FAQ
Questions, answered.
Straight answers about getting a new website designed and built, and about being found on Google and AI search.
Still have questions?
Tell us about your project and we’ll answer them, with no obligation and no jargon.
Get in touchYour new website
Do you design websites from scratch or use templates?
Every website we make is designed from scratch around your business, your brand and your customers. We start with a blank page, plan the structure and content, then design each page for desktop and mobile before anything is built.
That means no generic template look, and nothing on your site that you don’t need.
How long does a new website take?
It depends on the size of the project. A smaller website of 5 to 7 pages usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, and a larger one of 8 to 15 pages 6 to 8 weeks. Bigger projects with films, integrations or client portals take 8 to 12 weeks, sometimes more.
The exact timeframe depends on the size of the site, how quickly content and feedback come together, branding, photography and any advanced features. We agree a clear timeline with you at the start.
How much does a website cost?
Every website is different, so we quote each project individually once we understand what you need. The main factors are the number of pages, how much content and photography we create, and any special features such as bookings, integrations or client portals.
Get in touch with a short description of your project and we’ll come back with a clear, itemised quote, with no hidden extras.
Will I be able to update the website myself?
Yes. We set your website up with an easy editor and train your team before launch, with video guides and a live session, so you can change text, images and news without calling a developer.
Do you host and look after the website once it’s live?
Yes. We offer fully managed hosting and ongoing care: secure backups, updates, security monitoring, performance checks, and help with your domain and email settings. You can also come to us for new pages and improvements whenever you need them.
Will my website work well on phones and be found on Google?
Yes. Every site is designed for mobile first, built to load fast and meet accessibility standards, and set up with the technical foundations search engines need: clean structure, page titles and descriptions, structured data and a sitemap.
We also structure your content so AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews can understand and recommend your business.
What must a vet practice show on its website from March 2027?
From 23 March 2027, the CMA’s Order on vet services asks small vet businesses (14 or fewer practices) to show more on their website: a price list one click from the home page, prices for their most-sold flea, tick and worm treatments, the details of any pet care plan, team qualifications and any out-of-hours provider, end-of-life options with cremation prices, and how to complain. Larger groups start earlier, on 23 December 2026.
Our guide to the new vet rules, on our Insight page, sets it all out with a ten-minute checklist. We build the missing pages from your practice’s own facts; we don’t give legal advice.
What do the new subscription rules mean for gyms, studios and dental plans?
New UK rules for memberships that renew automatically are due to start on 1 January 2027, once Parliament approves them. People who join after that must see the key terms together before they sign up, get written reminders (before an intro offer turns into the full price, then every six months), have a 14-day cooling-off period, be able to leave with any clear message (online, if they joined online) and get a written confirmation when they cancel.
Our guide to the new subscription rules, on our Insight page, explains each change with a short checklist. We build the sign-up summary and the cancel page and set up the reminder emails; your solicitor signs off the terms.
Why work with Altius Digital?
We take your website from a blank page to launch day and beyond: planning, design, build, hosting and care, all with one small senior team. Our experience in digital, AI and technical infrastructure goes back to 2013.
We advise in plain language, design around your customers rather than a template, and build every site to be fast, accessible and easy to find on Google and AI search. Then we stay with you after launch.
Google & AI search
What is AI SEO and why does it matter for UK businesses?
AI SEO is the work of making your business easy for AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews to understand, trust and recommend. Instead of chasing a position in a list of links, the goal is to be one of the names an AI suggests when someone asks for help in your area.
It matters because more people in the UK now start their search by asking an AI assistant. Those assistants usually give a short shortlist, so if your business isn’t on it, you can miss the enquiry entirely, even if your website ranks well on Google.
Can my business appear in ChatGPT search results?
Yes. ChatGPT and similar tools build their answers from information they can find and verify across the web, including your website, directories, reviews, news coverage and industry sources. The clearer and more consistent your information is across those places, the more likely you are to be mentioned.
No one can honestly guarantee a mention, because AI tools decide their own answers. What we can do is strengthen the signals they rely on, so your business becomes a natural, well-supported answer to the questions your clients are asking.
Is AI SEO different from traditional SEO?
They share the same foundations: a fast, well-built website, useful content and a strong reputation. The difference is the goal. Traditional SEO aims to rank a page in Google’s list of results. AI SEO aims to get your business named and cited inside an AI-generated answer.
That shifts the focus towards clear entity information (who you are, what you do and where), content that directly answers real questions, structured data that machines can read, and mentions on trusted third-party sites. The best approach does both together.
Do I need a new website for AI optimisation?
Not necessarily. Many websites can be improved with better structure, clearer service pages, structured data and stronger content, without starting again.
A rebuild makes sense when the existing site is slow, hard to update, or built in a way that makes it difficult for search engines and AI tools to read. We start by reviewing what you have, then recommend the simplest route that will actually work.
What does “AI-optimised website” actually mean?
It’s a website built so that both people and machines can understand it quickly and accurately. In practice that means clear pages for each service, plain-language answers to common questions, consistent business details, structured data (schema) that labels key information, fast loading and a clean technical setup.
The result is a site that AI tools can confidently describe and cite, and that still converts real visitors into enquiries.
How long does AI SEO take to work?
Improvements typically begin to show within 8 to 16 weeks, depending on your current authority, the state of your website and how competitive your sector is.
Some changes, like fixing inconsistent business details or adding structured data, can be picked up quickly. Building authority through trusted mentions and strong content takes longer, and keeps compounding over time.
Which industries benefit most from AI SEO?
Any business where clients research carefully before choosing, and where trust decides the outcome. That includes law firms and chambers, accountants and financial advisers, private clinics and healthcare practices, schools and education providers, property and construction firms, and specialist B2B services.
In these sectors, people increasingly ask an AI “who should I use?”, and the answer often shapes the shortlist before they ever visit a website.
Ready for something you’re proud of?
Tell us about your business. We’ll show you how we’d design and build it, and get you found, from scratch to finish.