Marketing Agency Johannesburg, South Africa

Question 1

How much does a website cost?

Accepted Answer

Most agencies price a website on 4 things: how many pages you need, whether you are selling online, whether the content is written for you or supplied, and whether you pay a once-off build fee or a monthly fee. We price it differently, and the reason makes sense once you know how we build.

We use WordPress as a content management system only, because it gives you and us the same easy dashboard and has everything needed to build and manage a fast, well-optimised website. Every site is designed from scratch rather than generated from a template, with the graphics and visual elements made in Adobe. The theme's drag-and-drop builder saves the time that would otherwise go into coding and debugging, so your site goes live as a minimum viable product (MVP), a complete first working version, within 1 to 2 weeks. A handful of plugins add custom functionality, security and integrations, and some of those plugins carry licence fees.

That is why the price comes in 2 parts. Both of us need to know the work will get done. A deposit up front covers a year of those licence renewals, and once it is paid we start the design immediately. The monthly fee only starts once your site is live and you are happy with it.

Question 2

What is SEO and how much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the work that makes your website findable when somebody searches for what you sell.

It happens in 2 places. On your website, it covers the keywords you choose to compete for, the content on your pages that answers those searches, and the technical build underneath that decides what a search engine can read. Off your website, it covers your Google My Business (GMB) listing and the reviews on it, citations (your business name, address and phone number listed identically on directories, chambers of commerce and industry bodies), and backlinks (links to your site from other reputable websites). Search engines use those off-site signals to confirm that your business is real and is where it says it is.

Cost depends on how competitive your keywords are and how much of the groundwork, on and off your website, has already been done, so a site built properly starts cheaper than one that has to be fixed first.

Question 3

How much does social media management cost?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how many platforms you run, how often you post, and whether you need the content created. The bigger question is how much of the management you hand over. We create your content and schedule it, but we strongly recommend that someone in your business, or you yourself, handles the direct messages, mentions and brand collaborations. Those are your customers talking to you, and you should keep your finger on the pulse.

We manage your platforms through management suites and never log in to your accounts directly: Meta Business Suite for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and a platform such as Buffer for anything else you run. Your accounts and your login details stay in your hands.

Question 4

How can I see how fast my website is?

Accepted Answer

Use Google PageSpeed Insights. It is free, it is Google's own tool, and it needs nothing but your web address. It scores your site out of 100 for mobile and for desktop and lists exactly what is slowing each one down. Check the mobile score first, because that is the one most of your visitors experience.

Question 5

Where can I see if my business ranks on Google?

Accepted Answer

Google Search Console. It is free, it reports on your own website, and once it is verified the Performance report shows every search term you appeared for, your average position, how many people saw you and how many clicked. Searching your own business name will not tell you this, because results are personalised to whoever is searching. If nobody has set Search Console up for your business, that is worth asking about.

Question 6

Which businesses does Think Co work with?

Accepted Answer

Think Co works across sectors rather than specialising, because the fit question matters more than the industry. We work with businesses that understand it takes money to make money. A website built correctly costs money. Social media managed correctly costs money. Search engine optimisation (SEO) costs more than either, because it is not only writing articles and getting backlinks. It is keyword optimisation, business details kept identical everywhere they appear, and local citations, and many of the links worth having come with a fee: a listing with your local chamber of commerce costs from roughly R1,000 to R10,000, depending on the chamber.

That is why SEO quoted at under R5,000 a month rarely covers more than articles and backlinks, which may earn some clicks but seldom bring in enquiries or income. A legitimate SEO strategy costs more because it does more. If SEO has disappointed you before, look at the work you were sold before you write off SEO itself. You keep hearing about SEO for 1 reason: it is where your customers search.

Question 7

Where is Think Co based?

Accepted Answer

Think Co is based in Weltevreden Park, Johannesburg, and works with businesses across South Africa.

Question 8

Does Think Co do print?

Accepted Answer

Think Co designs print collateral such as flyers and business cards and supplies the finished artwork files. It does not handle print production, large format printing, signage installation or branded merchandise.

Marketing agency in Johannesburg, South Africa

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Search engine optimisation

Social media management

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Graphic design

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