Yes. Every website we build includes Foundational SEO at no extra cost. This covers keyword research, full Google property setup (Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager), sitemap submission, RankMath plugin configuration, and Google Business Profile optimisation. Most web designers treat this as a separate paid service — we include it as standard because a website without it is not set up to succeed on Google.

The Foundational SEO gets your site built correctly: clean structure, fast load times, proper headings, local signals, but it does not guarantee strong Google rankings on its own.

Whether you rank well depends almost entirely on your niche and how competitive your area is. That said, many of our clients rank well with just the foundations in place, particularly in less saturated service areas.

We can't promise that until we see it in practice. Our standard recommendation is this...

• Go live,
• Leave it alone for six months,
• And then look at where you're sitting.

At that point you'll have real data to make a decision rather than guessing upfront.

If after six months you want to push harder in search, ongoing SEO is available but it starts from R10,000 per month. because it's a high value service.

Keep in mind, around 90% of our clients decide they don't need it because the foundations are doing enough.

What most clients do instead is turn to Google Ads. The reason is simple: ads give you visibility NOW, not in six months.

For service businesses that need enquiries while the organic rankings are still building, it's often the smarter short-term move.

No, and you should run from anyone who says they can. Google’s algorithm is constantly changing and no one controls it. What we can tell you is that our approach is ethical, proven, and built on strategies that produce real results for real South African businesses. We show you exactly what’s happening every month, in plain language.

Local SEO gets you found when someone nearby searches for your service – “plumber in Johannesburg” or “dentist near me”. Your Google Business Profile, citations, and Google Reviews all play a major role here. National SEO is about ranking for broader search terms across South Africa that aren’t tied to a specific city. This requires ongoing work: quality backlinks, consistent optimisation, and time. Most local service businesses only need local SEO. National SEO is for businesses targeting clients across multiple cities or competing in high-traffic, non-location-specific searches.

A citation is any mention of your business name, address, and phone number on an authoritative website or directory. They help Google verify that your business is legitimate and well-established. Not every business needs them immediately but if you’re in a competitive local niche and your Foundational SEO and reviews are already in place, citations are often the next move. It’s a once-off exercise, not a monthly recurring cost.

Extremely important for local search. Google starts surfacing businesses more prominently once they have around 30 genuine reviews. More importantly, you want to have more reviews than your top local competitor. No technical SEO work can fully compensate for a sparse review profile. We give every client a simple WhatsApp and email template to make asking for reviews after each job quick and painless.

Ongoing SEO starts at R10,000 per month. This covers up to 15 target keyword phrases, quality backlink acquisition, keyword research and strategy, on-page optimisation, technical auditing and fixing, 10 local directory listings, 24/7 campaign tracking, and monthly performance reports. There are no long-term contracts – you can cancel with 30 days’ notice. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied after your first month.

There are two separate costs. Our management fee is R2,000/month – this covers campaign setup, monthly optimisation, and reporting. Your ad spend is paid directly to Google and is completely separate.

We recommend starting at R50/day (around R1,500/month) to generate enough data to optimise your campaign. You’re in control of that budget and can increase or decrease it at any time. 

No. Google Ads management is month-to-month. You can cancel with 2 weeks’ notice before your next billing cycle. There are no refunds on the current month’s management fee.

No. Your ad spend goes directly to Google. You add your payment details inside your own Google Ads account and Google charges you separately – usually at the end of the month. We never touch your ad budget unless you approve it.

For local service businesses (plumbers, electricians, medical practices, contractors, etc.) we run Search ads - text ads that appear at the top of Google when someone searches for your service. For online stores, we run Shopping ads that display your products with images and pricing directly in Google search results.

Google Ads works well when someone is actively searching for your product or service and there’s a clear intent to buy or enquire. It works best for local service businesses, professional services, and e-commerce. It’s less effective for very low-margin products, businesses with a low average transaction value, or highly niche services with very low search volume in your area.

We’ll take an honest look at your existing site. If it’s technically sound, properly optimised, and built to convert visitors, we can discuss running ads. In most cases, websites not built with SEO and ads in mind result in higher costs per click and lower conversion rates. In those cases, we’ll recommend building a new website first – not to upsell you for the sake of it, but because a poor landing page actively costs you money on every single click.

We don’t edit or patch existing websites built by other developers because we can’t verify how they were built or whether they meet the technical standards needed for SEO and Google Ads performance. When we build, we control the entire foundation: hosting, speed, on-page SEO, conversion structure, so we can stand behind the results.

Your ads can go live within days of setup. However, Google’s algorithm needs time to learn which searches, times of day, and audiences perform best for your campaign. The first 4–8 weeks are typically an optimisation phase. Most clients start seeing consistent, quality leads from month 2 onwards, though this varies by industry and ad spend.

No, and be cautious of anyone who says they can. Results depend on factors that no agency fully controls: your industry’s competition level, your ad spend, your website quality, and Google’s algorithm. What we guarantee is a well-structured campaign, honest monthly reporting, and ongoing management that gets better over time.

SEO builds your organic presence on Google over months and years. Google Ads puts you at the top of Google immediately, but you pay for every click. SEO is the long game – Google Ads bridges the gap while you wait for organic rankings to build. Used together, they create a complete Google presence: paid traffic now, organic traffic growing in the background.

Absolutely! We'll migrate all your existing products, images, descriptions, and content to your new store. You won't lose anything - we'll just make it look and work better.

We can either use your existing domain (we'll handle the technical transfer) or help you get a new one. As for hosting, we provide premium hosting as part of the package, so you don't need to worry about your old hosting provider.

We implement proper 301 redirects and maintain your URL structure to preserve your existing SEO. In most cases, clients see improved rankings after launch due to better site speed and mobile optimization.

Minimal downtime. We build your new store on a staging environment, get your approval, then switch it to the new live website. The actual "switch" means a downtime of about 1hr (max).

Our service guarantees only remain active & valid while you host your website with us. So if you choose to work with us then you would need to cut your loses on that one and switch to our premium hosting (included in your R500/m package).

We only build brand new websites from scratch because trying to 'patch' a broken foundation often costs more in the long run and delivers worse results. With a fresh build, you get a solid foundation, modern code, and guaranteed performance.

We'll incorporate any elements you want to keep - your logo, brand colors, specific design elements, or content. Think of it as keeping the good parts and upgrading everything else.

There are 2 main costs to consider when launching an Online Store with us.

1. Monthly Fee = R500/m

• Web Hosting: The space upon which your website resides.
• Maintenance: To prevent viruses and malware destroying your website. Read more here.
• Minor Edits (Large edits will be quoted seperately)

2. Website Once-off Fee: From R15 000

• The Online Store by Align Designs

Note: Fees not included in this...

• Annual Domain Name Fee: Est. R90/year
• Paid SSL Certificate: Est. R250/year

Yes for The Online Story by Align Designs we require that you host your website with us because that allows us to give you the best possible on-going service.

Ie: If you host your website with another company it makes it infinitely more difficult for us to give you the best possible service. We then simply unable to guarantee you a 24-hour support turnaround time because of the obstacles associated with dealing with a 3rd party company on your behalf.

Does that mean you must always stay with our hosting? No, you are welcome to leave (move to another host/service provider) at any point but then our service guarantees no longer apply.

Yes - The Online Store by Align Designs is our flagship online store offer. Starting at R15000 for the entire website build for up to 50 products.

Yes - especially for an ecommerce website because you are dealing with transactions which makes security even more important.

Why?

The backend plugins (which make up your site's design and functionality) are constantly being updated by the developers of those plugins. We need to manually update those plugins on the website. An outdated plugin may cause problems. If you choose not to maintain your site then it becomes vulnerable to malware, virus attacks, design issues, etc.

What's included?

Maintenance is 1 hour per month and completed once per month.

1. Backup of your website (done before any updates are performed)
2. Updates of all your backend plugins, themes, etc.
3. Troubleshoot any issues/conflicts that may arise from the updating
4. Backup after updates are completed (so we have the latest copy of the site)

Also includes MINOR edits.

Price = R500/m

Other costs to consider - separate from the costs mentioned above (Hosting, Domain, Web Design & Maintenance):

• On-going SEO – helps your website get found higher on search engines
• Logo Design or any other custom graphics (icons, images, etc.)
• PPC like Google Ads or Facebook Ads
• Social Media Marketing
• On-going Autoresponder management (email list)

Other marketing services to build brand exposure and get more leads and sales.

The best solution would be to build it yourself. You can use free tutorials on YouTube.

Just make sure to set the right expectations for yourself.

Building a website with no real experience will most likely get very poor results because there's a lot more that goes into building a successful online store.

If you choose to go this route then I'd suggest continuous learning and working on your website regularly over months to tweak and improve it. Good luck.

We use WordPress and Woocommerce to build online stores - for 3 main reasons:

1. WordPress is the most widely used CMS (website platform) in the world.
2. Allows you to keep your monthly costs more affordable compared to Shopify.
3. Easy for you to manage inventory using the free woocommerce app - we help you set this up. 

If you want a 100% DIY solution then Shopify is perfect for you i.e. you do everything yourself from design to maintenance.

Why don't we offer Shopify website design & setup?

Truth is we could easily offer this service and make decent money BUT the major issue we have with Shopify is that YOU, the client, will be locked into the Shopify platform leaving you extremely limited.

What do we mean?

You'd be using Shopify's platform. So if they decide to change a policy that affects your business or up their pricing radically there's literally nothing you can do about it. And, if you want to move away from the platform you need to build a brand new website from scratch - costing you more downtime, money and headaches.

Our mission is to give small - medium sized businesses the best digital solutions long term. WordPress aligns with this mission.

Why is WordPress better for your business?

WordPress is open source. This means that you are not tied into any one hosting platform. You have total flexibility. If, for whatever reason, you want to move hosting companies you can. Best of all it's free to move and they do it for you in under 24 hours - with zero downtime.

We've built online stores for all types of product based businesses such as...

1. Physical shops needing an online store to expand their reach in South Africa.
2. Entrepreneurs who manufacture their own products in SA and need an online store to sell their products.
3. Entrepreneurs who import unique products into SA and need an online store to sell these products

Two types of ecommerce websites we don't build...

• We don't build marketplace-type websites such as Amazon, Takealot, Ebay, Autotrader, etc.
• We don't build dropshipping websites

Our passion will always be to help small – medium sized companies dominate on Google.

Of course you can. The more exposure your product gets the better chance you have of selling it. Other marketplaces you could place your product:

• Facebook marketplace
• Takealot
• Bid or Buy
• Gumtree
• Amazon SA

I'm sure you understand that since you don't own any of these platforms you...

1. Need to play by their rules (get canceled any time)
2. Get lost in a sea of other products and distractions
3. Look way less professional because you can't really display your brand effectively

That's where a website comes in...

• You own your website - way more flexibility
• You get to effectively represent your brand
• People trust you more and take you more seriously as a business
• If you choose SEO then your website gets found for months/years to come

Easy peasy...

You can offer several payment options to your customers such as EFT or a Payment Gateway solution.

For EFT we would need the banking details you want the customers to use.

Steps to get a payment gateway solution setup:

1. You setup an account with a SA payment gateway (some options mentioned below).
2. Send us the logins for that account.
3. We connect the software to your website.
4. We test to make sure it works.
5. We make it live for you to start selling your products!

Notes:

• This can only happen once the new webite is live.
• It's really simple and quick to get this setup

Which payment gateway should you choose?

Our suggestion would be to look at 2 main factors:

1. Cost you pay per transaction? Check their website's "fees" section.
2. Do they charge you a monthly fee over and above the transaction fees? Check their website/chat to their support team.
3. Trust worthiness - are people familiar with the payment gateway. If they are not familiar with it they may hesitate to complete the transaction on your website.

My clients use the following:

In no particular order...

• Yoco - see fee structure here
• PayFast - see fee structure here
• PayFlex - contact them for fee structure

Easy peasy...

You have two main options:

Option 1: We add a courier company's software into your website (most accurate).

Their software will automatically calculate the courier fee on checkout based on your customers delivery address.

NB: We recommend Fastway Couriers because their software is the only one in SA that integrates well with WordPress at this point in time i.e. the other options mess up the website's design or functionality.

Steps to get it setup:

1. You setup an account with Fastway
2. Send us the welcome email they send you
3. We connnect the Fastway software to your website
4. You discuss all nitty gritty detals with Fastway (package sizes etc)

Option 2: PUDO

Pudo works on a flat rate fee nationwide . You tell us what that fee is and we'll make sure it's added to Checkout page of your website..

Option 3: We manually add the areas and cost for each area (least accurate)

Woocommerce only allows us to select provinces - not specific cities and towns in SA.

We can select areas by postcodes but that would be entirely seperate project on it's own because there are 1000's of postcodes (this project would be seperate and not included in the price)

So this is what we can do for you...

• We allocate 4 main delivery areas
  - Local pickup (if you have location for collections)
  - Local delivery (province)
  - Other large provinces
  - Other areas (not covered above)
• You give us a price to alocate to the 3 areas above (local pickup would be no cost)

We recommend going with option 1 or 2 because it's more accurate and less work for everyone involved.

We help you connect and setup the free Woocommerce App.

This allows you/your team to completely manage your inventory from your phone. You'll be able to edit/add/delete all product related details.

Full control.

Yes you can. We build websites using WordPress and offer basic video training if needed. This gives you the option to login and make minor adjustments by yourself (if you want to do this). E.g. Adding/deleting images in your Gallery or being in full control of your Blog posts.

However I would recommend using our team for minor edits as that is part of your R500/m maintenance fee.

Of course! That's why we stick around.

Minor Edits...

We offer minor edits included in the R500/m maintenance fee and includes basic/quick tasks like editing contact details, replacing AN image, changing the description of a product (you provide the wording), etc.

Larger Edits...

For larger edits you can send us a request detailing what you want added/changed etc and we'll quote you accordingly.

You would need an additional quote for the following type of edits:

• New page/s to be added.
• New product ranges/categories to be added.
• New product to be added.
• Re-design of page/s.
• Re-design of large sections.
• Revamped entire website.
• Revamped Header area.
• Revamped Footer area.

Not immediately. It takes Google anywere from weeks to months to INDEX your website ie: to place your website into Google.

Once your site is indexed the website will be in Google but far down (nowhere near page 1 of Google). It takes time, further investment and SEO strategy to get to the top of Google.

NB: Building a website is one service. Having that website show high in Google is an entirely seperate service called Search Engine Optimization. Read more about SEO here.

 Yes, we design websites and help your business rank higher on Google. We work with three types of clients.

1. Service-based businesses: if you offer a service and want to generate leads online, this is for you.
2. Online stores: if you want to sell products with a payment gateway, this is for you.
3. App showcase websites: we don’t build apps, but if you want a modern website to showcase yours, we can help.

We don’t build marketplace-style websites (think Amazon, Takealot, or Autotrader-type platforms).

Our focus is helping small to medium South African businesses dominate Google in their niche.

There are four main costs to consider.

1. Hosting is typically R70 to R250 per month depending on the provider and your needs. Choose a host with strong support; you get what you pay for.
2. Domain Name, your .co.za address, is usually around R90 per year.
3. Website Design is a once-off fee ranging from R3,500 for a single landing page to R30,000 or more for e-commerce, depending on complexity.
4. Monthly maintenance – like a car, your website needs regular upkeep to stay secure, backed up, and running properly.

We also offer the Smart Website System a fully managed WaaS (Website as a Service) with R0 upfront and a straightforward monthly payment, structured like a cellphone contract. It includes hosting, a custom website, ongoing maintenance, and the full lead generation system.

Our digital marketing services focus on three areas: website design, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and Google Ads. All three are aimed at one outcome – your business dominating Google in your niche.

We don’t offer organic social media management, but we do offer a focused Facebook Ads strategy that works well alongside our core services.

We prioritise your website above all other channels for three reasons: your website is the only digital asset you truly own; when done correctly it generates results for months and years at no additional cost; and it gives every other marketing channel a professional, high-converting destination to send traffic to.

Yes, of course. We work with businesses across South Africa – from Cape Town to Johannesburg, Durban to Pretoria. Everything is handled remotely. Strategy calls, onboarding, design reviews, and ongoing reporting are all done online.

Location is not a barrier.

Yes. The Smart Website System is available in three tiers…

• Smart S at R699 per month
• Smart M at R999 per month and
• Smart L at R1,399 per month

All with R0 upfront on a 24-month contract, after which the website is fully yours.

For e-commerce websites, pricing is quoted based on the scope of the project.

Get in touch and we’ll recommend the right option for your business.