The Free Website Guys

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole proprietor of Oceanside Writing, an editing and writing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Free Website Guys?

I wanted to have a business website, and more specifically, I wanted to find someone that could create it without a lot of hassle or expense.

In the past, I had to work on it, but it was too complicated and time-consuming.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website itself was pretty simple and straightforward.

It is a basic online business site with a description of my services, prices, and other information. It’s based on WordPress. Their team transparently gave me the option to pay for add-ons. The WordPress design that they suggested was central to the whole site.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Sven (Co-Creator & Lead Developer) as my point person. At least two other people were working on the project.

How did you come to work with The Free Website Guys?

There was a post promoting their services on a Facebook group. I believe it was a freelancer that Sven hired to promote their business on various forums. She then put me in contact with Sven.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, it was under $500 for web hosting, template packs, and other add-ons.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The website itself was completed, but it hasn’t been launched yet because there is still a lot that I have to do on my end. The service they provide is not top to bottom, and the deliverable isn’t a completely finished site.

It’s a fully functional website. The Free Website Guys did what they offered to do.

How did The Free Website Guys perform from a project management standpoint?

It was good. They were quick to respond to emails. They were clear in their instructions and kept me apprised of what they were doing. Whenever they needed information, they reached out to me.

There wasn’t a lot of communication back and forth, which is how I wanted it. There was maybe a Google document that we used, and I used Loom to record a video of our screen.

What did you find most impressive about them?

You can’t beat the ease, efficiency, and price. It seemed too good to be true for them to complete the development for free, but they explained why it worked for them as a business model.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. I think there is more they could offer, but you can only ask so much for what you paying. From what I got, there’s nothing that I could improve upon.

You might expect poor customer service when you’re really not paying, but they were quick to respond to emails and address little problems. There were a couple of issues and problems that came up and I might have thought they would just not have concerned themselves with those things, but they took care of them.

I don’t have much in the way of suggestions for improvement. The team did a pretty good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you want your site to look like and include. They didn’t refuse anything that I requested, but I was also working on the assumption that there was a limit to what I could ask.

For other companies wanting to work with them, and this would be true of anyone who hires a web designer, know what you’re looking for. Try to keep it simple and don’t add too many bells and whistles. If you do, either go somewhere else or understand that they will probably charge a little extra.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO and designated salesperson working with international real estate professionals for property in Nicaragua. Some of our business products are lots available for home construction, casitas, tiny solar homes, large homes, condos and villas. Our main product is Playa Pacifica Villas, a 60 Villa complex directly on the Pacific Ocean in the heart of the gated community of Gran Pacifica, Nicaragua.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I have been in the new homes sales/real estate business for the last 30 years, working with larger companies in the USA and, more recently, here in Nicaragua. Normally in my previous life I had IT people to maintain and update our website. Here in Nicaragua I am on my own.

I was reviewing some local posts on a community on Facebook and noticed a recommendation for the Free Website Guys. I contacted the writer of the recommendation and was informed that these guys do a great job and would build the website as long as I followed a few recommendations.

I agreed, since I have NO experience in building a website….my computer background goes way back to FORTRAN and DO-LOOPS….which is why I now work in real estate. In contacting the Free Website Guys, I met Sven online, and told him he was in for a real challenge.

My skills do not include this electronic work…and he would need to guide me step by step. To my pleasure, he helped me with a domain name, and secured a few things that I needed before they started on the website.

There were small expenses involved, however prorated out over 24 months, the total expenses for my website name, DIVI format, and Wordpress worked out to about $9/month. Sven answered all my questions, and then I received detailed video on how to progress and fill out my website.

It took a little time to work with the back pages but now our site is complete and useable. Hats off to Sven and his team….kudos!!

What were your goals for this project?

New Website for Real Estate

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

Referral from a trusted source. I was not disappointed.

Describe the project in detail.

I was reviewing some local posts on a community on Facebook and noticed a recommendation for the Free Website Guys. I contacted the writer of the recommendation and was informed that these guys do a great job and would build the website as long as I followed a few recommendations.

I agreed, since I have NO experience in building a website….my computer background goes way back to FORTRAN and DO-LOOPS….which is why I now work in real estate. In contacting the Free Website Guys, I met Sven online, and told him he was in for a real challenge.

My skills do not include this electronic work…and he would need to guide me step by step. To my pleasure, he helped me with a domain name, and secured a few things that I needed before they started on the website.

There were small expenses involved, however prorated out over 24 months, the total expenses for my website name, DIVI format, and Wordpress worked out to about $9/month. Sven answered all my questions, and then I received detailed video on how to progress and fill out my website.

It took a little time to work with the back pages but now our site is complete and useable. Hats off to Sven and his team….kudos!!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Well executed, with a minimum of hassle.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sven was top shelf... Answered all questions and his team guided me through what was, for me anyway, a complicated process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

on point. direct answers. no fluff

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're owners of a language training institute looking to grow our social media presence. We provide one-on-one courses as well as in-house company training programmes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

We had been wanting to get our website done for a while but never really got round to it but when we saw the Free Website Guys' offer for free web-building service on Facebook, we decided to finally do it.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

They were very friendly and easy to communicate with from the very early stage and so we thought we'd go ahead.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

1. Web hosting and back-end setup (plugins, security enhancements, SSL, SEO settings, permalinks, etc.)
2. Website design (uploading content and theme)
3. Familiarise the client on how to change the content of the website (step-by-step via personalised video)

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with Sven, and he was great. Very helpful and communicative.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

N/A. Haven't launched the website officially just yet, as we're still working on its contents.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Everything was done timely, and with a lot of updates on each step along the way. They were patient, and were always happy to answer our questions. We communicate through email but everything was clear, as they had plenty of documents and videos to go with each step in the web-making process.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Thorough prepared-in-advance documents and personalised handover videos for our website.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am basically self employed and work as a Yoga Teacher and Fitness Instructor on the side of a main job.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I hired the Free Website Guys to help me build my own website.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to get started with my own business and writing a blog.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

My Yoga Teacher recommended them.

Describe the project in detail.

I wanted to have my own website to promote my own business as a Yoga Teacher, Fitness Instructor and blogger.

What was the team composition?

I had one main contact who was in constant email correspondence with me and two other guys who created videos for with instructions for further steps I had to take from my side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Within only a few weeks, my website was live and now I am working on filling it with content. I am so happy with the layout and everything that came out. I am still new to all this and have to make my own experiences in having a website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager I was assigned to was really nice and sent me regular updates via email. It was the best workflow I could have imagined.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by how they arranged the workflow and communication. I am not very familiar with web design and haven't worked with anyone else, so I don't have any comparison.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I am all satisfied and there is nothing I could mention that needs imrpovement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a fitness coaching business helping people build healthy habits to be in tune with their bodies.

I do this by providing workout programs, educating on nutrition and working on changing mindsets to live a healthier lifestyle.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I needed a website so that I could have all of my program options in one place. I had no experience with this - and then I came across the Free Website Guys.

My goals were to create something basic and manageable that looked presentable - and they exceeded that!

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

I came across them through a FB group and applied to work with them. I was contacted shortly after and I was asked a few questions regarding my business and goals.

Shortly after that, I was contacted again saying they would be able to help me out! I loved that they told me about how to process works beforehand so that I was prepared.

I also like that I had to apply first - it shows me that they care about being the right fit for people!

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

All communication was through email. The website is created through WordPress.

They worked with me through everything from choosing a theme to how I wanted the layout to look, to the little minor details such as ways to build my email contact list through my website.

They also use google forms to collect the information needed.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Sven worked with me and he is the Lead Developer for The Free Website Guys.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Working with them was an absolute breeze. They set up my site trafficking tracker as well as other analytics that I still need to learn more about but seemed valuable for my website.

I have the ability to build my email contact list through my website now which I feel like I would not have been able to figure out how to do on my own! Everything was explained in great detail.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Communication via email made everything go smoothly and quickly. Whenever they needed information for me, it was done through google forms and kept private.

I was updated if there were going to be any delays and informed of every little detail going into my website. Overall, the whole process took a little bit less than one month!

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I really enjoyed how communicative they were and that they never pushed me to buy anything, even though they make commissions off of some of the tools.

We loved being able to give our inputs. Most importantly, they made it exactly as I wanted!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not in my opinion! I couldn't have asked for a more quick and easy process that resulted in a very happy client. :)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Translation Company - Translator

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I hired The Free Website Guys for the design and implementation of my professional website.

What were your goals for this project?

To have a professional website that I can successfully use to attract clients for my translation business. To create a website with a layout, design and appearance that is ideal for my type of business.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

I saw their advertisement on a Facebook group for translators.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was comprised of the design and implementation of my business website. I was in continuous liaison with the Lead Developer, who relayed all of my ideas to the other developers who did a fantastic job and implementing my vision.

What was the team composition?

I was in regular contact with their lead developer, who then relayed all of my communication and ideas to their developers who worked on my website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I haven't yet commenced to use online advertising to attract clients to my website; however, I feel very confident about my future success due to the impressive work done for my website and the professional look created.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, no miscommunication and the whole workflow went through very smoothly!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The fact that they provide a fantastic service for free! Very friendly communication and collaborative. They are very good at what they do!

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot immediately think of any areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a full-time school counselor, but I love creating content on the side. I write about multiracial family life, farm life, and wellness through oils.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I have a separate Instagram account for my oil business, but I wanted to take it up a notch by creating a website.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a user friendly, aesthetically pleasing website that would be easy to navigate for potential customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

They came recommended through a Facebook group of entrepreneurs. They were professional, timely, and always available for questions and concerns.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we discussed goals, they walked me through every step of website development. I love that there were benchmarks where we paused and reviewed my vision. They were always conscious of making sure the website reflected my brand.

What was the team composition?

Sven was the main point of contact. He was patient with me if I couldn't respond immediately due to work constraints, but also kept a good pace. He remained open to my ideas and executed them with extreme professionalism.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I now have a website that reflects my personality. They did all the hard work for me so that I can focus solely on content.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication was probably my favorite part of the project. Our email exchanges were straight to the point, but friendly and engaging.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was thoroughly impressed with the way they were not only able to execute a job but communicate with me every step of the way to make sure I knew what was happening on the back end. It shows that they truly care about the craft and the customer.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was a little slow at responding at times, and they didn't always check in to see what took me so long to respond, but that wasn't a problem for me. We were extremely happy with the outcome and the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and president of the company. Our company provides expats and soon to be expats information such as cost of living, healthcare, employment opportunities, permanent residency visas, banking, etc. as well as relocation services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

The Free Website guys developed our website. Our goal is to drive traffic to our website from our YouTube channel where potential customers can get information and sign up for personal consultations for their journey as expats to Latin America.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

We discovered The Free Website Guys via a referral. The deciding factors were the reviews on websites such as this as well as on social media. Also the fast response time and discussions with them on the process made it an easy choice.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The scope of work was developing a Wordpress website. The project steps included us selecting a Divi template and The Free Website Guys customizing it, setting up all of the web hosting through Blue Host as well as our Convert Kit e-mail lead magnet. The team generated a handover video showing us in great detail how to modify and manage our website.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with Catalina and Sven. We worked through Catalina to explain our business and vision in hopes of being selected by the team to develop our website. I'm unsure of her specific position. Sven is the Lead Web Developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

It is too early for us to share any measurables. However the copywriter Divi template we selected is utilized by other very successful companies that have a similar vision to ours.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

The project management style from Sven and team was very communicative. They made the process of establishing a website for our business very easy. There was always very prompt communication and very clear instructions on what needed to be done.

The Free Website Guys also provided timely updates to give us an understanding of what stage of the website development process we were in and which steps were remaining.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was very impressed with the very personal one on one contact and the frequent updates on the process. I was also impressed with the clear explanation of each step for people like me who are not very knowledgeable of all that is required for web development.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I don't know what they could have done to improve the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an Opera Singer. I reside in Europe and work as a fest and freelancer Lyric Tenor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

They helped me to build my artist webpage

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to build an easy, modern, and compact webpage for my brand as a singer.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

I found them on Facebook and applied through their webpage to their services.

Describe the project in detail.

The process is very straightforward. You apply through their webpage. If you are chosen, then through email and video contact they guide you through all the steps and preparation that they need from you to build the webpage. It consists of getting a domain, hosting, email, theme, etc.

What was the team composition?

The communication was between me and two persons working on my website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

In only 2-3 months the structure of my webpage was entirely made. Not only they helped me to adapt the theme to what I wanted, but also they were very patient to my slow answers. All that was left for me to do was to upload pictures and the text that I wanted for the webpage.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The persons assigned to my project were very clear with their instructions throughout the whole process. Usually, they would send me an email with instructions, that could include videos where they would explain step by step everything that I needed to do from my side.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their patience! It took me a long time to answer their emails. They would even send kind reminders that would help me to get back in track to the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think that one video call after the theme edit of the webpage could be useful to ask at the moment how to edit this or that about the website. Nevertheless, all the doubts that I asked per email were clearly answered.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an informative and educational website. I will be providing information and education about the East Tennessee area. I will be making this website interactive with the public.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I needed help building a great website since I do not have many skills to do this myself and I do not have time to learn how to do this. My goals are to help others become familiar with the area I have lived in all my life.

I love this area. I want to eventually sell some Tennessee items and help others with travel itinerary to East Tennessee. I would like to quit my day job and do this full time.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

I found an advertisement on Facebook. I sent communication to the company and found they were the right fit for what I needed. I have a low budget and they wanted to build a website for free.

I did pay for some of the services that are needed for a website, but not their build. I am beyond thrilled with their work and the education they have provided. I will be using them in the future to help me improve my site further.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The professional team worked with me to understand what exactly I wanted. I selected the domain name, the design that I wanted. The team completed the design, configured the security and google analytics for me. I designed the logo and they implemented it on the site for me.

At every task, they asked me what I wanted. I appreciate all the hard work they did for me and will be using this company again.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I communicated mostly with the lead developer. The work was done by him and his colleagues who were analysts. At the end of the build one of the builders developed a video tutorial on how to add content and change items on the site. She did a very good job with this video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Since I am still working on content from my end, I do not have statistics yet to share. As far as the website itself, that work met my expectations and I am very happy with the results.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

This company used mainly email with me to communicate, but also used YouTube for their videos.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I am super happy that they build websites for people for free. There are many people who do not have much in their budget and need a hand to get started. I commend them for helping their fellow man with their expertise when they do not technically have to do that.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I am sure all companies can improve in some area, but from my end, I do not see anything at this time.