Frequently Asked Questions

Here you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions about our static website development services and platform for small businesses.

The Core Web Crafting Approach

What is the Core Web Crafting approach to web development?

At Core Web Crafting, we build fast, secure static websites for local home-service operators in Charlotte — and the local-search work that actually makes the phone ring.

How long does it take to build a website?

We follow a structured development process with clear timelines and milestones. For our basic website package, we typically complete the build within 2 weeks afer your deposit has been paid. Specifically, the timeline for that package is as follows:

Initial Consultation: You fill out a brief inquiry form. We schedule a Google Meet to discuss needs, budget, and determine project fit. We’ll explain the Hugo static site approach and benefits and send a proposal and contract.
Week 1: Once the contract is signed and the deposit is received, we provide a shared drive (Google Drive) for content submission (text for 5 pages, logo, specific images, testimonials). We also help you register your domain in your own name at a registrar you control, and point it at our hosting (we do as much of this for you as possible on a quick screenshare — you keep the passwords). We begin the initial design draft and deploy it for your review.
Week 2: We present the initial design for feedback. We’ll make adjustments based on your input, and prepare a second draft. After your second set of inputs, we finalize the design, and prepare the site for launch. Once we receive the final payment, we launch the site — hosted for you on our Cloudflare account while you’re with us — and hand you a copy of your finished files, your domain’s settings, and a plain-English guide to putting it all back online anywhere, so you’re never dependent on us. We also provide a 30-day post-launch support period to address any issues or questions.

What content do I need to provide?

For our basic website package, we are happy to create all the content for you if you want. However, we are flexible on the content you provide. Some examples of content you may want to provide include:

Text for 5 pages: The basic website package includes your homepage, about page, services page, contact page, and any additional page you want. If you have specific content you desire for these pages, please provide it in text format. If you don’t have content ready, we can help you create it.
Logo: A high-resolution image of your logo. If you don’t have a logo, we can help you create one, but that will require additional work and costs.
Specific images: Any images you want to include on your site, such as team photos, product images, or background images. If you don’t have specific images, we can help you find suitable stock images. Remember, you are responsible for ensuring copyright compliance on any images you provide. Also, remember the “Rule of Thirds” when selecting or taking photos, as this will help your site look more professional.
Testimonials: If you have customer testimonials, please provide them in text format. Testimonials are a great way to build trust with potential customers and can significantly enhance your site’s credibility.

Will my website be mobile-friendly?

Yes, all websites built by Core Web Crafting are mobile-friendly. The templates we use for our semi-custom sites follow responsive design principles, ensuring that your site looks great and functions well on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Can you help with DNS Registration and/or branded email hosting?

Yes. You register your domain in your own name at a registrar you control (we suggest Namecheap or Porkbun), and we manage the DNS for you on Cloudflare — that’s what makes the fast hosting and the contact form work. For branded email (you@yourbusiness.com), we suggest Google Workspace or Microsoft 365; we’ll make sure your domain is configured so your email keeps flowing, for an additional fee. Your domain stays yours the whole time — we never register it in our name, so we can never hold it over you.

Static versus dynamic websites

Why choose static websites over dynamic ones?

Static websites, such as those built by Core Web Crafting, present significant advantages over dynamic platforms commonly used by small business in Charlotte. While dynamic sites generate content on the fly from databases, static sites are pre-built, offering superior website performance optimization, enhanced security due to a lack of server-side vulnerabilities, and lower hosting costs. They are inherently faster and more reliable, making them an ideal choice for small businesses prioritizing an efficient and secure online presence without complex maintenance.

What if I need dynamic features like comments, forms, or ecommerce?

While Core Web Crafting primarily focuses on static site generation, we can still accommodate some dynamic features. Your contact form is already one — it’s built into your site and delivers straight to your inbox, with no third-party form service reading your leads. If you need to sell online, we’d use Square: their processing fee goes to them at cost, and we never mark it up or take a cut of your sales. The principle is to add the one thing you actually need, using a dedicated service, rather than move you onto a platform you’d rent forever. Please understand these features are not part of the core offering, so adding them will require additional work and costs (both upfront and monthly recurring).

Our Approach to SEO & SEM (Digital Marketing)

What is the difference between On-Page and Off-Page SEO and SEM (digital marketing)?

On-Page SEO refers to optimizations made directly on your website—such as content quality, design, page speed, code structure, accessibility, meta tags, and semantic HTML. These are factors we address during the build and are within our control.
Off-Page SEO (sometimes called “digital marketing”, SEM, or Search Engine Marketing) involves activities outside your website, like link and citation building, guest posting, social media engagement, and paid ads. These require ongoing effort and are typically handled by specialized agencies.

What On-Page SEO services do you provide?

Our website builds include a range of On-Page SEO best practices, including:

Modern, professional design: A refreshed design can help build trust and credibility, making it easier for you to stand out online.
Copywriting & content optimization: We assist in identifying keyword phrases with high search volume and low competition, and craft content around them to support your search visibility.
Page speed optimization: We aim to significantly improve your Google PageSpeed Insights score and overall load times, which can help retain more visitors.
Technical SEO: Clean code, semantic HTML, accessibility, mobile-friendliness, and proper meta tags are all part of our process.
Google Business Profile setup: We claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile—categories, services, photos, and a review system—which is usually the single biggest lever on whether local customers find you. This is our Get Found service, and we also offer ongoing profile management (posts, review responses, and Q&A) as part of our Stay Found subscription.

What about Off-Page SEO and digital marketing?

We manage your Google Business Profile — the one piece of “off-site” presence that most directly drives local calls — as part of our Stay Found subscription. Beyond that, we do not offer general Off-Page SEO or digital marketing. This includes:

Link/citation building
Guest posting
Social media management (beyond your Google Business Profile)
Paid advertising (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.)
Ranking guarantees — anyone promising you position #1 is guessing

These are specialized services best handled by professional SEO or marketing agencies. If you are interested in additional strategies for growing your online presence, we recommend partnering with an agency that specializes in these areas.

Why don't you offer specialized SEO or digital marketing services?

Web development and SEO/digital marketing are separate disciplines. Our focus is on building fast, secure, and optimized websites that provide a strong foundation for search visibility. Off-Page SEO and digital marketing require ongoing effort, specialized tools, and a different skill set. We believe in focusing on what we do best.

Is basic On-Page SEO enough for my business?

For many small businesses, strong On-Page SEO and a well-optimized Google Business Profile can be sufficient to compete locally and attract new customers. However, if you are in a highly competitive market or want to grow your online presence more aggressively, you may want to consider Off-Page SEO and digital marketing with a dedicated agency.

What can I do to improve my online visibility after launch?

After your site launches, you might consider:

Regularly updating your Google Business Profile and encouraging customer reviews
Sharing your website on social media and community groups
Creating new content or blog posts targeting relevant keywords
Working with a marketing agency for advanced strategies like link building or paid ads

We’re always happy to provide general guidance or refer you to trusted partners for next steps.

Scalability and Security

What about scalability and portability?

Core Web Crafing websites scale effortlessly. Because we use Hugo, the build process (turning code into your static site) can handle thousands of pages with consistent speed and efficiency, making it an ideal choice for projects of any size. Moreover, static websites can be hosted on any web server or content delivery network (CDN) without any specific server requirements, ensuring portability and easy deployment. This is why our core belief is that YOU should own your content and not be tied to a specific hosting platform or design service. Granted, we hope you will choose to continue working with us in the future, but we want you to have the freedom to move your site if you ever need to.

Why do you use Cloudflare?

We use Cloudflare to enhance the performance and security of our websites. Cloudflare acts as a content delivery network (CDN), caching static assets and delivering them from servers closest to the user, resulting in faster load times. Additionally, Cloudflare provides Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection, ensuring that your site remains accessible even during traffic spikes or attacks. This combination of speed and security makes Cloudflare an ideal partner for our static websites. Not to mention Cloudflare is committed to offering a robust free tier, so you can get the benefits without any additional cost, which is perfect for small businesses and individuals bootstrapping their business and wanting to keep costs low. Learn more about Cloudflare.

You say static sites are more secure, but what about security?

Static sites generally have fewer security risks than dynamic sites because they do not rely on server-side processing or databases, which are common targets for attackers. That doesn’t mean that static sites are immune to security threats. You should still follow best practices for security in general, such as:

Using strong passwords for your Github, Cloudflare, and other web-related accounts (and potentially a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden)
Keeping your Github Repository (the location of your website’s code) private
Ensuring that your domain is registered in your own name at a reputable registrar you control (we suggest Namecheap or Porkbun — never one that locks your domain to us)

Additionally, we use Cloudflare to provide an extra layer of security, including DDoS protection and SSL encryption, which can further enhance the security of your static site.

Website Maintenance for Small Business

Do I need ongoing website maintenance for a static site?

Static websites typically require less website maintenance for small business than dynamic sites, making them ideal for many businesses in Charlotte. The site itself is designed to be “evergreen” and needs little upkeep. What does reward ongoing effort is your local presence — Google Business Profile posts, review responses, and fresh service-area pages — which is exactly what our Stay Found subscription handles, along with a monthly report so you can see what it’s producing. Prefer to do it yourself? You can keep your own profile and social channels current, and we’re always available to help. Either way, there’s no lock-in — Stay Found has no minimum and you can cancel anytime.