Frequently asked questions
Straight answers before you get in touch
Costs, timescales, what's included and how we work. If your question isn't here, email hello@serva.digital and we'll reply within 24 hours.
Last updated: 26 September 2026Getting started
Is this for me if I've never had a website?
Yes. Most of the businesses we speak to are starting from scratch: cafés, salons, restaurants, trades and independent shops. We take care of the technical side and explain each decision in everyday language. If you can use email and a smartphone, you have all the skills you need.
What is the free first website offer?
While we build our local portfolio, a limited number of new clients in the North East get a single-page website designed and built at no cost. There is no charge for the build itself. Once the site is live, you only cover low monthly hosting and support. Places are limited, so availability can change.
What does the free website include?
A responsive single-page site that works on phones, tablets and desktops, with up to five content sections, a contact form that sends enquiries to your inbox, basic SEO set-up, fast and secure hosting set-up, royalty-free stock images where needed, and one round of revisions before launch.
What isn't included in the free build?
Ongoing hosting and support (a monthly fee), your domain name (you register and own it, and we'll help), extra pages, e-commerce or online ordering, bespoke photography or branding, and substantial copywriting. Any of these can be quoted separately if you want them.
How long does a website take?
A single-page website typically takes one to two weeks from our first conversation to launch, including your feedback and changes. Shopify stores and sites with ordering or bookings usually take three to six weeks, depending on scope. You get a clear timeline before any work starts.
How much does a website cost?
Your first single-page site can be free under the early-client offer; you only cover low monthly hosting once it is live. Other work, such as extra pages, Shopify stores or booking systems, gets a clear written quote before anything starts. We aim to be as cost-effective as possible, without agency overheads.
Websites and Shopify
Do I need a Shopify store or a standard website?
If you sell products online, whether five or five thousand, Shopify is usually the right choice: it is reliable, easy to run day to day and grows with you. If you mainly need people to find you, understand what you offer and get in touch, a standard website is enough. We'll help you decide.
Can I update the website myself?
On Shopify, yes. We train you to add products, change prices and manage orders. Standard websites are hand-built in code rather than a drag-and-drop editor, so updates are normally handled for you under a support plan. Either way, we reply to requests within 24 hours.
Will my site work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Every site is responsive, so the layout adapts to any screen size, and we test on real phones, tablets and computers before launch.
Can you add online ordering or bookings?
Yes. We set up online food ordering, appointment booking, table reservations and deposit payments. These aren't part of the free single-page offer, so we'll give you a clear quote first.
Who owns my domain name?
You do. Your domain is registered in your name and belongs to you, and we'll help you set it up. Everything else about a project, including what you receive at handover, is set out in a written agreement before work starts.
AI advisory
What does the AI advisory service cover?
We use Claude, an advanced AI assistant, to speed up time-consuming, document-heavy work. Typical jobs include bids, tenders and grant applications, business plans, council planning applications, making sense of financial or pension data, and summarising legal or regulatory documents.
Do I need to understand AI to use it?
Not at all. You tell us what you need and share the source material; we do the work and hand back a finished, professional result. No technical knowledge is needed.
How is AI advisory priced?
It is charged by the hour. After a short conversation about the task we estimate the time involved and agree the cost with you before starting, so there are no open-ended bills.
Getting found online
Will people find my website on Google?
Every site we build includes basic SEO so search engines understand what you do and where. For local businesses we also recommend a free Google Business Profile, and we offer local SEO if you want to go further.
What is a Google Business Profile?
It is a free listing from Google that puts your business on Google Maps and in local results, the panel you see when you search for something like 'plumber near me'. For a local business it is one of the most useful free tools available, and we can set it up for you.
Can you help me appear in AI assistants like ChatGPT?
Yes. Alongside Google, we structure your website content and business details so AI assistants can understand and recommend you. It is part of our Get found on Google and AI search service.
Is my website GDPR, cookie and accessibility compliant?
Our free website review checks exactly that: whether your site handles personal data in line with UK GDPR, asks for cookie consent where the law requires it, and meets basic accessibility standards. You get a plain-English list of what to fix.
Working together
What happens after my site goes live?
We don't disappear after launch. Ongoing hosting and support covers security updates, performance checks and changes when you need them, from a studio based in North Yorkshire.
How much does ongoing support cost?
Support packages are available and there are no long-term contracts. Ask us for current details and we'll recommend what fits your business.
Can you improve my existing website?
Yes. Start with a free website review: we look at what's working, what's costing you customers and what to change. If you'd like us to make the improvements, we'll quote for that separately.
Who is behind serva.digital?
serva.digital is run by founder David Allison. Before starting out on his own, David spent more than 20 years delivering digital and e-commerce work for major UK retailers and brands through agencies, IT service providers and consultancies. serva.digital is a trading name of JDDA Media Limited.
What happened to JDDA Media?
Nothing has changed behind the scenes. serva.digital is the new name for JDDA Media: same company, same founder, same services. JDDA Media Limited still owns and runs the business, and old jddamedia.co.uk links now take you to the matching page here.
How do you keep costs down?
We run lean on purpose: no agency overheads, no account-management layers, and sites built directly by David on modern, low-cost hosting. The aim is simple: to be as cost-effective as possible for small businesses while keeping the standards of a large project.
Do you only work in the North East?
We're based in Stokesley and most local clients are across Teesside, North Yorkshire and County Durham, but we work with businesses and individuals across the UK. If you're nearby, we're happy to meet in person.