Web Design in Ray, North Dakota

Designing for Ray: the facts that matter

Mining, oil and gas account for 10.0% of the employer establishments in Williams County, far more than the national share. Crews from out of town look for services from a phone, on short notice. Certifications should be on the page, in writing.

The businesses that compete for customers in Ray

Ray shares ZIP code 58849 with the surrounding area, where 40 employer businesses were counted in 2023.

Williams County as a whole had 1,652 employer establishments in 2023 and another 3,216 nonemployer businesses, the one-person shops and independent contractors that often have no website at all. The county’s largest sectors by number of employer establishments are professional, scientific and technical services (11.0%), mining and oil and gas (10.0%) and transportation and warehousing (9.3%).

Designing a website around Ray’s customers

Nonprofits employ 12.5% of Ray’s working residents. Nonprofits buy services too: printing, catering, cleaning, IT and event space.

About 7.4% of homes in Ray are seasonal or vacation properties. Owners who live elsewhere most of the year hire local businesses they find on the web.

A quick look at Ray, ND

A typical home here is worth $227,600; the median rent is $988 (North Dakota medians: $249,900 and $954).

Between the 2020 and 2025 estimates, Ray went from 738 to 768 residents, a change of 4.1%. North Dakota as a whole changed +2.6% in the same period. New residents mean new customers who don’t have a favorite plumber, dentist or restaurant yet.

Getting to and around Ray

Around Ray, the nearest cities and towns are Epping (9.3 miles southwest), Tioga (11 miles east) and Springbrook (14 miles southwest). Sloulin Field International Airport (ISN) is 24 miles southwest of Ray in a straight line. Ray covers 1.3 square miles of land, about 582 residents per square mile. The county seat, Williston, is 24 miles southwest. There are 7 incorporated cities and towns within 25 miles of Ray. Customers in Tioga and Epping will ask the same thing: do you work here? A service area page answers before they have to.

Ray weather, in normals: July highs around 83°F, January lows around 2°F, measured at Tioga, 13 miles away (1991-2020). Precipitation totals about 15 inches a year, with June the wettest month. The high reaches 90°F or more on about 16 days a year. Cold winters mean furnace repair, snow removal, roofing and auto service, all searched in a hurry when the first cold snap arrives. Update the homepage before your busy season: a short email with the new text is all it takes.

The county around Ray, Williams County, counts 41,767 residents and 8 cities and towns.

How Aria builds a Ray website

The team behind this page is based in Curitiba, Brazil, and has built websites for businesses since 2008. We don’t have an office in Ray: the whole process happens online, and the plan is the same $89 a month in any city.

1. You sign up in about 5 minutes and email us your logo, photos and anything you want on the site.
2. Review the website on a temporary link, ready within 5 business days, and request any changes by email.
3. Ask for adjustments by email, approve, and after the first monthly fee the site goes live on your domain.

After launch, changes to text, photos and prices are requested by email and are part of the monthly fee; quick questions go by email too.

North Dakota and federal rules for small business websites

A few rules apply to any Ray business that sells or advertises online:

• A federal rule (16 CFR Part 465) makes it unlawful to write, buy or sell fake reviews and testimonials, so the reviews on a business website have to be real. 16 CFR Part 465
• North Dakota’s state sales tax rate is 5% for most retail sales, and cities and counties may levy their own sales and use taxes on top of it. North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner

This is general information, not legal advice. Your county, your city hall or an attorney can confirm what applies to you.