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Stepping into the cyber world with your business can be intimidating and confusing, especially for those of us who solve our computer problems by unplugging it from the wall when it freezes up. As a business owner, you have taken the most important step towards generating more business. Deciding to create or even update a business website is the business savvy thing to do as customers seek out services and products online more and more. The "kids" that grew up with computers are now entering the market and they expect the best from a company's website. Your site needs to be smart, crisp, and to the point. Researchers are finding that people are quick to turn around and leave a website if it does not load fast enough or is difficult to navigate. The following points are your toolkit for finding exactly what your company needs in a website.
These simple tips will help you get the best deal, while still maintaining quality and the support you need:
1. Choosing a Domain Name. It is vital to choose a domain name that is easy for your customers to remember. Your domain name should reflect your business. Your company name is the best first choice. Dot com names are the best first choice, as it is easier for a potential customer to remember a domain name with a dot com ending than any other dot ___ ending. Search here and purchase to secure the ownership of your future web address!
2. Do your research when it comes to web hosting services. You want inexpensive web hosting, but not something so cheap that you will never get customer service or end up with your website down. Many unfortunate people choose hosting that costs less than peanuts per month. When they have a problem, they find no support from their hosting company. It is worth a few more dollars to know there is a team to back up your website. Do it right the first time and you won't have to deal with problems or fix-it expenses down the road.
3. In web hosting, quantity is a lie. Many web hosting companies tell you they will give you 50,000GB of bandwidth and 5000GB of Disk Space/month for a $6 web hosting package. Some even claim to provide "Unlimited" bandwidth and disk space. This is a lie. If you ever used that many resources in a month, they will kick you off. They are simply trying to dazzle you with large numbers because they know the average person isn't going to use that much anyway. Those companies 'oversell' their actual resources and eliminate the customers that actual use any significant amount of resources. Most small companies are lucky to even use 5GB of bandwidth per month and 1GB of disk space/month. Don't pay for what you are not using (or even getting in this case). Find a company that is up front with you about prices and product.
4. Expect to pay for quality. In the making of your site and the purchasing of your hosting options, you have to expect to pay for quality. A one-two page website design may cost between $200-$700 to have a web designer make it for you. Your hosting will cost around $10-30/month and your domain name about $8/year for a dot com name. If you are selling products or services online, you need a cart system ($40/m) and an SSL certificate ($30/year). However, considering how much you spend for internet service and your cell phone bill each month, these expenses are trivial. You have to look at it in a long term perspective. People are shopping online more and more. They are looking for your business online. If you have a presentable, well functioning site, these start up costs are totally worth it.
5. Terminology? Yes, it can be a headache learning all the web world terms. But it is worth a little bit of know-how. Let's build from the ground up:
Domain Name: This is your website's www address. Domain names can be purchased as .com, .net, .org, etc. Most people choose a .com address, as this is the easiest for people to remember.
Click here to search for available domain names.
Website: This is the interface for your customers. This is the part you need a web designer for. A good designer will also be helpful with a lot of the following items.
Website Hosting: This is the service you purchase to "hold" your website on so that internet users may access it on the web. Website hosting comes in many different packages and you will need to choose what suits your needs best. It is often called "shared" because you are "storing" your website on a internet server that is also used by other websites.
Dedicated Server: This is website hosting where you purchase your own server, which means your website does not share it with other websites. Most start up businesses do not need a dedicated server. However, if you decided (maybe with the help of your web designer) that your site will be generating a lot of traffic or needs a lot of storage space, you may need to graduate up to a dedicated server.
Virtual Private Server (VPS): A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a enclosed environment that has all of the benefits of a dedicated server. It does this by creating a virtual server that runs inside a hardware server via a specially designated partition. Each Virtual Private Server runs its own operating system in a secure and private environment A VPS cannot be accessed or interrupted by its neighbors. This system gives you the same level of root access as a dedicated server whilst sharing the cost of the hardware. With a VPS you are virtually running your own server but at a fraction of the cost.
SSL Certificate: An SSL certificate (Secure Socket Layer) is the security technology for establishing an encrypted link between the web and your browser. SSL ensures that all data passed between the web and browsers remain private. Web sites that have carts or check out systems are strongly encouraged to have an SSL Certificate.
Ecommerce or Cart Systems: These are simple solutions to your website's need for selling products or services online. Many companies offer various additional features or options with these systems, so make sure you are paying for what you need. HostRail offers combined hosting and cart packages to save you money.
Bandwidth: Bandwidth is amount of data that is transferred monthly on your hosting provider's servers, often measured in gigabytes (GB).
Disk Space: Disk Space is the amount of data stored on your hosting provider's servers, also measured in gigabytes (GB).
MB: This is short for megabyte. There are 1000 MB in one gigabyte (GB). In other words, 1 GB = 1000MB.
GB: This is short for gigabyte. This is the standard unit of measurement for most bandwidth and disk space configurations. There are 1000 MB in 1 GB. In other words, 1 GB = 1000MB. About 400 MP3 songs can be stored with 1 GB.
6. Find a web designer you can trust. Most people run to the "create your own site" shops to save money. In the end, they realize that there are programming aspects they have no control over and their site does not look professional. Make sure the designer you hire asks to be paid per project, not hourly. How long it takes him/her to write a chunk of code should not be reflected in your final cost. Make a contract with your designer outlining price and expectations before any work is done. It is not uncommon for a designer to ask for a portion of the project cost to be paid up front, so be prepared to front a few hundred dollars to get started. Also, you should be able to speak with your designer in person, preferably on the phone, but also via email. Avoid the frustration of a lack of communication by hiring a readily available designer who will work with you to create what you have in mind. (See article "Working With Your Website Designer")
7. Scrutinize your web designer's personal site. A truly quality designer will have their own website to display their work. It should look professional, clean, attractive, easily navigated and to the point. A web designer's site is a reflection of their ability and quality. A great designer's sites will not have a 'signature look', but rather, they should look as different as each client's businesses and needs. Also, be sure to ask your designer if he/she uses a template. Quality designers will work "from scratch", not a pre-designed template of a website. However, you can request to have your site designed from a template, which often cuts the price of the design in half, because the designer has half as much work to do when using a template.
8. Know your web designer's loyalties. Most designers have a hosting company or web solutions company that they prefer to use. They may recommend one or more companies to you. Make sure you research these hosting companies before you agree to a design contract. Consider if the hosting company has all the products you need right away and all the options you may need to upgrade to. You should also check their prices, quality and service. Be firm about suggesting a different hosting company of your choice if you have found something that better suits your needs and/or budget.
9. Use pictures of people. People love to see people on a website. It makes a customer feel like they can associate with the site because there is a face there, even if it is not your face, or anyone else in your company. Ask your web designer to use pictures of people on your site as appropriate to it's content. There are lots of free and pay/per/picture sites out there to choose from.
10. Have fun and work smart! Allow yourself the time to soak up all the information you need to make an informed decision. Do not be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they sound silly. Call up your hosting company of choice if things are not clear to you. Browse other websites of companies that are similar to yours for ideas. Utilize the knowledge and expertise of your web designer for advice and direction. And most importantly, have fun! The final product should be an exciting goal.
Further Reading: "The Clueless Business Owner's Guide to Going Online"
Copyright HostRail.com, 2008
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