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FAQ/GUIDELINES FOR STARTING A WEBSITE

Q. What do I need in order to create a website?
A. You need three basics: something to communicate, a domain name that is descriptive of your enterprise, and a hosting service to host your website. You can actually get started for less than $25 (which will cover your first three months of hosting and the price of your domain name), provided that you already have a computer, and can learn the basics of website production. If you are hiring someone to design and develop your website, you can estimate $500 for a very basic one or two page website. It can cost as much as $5,000-$10,000 or more for a complex website with all the bells and whistles--a large database, e-commerce, multimedia, or a high level of dynamic interactivity.

Q. What details do I need to keep track of?
A. You must keep a record of your domain name start and end date, and you must keep a copy of all user names and passwords associated with your domain name and your hosting account. It is not unusual to have 3 sets of user names and passwords with a hosting account. The first one is for the administrative panel, and yes, you will and should know how to get in there and use it. Don't let the web designer you hire be the only one who knows how to get into your account and make changes. If your designer moves away or takes a job somewhere or otherwise becomes mysteriously inaccessible, you want to be able to tell the next person how to get in. It's not necessary to keep a paper copy of all this if you're not a file freak. Just make a text file and keep it in a folder called PASSWORDS and keep it on your desktop or in your My Documents folder.

Q. Why do I need to keep track of my domain name start and end date?
A. These days, whoever you start a hosting account with will offer you domain name registration. DO NOT think that you can go unconscious about your domain name account. It is totally separate from your hosting account. If you by some chance do not renew your domain name on time, you can lose it very easily. There are companies out there in the business of selling attractive domain names, and you know they will swoop in like a shark and grab one the second it expires. Then when you try to renew it or get it back, you'll see a pretty little announcement, "BUY THIS DOMAIN FROM $100..." You know what that means. Get ready to cough up the dough. So do yourself a favor. Know when your domain name is up for renewal and renew it on time. That doesn't mean you have to respond to every single email spam or snail mail spam regarding your domain name. It just means, as a favorite teacher used to say, "A word to the wise is sufficient."

Q. What must I prepare in advance?
A. Some people find the planning phase the most difficult part but once you get started, these things tend to have a life of their own. You must prepare a statement that describes your enterprise and organizes the various aspects of what you want to display on your website. So start with this question: What is my intention? What do I want to accomplish with this website? Be scrupulously accurate because you will get what you ask for. And if you absolutely cannot organize your information in writing, Insite Design has ways of helping you put things in order, so don't worry, not even for a minute!

 

 

 
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Outline your ideas for your site either visually or in writing. Having an idea of your basic page and how you want to link to other pages will help your page designer more accurately estimate costs. Sharing examples of design that appeals to you (paper or other Web sites) will also help your designer have a sense of your expressive style

Q. What if I change my mind in the development phase or even once the site is published?
A. The beauty of the web is that you can make changes to what you've published in minutes. So nothing about your website is etched in stone. A good designer knows how to accomodate changes either in textual information, navigation, organization, or even focus.
Consolidate your feedback to your consultant. Your consultant wants you to be satisfied, and also needs to use his/her time efficiently so as not to incur extra costs. Many extra changes can throw the project off-schedule and off-budget.

Q. There are bjillions of websites out there now. How can I get my website to be visibile on the internet? How can I get it to come in at the top of the heap in a search engine?
A. Well we ain't in Kansas anymore, that's for sure. Gone are the days when you could simply enter your URL (web address or domain name) into the search engine for free and you would find yourself easily on top of the heap. Nowadays, there are several strategies that can go towards making your site visible. One is the obvious--networking. Make sure you exchange links with others. Get them to put you on their site; you put them on your site. Cross linking is one of the factors that search engines use to check the potential of a site.
Another tactic is to use "meta tags." This is something you should make sure your web designer knows how to do. Simply put, there is a place in the code to put all the keywords that might pertain to your site or even to a specific page in your site. Very important. Brainstorm. Make a list. Check out your competitors by typing in the keywords to your favorite search engine. It's an education.
A third tactic is to use the "pay per click" system. This is becoming the main commercial strategy for websites designed to increase business. You bid on the most pertinent keywords and you only pay when users click on your displayed link and go to your site. Bid prices vary tremendously. You have the option to deposit as much or as little as you want to cover your bids. When the money gets used up, you decide whether the response your getting warrants adding more money into the account.

Q. Are there any other strategies to use to make the best use of my website?
A. There are many ways to promote your site, your business, your event. Some folks print up cards to announce the launching of their website. Others send out press releases or organize special events to announce the launch. But really, nothing beats good planning and good design for your website, as it is your calling card. It speaks for you 24/7, providing information to interested people about what you can do for them.