities, religious products
Marginalized groups in personalized advertising
- Examples: products oriented toward users based on social caste, services for immigrants, legal services for refugees
Transgender identification in personalized advertising
- Examples: information about gender transitioning, transgender discrimination lawyers
Sexual interests
We understand that sexual interests are inherently private and, depending on cultural norms, not often candidly discussed. We believe in maintaining the privacy of a user’s sexual interests, so we don’t allow personalized advertising that targets users based on their personal sexual interests, experiences, activities, or preferences. Such interests include sexual behaviors, activities, or products used when having sex. Additionally, we don’t allow categories that are sexually suggestive or intended to sexually arouse.
Advertisers can’t use sexual interest categories to target ads to users or to promote advertisers’ products or services. See below for specific examples of what we don't allow.
Partial nudity in personalized advertising
- Examples: images of thongs worn by live models, images of pasties worn by live models
Birth control in personalized advertising
- Examples: condoms, oral contraceptive pill, contraceptive sponge
Non-family safe and Adult content
We don’t allow advertisers to use Non-family safe or Adult content to create personalized ads.
If the Adult content policy and the Personalized advertising sexual interests policy differ on how each treats a category, the Personalized advertising sexual interests policy takes precedence over the Adult content policy with respect to how the category can be used for targeting and ad content.