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What is a Web site?
Essentially, a Web site is a way to present yourself online. Your Web site is a place on the Internet where anyone in the world can visit whenever they want to find out more about you, ask you questions, give you feedback, and even buy your products. Think of the Internet as the world's biggest trade show, and your Web site is your booth.
What is a Domain Name?
Your Domain Name is your address on the Web. Just like people use your phone number to call you on the phone, your Domain Name allows people to access your site on the Web. Clever, simple, or easy to remember Domain Names are most desirable as they can play a large part in attracting visitors to your site. Most Domain names are made up by using your Company name, and end with ".com" (such as thevalveshop.com), but other extensions such as ".net" and ".org" are also available. In addition, Domains can be used with your e-mail accounts allowing you to send and receive e-mail with addresses such as "support@yourcompany.com"
How does a Web site work?
A Web site is simply a collection of files that reside on a computer connected to the Internet. When someone visits your site, they are actually contacting that computer, and that computer (called a Web server) gives the visitor the files they want to see. It sounds very simple, but most normal computers don't have the power or the software needed to constantly respond to all the requests made by all the visitors to a site. And even if they did, they'd need an extremely fast connection to the Internet to keep up with all the requests. Most people and small companies don't have the resources to run a Web server, and that is where Web Hosting comes in.
What is a Web Host?
To have a Web site on the Internet you first need to have a Web server. Unfortunately, owning a Web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have. This is where Web Hosts come in. Web hosting companies provide the equipment and other technical resources that you need without the headaches that come when you have to do it yourself.
Think of a Web Host as the landlord of a building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenance of the building. In a similar way, a Web Host rents out space on a Web server, (or entire Web servers), to various businesses. Each business builds their own Web site and never has to worry about the maintenance of their Web server.
In other words, the Web Host provides the place on the Internet where your Web site lives. It's a lot cheaper than buying your own server, and you don't have to hire the technical staff to take care of it.
What is E-commerce?
E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services across the Internet. An e-commerce site can be as simple as a catalog page with a phone number, or it can range all the way to a real-time credit card processing site where customers can purchase products and services right from their computer. E-commerce merchants can range from the small business with a few items for sale all the way to a large online retailer such as Amazon.com.
Why do I need a Web site?
Ten years ago having a Web site was a vanity. Five years ago having a Web site was trendy. Today having a Web site is a necessity.
People are using the Internet for everything from researching schoolwork to buying dinner. It's quick, it's convenient, and you never need to leave your desk. Even people who prefer to shop off-line are researching products on the Web.
These days when people are trying to find you, the first place they look is on the Web - and if they don't find you, they will probably find someone else!
What can a Web site do for me?
Your Web site can be used for a large number of tasks such as: making public announcements, providing support to your customers, receiving feedback from your visitors, sharing/distributing files and images and, of course, selling your products. Those might not sound impressive, but don't forget that you'll be able to do those things for people around the world at any time of day or night. You have the potential to become a house-hold name 10,000 miles away.
How do I build a Web presence?
Choose a Domain Name for Your Site
The first thing you need to do when establishing a Web presence is decide on a Domain Name. Choosing the right Domain Name is very important, as it directly affects how easy it is for potential visitors to find your site. Try for something that's easy to recognize, easy to remember, and to easy to guess. For example, if your business is "Valve Shop" then "thevalveshop.com" would be a good Domain Name since it's logical, easy to remember, and easy to spell. It's also a good idea to think of alternate Domain Names in case the first one you think of is already taken.
If you are not planning on building your Web site right away, you might still want to consider registering your Domain as soon as possible. Thousands of Domain Names are registered every day, and there's no guarantee that yours will still be around when you decide to build your site.
Select a Web Hosting Plan That's Right for You
Most people start by browsing through the hosting plan descriptions on this site. We offer a plan for everyone, but it's not always easy to decide which one is for you. Here are some tips to help narrow down your choices:
- Consider the Basic Business Website plan if you're just starting out or you only need to provide basic Company information including what you offer, hours of operation, and directions.
- Consider the Small Business Plus plan if you need more content pages and options. This is your best advertising value.
- If you plan on selling anything from your Web site, take a look at the e-commerce plans.
- The Professional Plus plan is for companies that are serious about growing their businesses through the power of the Internet.
Our Website Consultants are dedicated to helping you establish your site. You can give us a call at 1-888-358-0039. We can help you decide on a hosting plan, answer any questions you might have, and even walk you though the order process.
When you have decided which Web hosting plan best meets your need, click on the Sign Up button for that plan to start the ordering process. Placing the order is easy and your site will be running in a matter of hours.
Build and Publish Your Web site
We take care of your website so you don't have to. A Website Consultant will work with you to design a Website that meets your needs. Your online business is then placed on a server to be seen on the World Wide Web.
Promote Your Web Site
To really succeed on the Web, you need more than just a Web site. You need "traffic" - a steady stream of visitors coming to check out your products, services, information, and everything else you offer online. In order to draw people to your site, you need to be listed in the Web's most popular search engines and Web directories. Services like www.netannounce.com can help you get traffic to your site by listing your site with search engines and giving you tips for making your Web site more easy to find online.
Analyze the Results
The success of a Web site is generally measured by how many visitors it gets. Your Web server automatically logs each time someone accesses one of your Web pages. Looking at these logs can tell you how much traffic your site gets, how popular different parts of your site are, and when your site is the busiest. Analyzing your traffic can even give you an idea of which parts of your site may need to be improved or expanded.
All our Web hosting plans come with built-in tools that you can use to help you analyze your traffic. Once you become our customer, it is easy to log into a custom control panel and access current site statistics.
How do I Get Started?
Choose a plan that's right for your business and your advertising budget. Complete the sign up and order form. Upon receiving your order, a Website Consultant will be assigned to you. You can be online within in just a matter of days.
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