Web Design in Rufus, Oregon

A small business website that fits Rufus

Rufus goes back to 1965, so it has more than half a century of history. In a place with that much history, families tend to stay with the businesses they know, and a newer business has to earn trust the slow way. Put the year you opened and the names of the people behind it on the About page; a real photo of the owner does more than any slogan.

Rufus at a glance

Getting to and around Rufus

Around Rufus, the nearest cities and towns are Wasco (7.1 miles south), Goldendale, WA (9.7 miles north), Moro (14 miles south) and The Dalles (21 miles west). With 247 residents per square mile on 1.2 square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water, Rufus is spread out by Oregon standards. For flights, Columbia Gorge Regional Airport (DLS) lies 21 miles away. Yakima, WA, a city of 97,458, is 63 miles north. Sherman County’s county seat is Moro, 14 miles to the south. List the towns you actually serve, such as Moro and Wasco, on your website; customers outside Rufus want to know before they call.

A web designer’s view of Rufus’ businesses

Sherman County as a whole had 63 employer establishments in 2023 and another 148 nonemployer businesses, the one-person shops and independent contractors that often have no website at all. By number of employer establishments, retail trade leads in Sherman County (22.2%), followed by transportation and warehousing (15.9%) and accommodation and food services (11.1%).

Who lives in Rufus, and what that means for your website

The county around Rufus, Sherman County, counts 2,051 residents and 4 cities and towns. For a city as small as Rufus, the county figures are more reliable: 83.7% of households have broadband and 13.3% rely on a cellphone data plan alone. 65.9% of households own their home.

Rufus weather and a seasonal business

The nearest NOAA station with 1991-2020 climate normals, Goldendale, is 9.5 miles from Rufus. It records an average high of 86°F in July and an average low of 24°F in December. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year, with December the wettest month. The high reaches 90°F or more on about 35 days a year, and the low falls to freezing or below on about 144 days. Cold winters mean furnace repair, snow removal, roofing and auto service, and the first freeze sends everyone searching at once. A website that changes with the season helps: new hours, a seasonal service, a storm notice, requested by email at no extra charge.

A web designer for Rufus businesses, working online

Aria is a web design company from Curitiba, Brazil, working since 2008. Everything is done online, so businesses in Rufus get exactly the same plan as anyone else.

1. Start with the online sign-up, which takes about 5 minutes, and send your material by email.
2. Review the website on a temporary link, ready within 5 business days, and request any changes by email.
3. Only after you approve do you pay the first monthly fee; then the site is published on your domain.

Changes after launch go by email and are included, and so do quick questions.

The legal basics for Rufus businesses online

Some homework before launch:

• Oregon has no general sales or use/transaction tax, so there is nothing to collect on ordinary online sales. The only close relatives are the vehicle use tax and vehicle privilege tax on new vehicles. Oregon Department of Revenue
• The name on your website and your sign has to be either your legal name or a registered assumed business name (ABN). ORS Chapter 648 (Assumed Business Names); OAR 160.010

This is general information, not legal advice; check with the Oregon agencies, Sherman County, the city of Rufus or an attorney.