Frequently Asked Questions

Category:

Designs

Are these designs "cookie cutter"?
Are your designs "templates"?
Can I take the design with me if I need to leave your service?
Do I get access to the HTML for the design?
Do you provide a list of the photos and graphics you need to set up the initial design for the site or do we just submit a variety and you select from the ones we submit?

Q. Are these designs "cookie cutter"?
A. Our designs are NOT cookie cutter. We hand-customize each design with your logo, colors and photos. "Cookie cutter" designs are designs where your church name is typed (no logo), you cannot change the colors and possibly cannot change photos. We do NOT use cookie cutter designs. Companies that allow you to change your own design whenever you want are offering the cookie cutter variety designs that are not customized.

Q. Are your designs "templates"?
A. Our designs are customized for each customer. ANY design, whether custom or not or whether it costs $54/month or $5000, any design that is used in a content management system is called a template.

Q. Can I take the design with me if I need to leave your service?
A. If it is a custom design, we will give you the graphics file for your site. If it is a FaithConnector exclusive design, then unfortunately not.

Q. Do I get access to the HTML for the design?
A. You get access to the HTML within the content area of each page, but not for the surrounding design. This is to ensure that your site's design standards are strictly maintained and your ministry's identity is upheld throughout countless changes your admins will make.

Q. Do you provide a list of the photos and graphics you need to set up the initial design for the site or do we just submit a variety and you select from the ones we submit?
A. Yes. Please provide us with some initial photos and your colors and logo, and we'll help you set up the design look and feel. After that, you'll be able to maintain the photos yourself.

Domains

Do we bring our own domain names with us to your service?

Q. Do we bring our own domain names with us to your service?
A. Yes. You can purchase a domain name from networksolutions.com, Register.com Web Hosting or many other places, and then we will point it to your new website when the site is ready.

Email

Do we have to use email provided by FaithConnector, or can we use our own email server?
Do you have a spam filter?
Do you offer POP3 and IMAP email?
How many email addresses do we get?
Is there a way we can access our email through a web site?

Q. Do we have to use email provided by FaithConnector, or can we use our own email server?
A. You can definitely use your own email server if you'd like. Just let us know during the process, so we can plan for that.

Q. Do you have a spam filter?
A. Yes, all accounts include spam filtering. In this day and age, you may still want to have spam filtering on your personal computer as well.

Q. Do you offer POP3 and IMAP email?
A. Yes.

Q. How many email addresses do we get?
A. You will get 1500 email addresses with the Power Plan and unlimited with the Mega Plan. These are POP3 email addresses. You can also use IMAP. You'll also have the ability to create unlimited email aliases, which are email addresses that look like yourdomain.com but really forward to other email addresses outside of your domain.

Q. Is there a way we can access our email through a web site?
A. Yes, web mail is free for all customers on any hosting plan.

General

After the first payment is made, can you simply set up our site and let us begin entering content?
How long will it take you to set up the site and the email server so that we may begin using the system?
Is any kind of contract for a particular time period required to be signed, or is it just quarterly as the monthly dues are paid in advance?
Who owns the website if someday we want to pack up and take it elsewhere?

Q. After the first payment is made, can you simply set up our site and let us begin entering content?
A. Yes, that's exactly how it works.

Q. How long will it take you to set up the site and the email server so that we may begin using the system?
A. Generally, after signing up for service and paying, it takes roughly 10 business days to complete the website setup. Email is operational as soon as you want to point your domain name at us.

Q. Is any kind of contract for a particular time period required to be signed, or is it just quarterly as the monthly dues are paid in advance?
A. There is no contract to sign. If you wish to continue into the next quarter, pay us for the next quarter. If you do not wish to continue, simply let us know, and you won't be billed for following quarters.

Q. Who owns the website if someday we want to pack up and take it elsewhere?
A. You, the customer, own the content and all data collected from your website. Nextmeta Inc owns the programming, applications and content management system. If you need to leave our service, we'd be happy to give you your content, but we cannot give away the applications or content management system.

Menu System

Can I update the menu buttons myself?

Q. Can I update the menu buttons myself?
A. Yes, definitely. Each time you add, delete or change a page in the site manager, your website menu is regenerated automatically for your visitors.

Nextmeta

How long has Nextmeta, the company, been in business?
Is Nextmeta a Christian company?

Q. How long has Nextmeta, the company, been in business?
A. Nextmeta has been in business since 1999. FaithConnector, our main product, was first offered in January 2004.

Q. Is Nextmeta a Christian company?
A. Yes, all staff members are Christians attending local churches. We feel blessed that we're able to serve professionally doing something we're so passionate about.

Pricing

Can we host the website ourselves, so that we do not have to pay the monthly fee?
Do you offer a free 30-day trial period?
What is the "monthly service fee"?

Q. Can we host the website ourselves, so that we do not have to pay the monthly fee?
A. Unfortunately, not at this time. At any rate, you'd have to pay more than $54/month to host a site such as ours due to all the component licenses you would need.

Q. Do you offer a free 30-day trial period?
A. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee after you make payment to begin service.

Q. What is the "monthly service fee"?
A. This fee covers all costs related to providing the website service to you, including the use of the website applications, content management system, product upgrades, site manager, regular server monitoring, backups, customer support, website hosting, database hosting and email hosting.

Site Manager

Can site admins be given different permissions for updating different parts of the websites?
Do I have to use all included applications and features?
Is any training required to use the Site Manager?

Q. Can site admins be given different permissions for updating different parts of the websites?
A. Yes. All users have their own usernames and passwords and are given their own permissions by your website administrator. Your website administrator controls who can do what in the site manager.

Q. Do I have to use all included applications and features?
A. No. For example, if you do not wish to use the prayer requests page or the small groups page, you can simply deactivate those feature pages.

Q. Is any training required to use the Site Manager?
A. No training is required to use the Site Manager. It's very intuitive, but we do include online help within the Site Manager. We're also available to field any questions you may have whenever you have them.

Technical

Can our church use our own web server?
Can we upload and run our own scripts using your service?
Can we use our own domain name or does it need to include your address?
What is a "blog"?
What kind of database is used for your sites?
What types of files can I stream using FaithConnector?

Q. Can our church use our own web server?
A. At this time, FaithConnector sites must be hosted by us in order to ensure the proper functioning and quality of the hosting environment. Email may continue to be hosted on your email server, if you'd like, or, since it is also included in your monthly cost, you can use our email server.

Q. Can we upload and run our own scripts using your service?
A. No. We maintain the hosting environment for many sites, and cannot allow any outside scripts to affect server performance for any customers.

Q. Can we use our own domain name or does it need to include your address?
A. You will use your own domain name.

Q. What is a "blog"?
A. "Blog" is short for "web log", which is basically a journal for public reading. Churches might use a blog as, for example, a Pastor's Corner or Thoughts of the Day or Updates From the Mission Field.

Q. What kind of database is used for your sites?
A. We only use the very powerful SQL Server 2005.

Q. What types of files can I stream using FaithConnector?
A. Visitors will have the option to stream any MP3, Windows Media, or Real Media files you upload. For Quicktime files, just set the file format to "Quick Stream" when you save it, and those will also stream.