Frequently Asked Questions

What is a domain name?
A: The text a user types into a browser to reach a website eg. magicdust.com.au

I don’t have a domain name. How can I register one?
A: We can register a domain on your behalf. Please email us the the domain name you want to register along with your ABN. A domain name can we registered for two years (.com.au) or one year (.com)

What happens if I already have a domain name?
A: We can use your existing domain name for your website.  You can do this yourself with the settings we provide you. Or you can share the domain registration login details and password with our team and we will then point the settings to your new website when we are ready to go live.

Can I transfer my existing domain names to Magicdust to manage for me?
A: Yes. Simply email our support team (support@magicdust.com.au) and will help you activate the transfer to Magicdust so you have everything in one place.

I have a number of domains, will you use them all?
A: Yes. It’s a good idea to point them all to your website’s main domain name. Often businesses buy similar domains with various endings to protect your company’s branding eg. magicdust.com.au, magicdust.design and magicdust.au

Should I have .au, .com.au or a .com domain?
A: You will want to buy them all if they are available to secure your brand presence online. It’s normal to purchase more than one domain with various endings. e.g. magicdust.com.au, magicdust.design and magicdust.au. The domain names ending in ‘.au’ help search engines know your website is Australian and to show it in local search results.

What does hosting mean?
A: All websites on the internet need to be hosted to become accessible on the internet. Hosting involves renting space on a server to store your website files and data.

Can I move my website to another hosting provider?
A: Yes. WordPress is a universal website management platform. You are free to move your website at any time. Once cancelled with our admin team, the billing will end after your current billing cycle. Please note that our content amendments and support service will also end at this time, and some priority features and plugins will no longer be available.

I have website hosting already. Can I still use your service?
A: Magicdust is a fully managed website provider. All websites we host and manage are built by us. We do not host or manage websites we do not create, nor those that are hosted on other servers, ensuring the full integrity of all our code, and the ongoing security of our servers and your website.

Where will my website be hosted?
A: It will be hosted in a tier 3 data centre located in Sydney, Australia with an uptime rating of 99.98%

Can I get an email that matches my website address?

A: Yes. We recommend this as it provides a more professional representation of your business. Eg. yourname@yourcompany.com.au NOT yourcompany@gmail.com

I get so much spam from my website form, will this improve with your service?
A: Spam is difficult to completely eradicate, our websites use Recaptcha, Google’s spam filter, to help manage spam, and our support team can assist with setting up rules in your email inbox to manage and block any potential spam.

What email support do you offer?
A: When it comes to email hosting, some common questions our clients may have include how to set up and access email accounts, how to change passwords, troubleshoot issues with sending or receiving emails, configure email clients, setting up email forwarding and aliases, and moving their emails to our servers. If you have any questions about these or other email hosting related issues, please reach out to our support team for assistance. We are here to support you.

Do I have to provide the content for my website?
A: We need at least a good outline of your business or project so we can  deliver the first draft of your content. We have a super intuitive Website Design Brief that will help you jot down your ideas and information so we can create rich, on brand, targeted first draft copy.

If I am not happy with the first draft copy you deliver on my website, will someone improve it?
A: We only create the first draft copy to get your website launched. This initial copy will be close to great, but may need some refining based on your personal touch. It will also give you an outline of engaging copy layout and best practice user experience, so you will know exactly what needs to be added to all areas of the website —to ensure you are set up to convert visitors to leads. We recommend you mention any initial copy edits you want changed as part of your website revisions.

How do you handle ongoing revisions and updates to the content?
A: We provide you with two free hours of studio time each month, should you need it for content edits, updates or additions to your website. Additionally, if you would like to make changes to your website yourself, you will have editor access via the WordPress content management system (CMS).

What do you consider as one website page?
A: Around 300-600 words of copy is generally the recommendation. And up to 1000 words for services or longer information pages. One to three images.

Can people download PDFs from my website?
A: Yes. However if it is a paid or private PDF for members or subscribers only you will need an Add On feature to allow you to secure the PDF and/or charge for access. Please contact the studio for guidance on which Add On you will need.

How do you handle content migration from an existing website?
A: We can migrate the first five pages as part of your Core Website. Additional pages, as a Boost can be added to your order to cover the number of additional pages needed to migrate.

Can I provide my own images
A: We recommend you send us professional business photos, headshots, and product shots only. And we recommend you allow our designers to find your brand style from our curated and professional image collections.

What is the best size images to provide?
A: The bigger the better. We can receive all image sizes and our studio team will optimise them for website loading and viewing. We can always make images smaller, but not bigger. Small images get pixelated when stretched and we will request higher resolution images from you if this is the case.

Will I have a choice with regards to the images used on my website?
A: Yes. The designer will initially choose images from our curated collections aligned with your brand and business to give you that professional designer aesthetic. These can be changed during the revision process as required. 

What if I don’t have any professional images to use
A: We have access to professional image libraries that we can use legally for your website design, these will be suitable for everything except headshots and product shots. You can begin with the curated stock images we will use on your website. When you get professional headshots or product shots, we can easily add those for you.

Can I host and stream videos on my Magicdust website?
A: We recommend hosting video content on YouTube.com, Vimeo.com or Wistia.com. This will give you the best performance and scalability. Each platform has an easy embed code for any website, we will use this embed code on your website to pull in the video from your chosen platform.

Can I host and stream podcasts, music and audio on my Magicdust websites?
A: We recommend hosting podcasts and audio content on dedicated platforms like Buzzsprout, PodBean, Captivate, Transistor, Castos, Resonate, Libsyn, SoundCloud, Anchor, Audioboom, RSS.com, Spreaker, Blubrry, Simplecast, Fusebox. This will give you the best performance and scalability. Ensure your chosen platform has an easy embed code for any website, we will use this embed code on your website to pull in the audio from your chosen platform.

Do I need a logo?
A: No. Your Web Designer can choose a font from our designer collection to represent your brand at no charge.

What colors will you choose for my website?
A: The Magicdust template used for your website will initially inform your brand colour palette. However if you have brand colours already, please submit those with your design brief and we will use those.  

What is WordPress? I thought it was just for blogs.
A: WordPress is an open source content management system (CMS) used to make it easy to edit a website yourself. In the beginning around 2003, WordPress was mainly used for blogs, but over the years the platform has evolved and over one third of the world’s websites are now running on WordPress. With a thriving community of designers, developers and users, this platform is continually improving, and is robust and future-proof.

Will I automatically have a blog on my website?
A: No, just website pages. To include a blog on your website, you can select the Blog Add On from our collection of Add Ons. The full blog functionality of WordPress will be activated on your website and you will self-manage your blog.

Do I need to blog?
A: That depends on your business and whether you have regular content and resources you would like to share with your audience. Adding relevant and regular new content to your website can form part of your value offering, SEO strategy and online marketing plan. For close to 20 years people have been blogging and it still seems as relevant as ever.

Does my website belong to me?
A: Yes, the website belongs to you on completion of your payment schedules.

Do I need to keep my website with Magicdust?
A: To enjoy our studio done-for-you service, secure hosting and regular WordPress updates, you will need to maintain your subscription with Magicdust. However you are free to cancel your subscription and move your website at any time. Note: Some proprietary functionality may be lost and will need to be replaced by your new website team.

Will my website be responsive and look good on all mobiles and tablets?
A: Yes. Your website will display according to a variety of screen sizes and devices by automagically adapting to the screen size. Ensuring your visitors have the best browsing experience and your brand is positioned as modern and relevant.

What is a responsive website?
A: It’s when a website changes automagically depending on the device being used to view the website. For example a website viewed on a desktop may have a menu that runs full width along the top of the screen, while on a mobile device the same website will display in a compact drop down menu along with larger text.

What if my website gets hacked?
A: WordPress is the platform which Magicdust websites are built on. We are a leader in WordPress security and have vigilant proprietary update and monitoring protocols to ensure your website is kept safe from hacking attempts. WordPress needs to be kept up to date to ensure your website is secure as new patches are released. 

What is an SSL Certificate and why do I need one?
A: An SSL Certificate (Secure Socket Layer) is security technology that displays the lock icon in the address bar. It verifies your website authenticity and keeps your website secure so visitors feeling confident knowing your website is legit. It keeps data passed between the host server and web browser private and secure. All major web browsers now mark websites without SSL certificates as “Not Secure.” This not only reduces visitor trust but also negatively impacts SEO rankings.

What happens if I need to change something on my website?

A: Magicdust is a done-for-you service. We provide you with two free hours of studio time each month should you need it for content edits, updates or additions to your website. Additionally, if you would like to make changes to your website yourself, you will have editor access via the WordPress admin area.

Can I add extra pages?
A: Yes. Simply send a request to the studio team with the page you would like to add, along with the copy and any photos or product images you want featured. We will use the website image collection to decorate the pages to match your existing template. Additionally, if you would like to add pages yourself, you will have editor access via the WordPress admin area.

I changed my mind since I signed off my website, what happens now. Can I change the template before I get my first draft?
A: You have 24 hours from the time of signing off your template choice to change your mind. If we have started to work on your website and you miss this window, you may be charged based on how much work needs to be re-done.

Can I change my template after my website is built?
A: Yes. However, you will need to order a new Core Template from our collection to activate the update and design changes. Your website will be updated with your new template selection maintaining all your existing content. Only one template can be active at a time and changing templates will incur a setup fee each time.

My business has changed and the template I chose doesn’t suit my new business. What are my options
A: That’s a normal process for a growing business. You will need to select a new template from our collection or have our team suggest a new one for you, and purchase it to activate the design changes. Your website will be updated maintaining all your existing content.

I’m not sure how to choose the right template for my business, can you help?
A: Yes, our expert design team will suggest a template for you based on your design brief at no extra charge. 

I need an online shop, which template is best?
A: All our templates are suitable for taking Online Payments for up to 10 products or services. If you are planning to build a full ecommerce shop, this may not be the right match for you. Please see our Online Payments Add On to decide if it will work for your needs.

Which type of businesses are best suited for  these templates?
A: Magicdust websites are made for startup businesses, service based businesses, and small businesses in a wide range of industries from creative to professional such as daycare, aged care, wellness, decorators, doctors and lawyers, etc.

I like different parts of different templates, can I combine them?
A: We understand, there are so many good options right? Each template has been designed by world-class creatives, and within each design template there are many modules which will cover a wide range of layout options. However it is not an option to combine sections from various templates. 

Will you move everything to my new website template?
A: We can move your existing content to your new website. First five pages are included with the Website Core. Based on the size and complexity of your existing website, there may be an additional charge for this transfer. Simply send us a message with your existing website address and we will confirm the Boosts you will need to add before placing your order.

Can you move all my blog posts and comments to my new website?
A: If your current blog is hosted on WordPress then we can migrate blog posts across to the new website design. Blog posts are considered page content so additional Boosts may need to be added to your order. Non-WordPress blogs can be copied over, but the comments may not be able to be imported.

Will my Google rankings be ok?
A: We use the Google recommended approach to migrating to a new platform using 301 redirects. However there is always a risk that rankings may be compromised due to any website changes. We offer an SEO Transfer Boost which will help minimize your ranking loss impact and protect what is possible.

Can you move my Shopify / WIX / Squarespace website to one of your templates?
A: Yes, as per our setup process we can transfer content from any website that is published and owned by you. The first five pages are included in the Core Website. Additional pages can be ordered with Add Ons as needed. Please note if you have a Shopify website, this requires an Online Payments Add On and we support a maximum of 10 products per website.

I use Cliniko / Acuity Scheduling / Kajabi / Hubspot / Active Campaign / Mailchimp etc – can I keep using this on a Magicdust website?
A: We can embed code from a number of popular third party software platforms. This embed code is usually provided by the platform itself. If a platform has a more complex integration then send us a message and we can let you know any additional setup costs.

What happens if I want to add things to my website?
A: You can order a Boost or Add On at any time. WordPress also has a range of functionality that can be added to your website using WordPress plugins. We have an approved list of commonly used plugins, please send us a message to request the extra functionality you need and we will help you find the best solution. Some charges may be incurred based on the plugin.

Can I sell digital products on my website?
A: Yes – Our Online Payments Add On uses WooCommerce, and can be used to sell up to 10 digital and/or physical products.

What is SEO?
A: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a set of best practices used to improve and optimise your website’s ranking in organic search results on search engines.

My current website doesn’t come up on Google, will a Magicdust website be better for my Google ranking?
A: WordPress as a platform is known for being very SEO friendly and versatile. That being said, organic rankings require an SEO strategy and ongoing work to achieve search engine visibility and positioning. This depends on a large number of factors. We would recommend working with an online marketing team to assess your unique business goals and help your business be found in online searches.

Can I see reports for people visiting my website and where they come from?
A: Yes – Google Analytics provides great insights on your website. We can embed this tracking code on your website at any time. You will need to sign up for an account at Google Analytics. Email our studio team to guide you through the process.

How does this template website, done-for-you process, work? I need more clarity.

A: We provide gorgeous  website templates created by world-class designers, built on WordPress. The difference from other templates out there is you don’t need to add the content yourself. We will do it for you. Simply purchase our Core Website template. We will send you a Website Design Brief, you will answer these questions about your business. Our team will send you a recommendation for a template design.  You agree and we will get your youe project happening, and get you online looking amazing. We make the process of setting up your website as elegant and as simple as possible.

What happens once I’ve placed my order?
A: You will receive a link to our Website Design Brief. You will need to complete this before we can begin working on your website. Once we have all your info we will build the first version of your website for you to review.

How long until my website is up?
A: Your website build will begin as soon as your Website Design Brief has been received by our team. On average we deliver the first version of your website within 10 days.

Can I get my website done quickly?
A: Yes we have a Skip the Line Boost. Just add this to your order and we will get you in the fast lane. Your website can be delivered within 3 business days of us receiving your Website Design Brief.

Who is Magicdust?
A: We are a digital agency based in Sydney. We work with startups and small businesses globally, launching businesses online since 2006. We have built thousands of websites for small businesses and organisations over the years. We are known for our personal touch, gorgeous and affordable designs, rock-solid servers and customer service dedicated to making websites available to all businesses to flourish online.

Why should I choose Magicdust?
A: Magicdust has worked with thousands of small businesses and startups since 2006. Our intimate knowledge of small businesses and startup culture has influenced our services and website designs. Our processes and support have been firmly tested by thousands of real businesses for years, and we have become a trusted digital partner for startups, small businesses and organisations worldwide.

Can I speak to a real person – I’m not technical?
A: If there’s anything you don’t understand, or you just need to ask some questions for your peace of mind, we are here to ensure you feel confident in your next steps. Reach out now by clicking our chat box in the right corner. We will answer your questions in real time if we are online, and offer any suggestions. If no one is available we will get back to you asap. All our processes are designed for non-technical people and we aim to make it as easy as possible to get you online with a smile.

What happens to my website if Magicdust closes down?
A: So far we have kept our clients’ websites live since 2006. However in the event of anything happening, all Magicdust websites are built on WordPress, a popular worldwide CMS platform, your website can be easily transferred to any hosting provider, any time you like. We will always take care of our clients and ensure their website files are accessible and protected from loss.

What happens if my website goes down?
A: Our servers are monitored 24/7. In the event of any crashes or outages, our team will be alerted and work to get your website back up as soon as possible. Our service also includes regular backups of your website so you can have peace of mind your website is always safe.

What happens if my website gets hacked?
A: We are leaders in WordPress security and our servers are monitored 24/7. Any hacking attempts are responded to with the highest priority and most vigilant security measures. We also keep recent backups of all our clients’ websites and can revert to a healthy version in the case of any damage.