Home
>
Web Development
>
So You Want To Have A Website

So You Want To Have A Website

So you want to have a website. You have gone on to the internet and surfed but you have no idea what developing a website involves.

You are not alone

The majority of my clients know they need a website but they feel overwhelmed and intimidated by internet technology and why not? Internet technology is continually evolving and changing. What is true this month may not be true next month.

Where do I start?

Domain Name

The first thing you need to know is what a domain name is and how to register it. Domain names are used in URLs to identify particular websites. For example:

http://www.artistadesign.com

The whole address you see above is the URL of my business but the domain name is ArtistaDesign.com. The only way to register and start using a domain name is to use the services of a domain name registrar.

The registrar you choose will determine the cost for registering a domain name. You can expect to pay a yearly fee. The website I use is http://www.godaddy.com they have competitive prices and it is easy to transfer your domain name to any server ? web hosting service you choose to host your site.

In picking your domain name make sure it is the name of your business or something related to your business. Once you have a domain name registered it is exclusively yours nobody else can have it unless you don't renew it.

Now What?

Website Development

Once you have registered your domain name it is time to seriously think about building your website. You have two choices: outsource it or do it yourself.

Let me tell you my bias. For nearly all businesses and non-profits I recommend outsourcing the initial web design. Many small businesses attempt to design their own website or to hire someone merely on the basis of cost. Both of these options carry potential consequences.

Having a poorly performing ineffective website is worse than not having one at all. A true professional knows what is needed to make a website a success. There are many types of websites and each business will have a different goal in mind. A professional website developer can help you understand what your needs are and put you on the path to success.

My website is done so what is next?

Hosting

Web hosting is the service that makes a website available to others on the internet. Simply put, you are renting a place to hold your website. Once your website is built your domain name is transferred to your web hosting provider.

Your web designer will upload all the files that are developed for your website to a server (host). The server gives you a specific amount of disc space and allows your website to be accessed by internet users. Web hosting is billed by the month or by the year.

It is very important to find a reliable hosting company for your website you want to be up 24/7 with out any complications. The level of web hosting also depends on the complexity of your website. Your web designer will be able to point you in the right direction.

There are many good hosting companies one of my favorites is http://www.canaca.com they are reliable and give you a good range of choices and options best of all they are reasonably priced.

I think I am ready!

Not yet, it is important to set up professional e-mail addresses. If you have picked a good internet hosting company you should be able to have your e-mails set up ? or set them up yourself. It is totally unprofessional for a business to use a free internet e-mail such as AOL or yahoo. You want your business to look legitimate and credibility is of utmost important especially when your business is internet based.

Example:My email is pamela@artistdesign.com that is much more impressive than pamela@yahoo.com . When ever I get an email from a business that has a generic address I get the impression they are not very internet savvy.

Ready Set Go!

Marketing

This is where the action takes place. If you just build your website and park it in cyberspace what do you think will happen? NOTHING?

I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "I have a website but it hasn't helped my business at all!" Well what would happen if you rented a store filled it with beautiful object for people to buy and just set there? NOTHING?

The same is true for the internet. You must market your website. Traditional marketing is great ? add internet marketing and you have a recipe for great success. There is much more to marketing your site than putting the proper key words and sending your site to search engines.

Make sure your URL is on every piece of marketing material you have IE: business cards, ads, banners, flyers, brochures etc.

Have a free online newsletter filled with informative information.

Send out press releases announcing your business.

Have special offers on your website.

There are many things you can do to market your internet business. This is just the tip of the ice berg. One website that will give you invaluable information on marketing your business is http://www.kathleengage.com and best of all it is free!

Did you know?

On-lines sales were up 45% in 2004 and research shows that eCommerce totals in 2005 are likely to surpass USD 133 billion.

Businesses of today need an internet presence to show they are legitimate ? tomorrow businesses will need internet presence to survive.

With a website the world is your oyster and the future is yours.

Is your website an integral part of making money in your business? Then you need to "Create the image you need to attract the customers you want." Pamela Jacob, owner of Artista Design, can help you do just that. She specializes in all types of visual mediums and has been in the new media industry for over a decade. To gain more valuable insights from Pamela Jacob visit: http://www.artistadesign.com

high-end home cleaning Wilmette ...

In The News:

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric truck targets 621 miles per charge on a 28,000-mile round-the-world journey through over 30 countries.

A viral video shows roughly a dozen Coco Robotics delivery robots swarming a Chicago sidewalk near Lincoln Park, raising wheelchair access concerns.

NewTree Social founder Maddy O'Connor built a community events app to help people discover local gatherings, wellness events and run clubs nearby.

DoppelCart's 119,000 fake shopping domains steal credit card details at checkout, mimicking over 44,000 real brands with convincing cloned sites.

Hurricane charity scams use data brokers and people search sites to target victims before storms even hit, exploiting personal information..

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Autonomous race cars hit Laguna Seca and Imola Circuit at speeds topping 157 mph, but the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League faces a fan problem.

A LinkedIn romance scam cost Gaby close to $1 million after a scammer returned her first payment to build trust, then escalated requests over two years.

Safari's Notify Me can monitor websites for price changes and restocks, while new AI photo tools let you reframe and extend shots in iOS 27.

FLHSMV traced the Florida DMV breach to credentials from a Plant City Police Department user, but ShinyHunters claims over 200,000 driver records.

Tesla's Cybercab launched in Austin with no steering wheel or pedals, but hidden details about age limits and missing safety features may shock riders.

Moderna and Merck's Phase 3 melanoma vaccine trial showed positive results, but full data and FDA approval are still pending for the mRNA therapy.

Malwarebytes data reveals scam texts peak around noon ET with 874% higher volume than overnight, and Fridays bring roughly 50% more messages.

Over 5,400 legitimate websites now serve fake CAPTCHA scams that trick users into pasting malware commands into Windows Run via ClickFix attacks.

Tuya Smart's Doova AI home robot rolls to seniors who call for help and connects family via live video, but key privacy questions remain unanswered.

Jevon Martinez livestreamed himself removing 10 Flock Safety cameras in Bernalillo County, but authorities say eight belonged to neighborhood associations.

A dark web service called Nexus claimed to hold over 153 million driver's license records, and the FBI confirms it is now looking into the incident.

Asking Siri to call American Express connected an 82-year-old woman to a bogus number that nearly drained $100,000 from her Bank of America account.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

iPhone Duo opens to a 7.6-inch foldable display starting at $1,999, but Siri Recap's ambient listening on Apple Watch may spark privacy concerns.

Homeowners' association meeting minutes and membership lists can expose names, addresses and emails that scammers use to craft convincing phishing scams.

Lima, Ohio, has installed 3,120 floating solar panels on its Twin Lakes Reservoir, projecting nearly $10 million in electricity cost savings.

Amazon's Alexa for Shopping now lets customers verify suspicious emails, texts and phone calls against the company's own communication records.

Lindsey Brooke Isaacs spent 13 days in jail after a Flock camera flagged her Dodge Durango near a fatal Florida crash that killed three people.

AI-powered smart grocery carts are linked to 32% higher spending, according to new research, as Instacart Caper Carts expand across U.S. stores.

So You Want To Have A Website

Web Development