|
Click Here
For
Information Centre
Web
Hosting : Domain Name Registration :
Web Design :
Information Centre
:
Domain Transfers
PDM Business Services Web Design has put together this Customer
Information Help File that will guide you through the process of
setting up your business on the web. There is a lot of information
here and it has been placed into topics where possible. If there is
a question you have or a topic that is not addressed please e-mail
your inquiry to PDM Business Services Web Design at
info@pdmbusiness.co.uk
or
send a fax or letter
(See contact page).
All inquiries are
confidential and certainly do not obligate you to sign up for
services!!
Please note that some of the definitions given here are not
high-tech. They are meant to give newcomers a basic understanding of
some of the things that are involved when setting up a web site. So
lets get started!!
Why Do I Need A Web Site?
How To Get Started
Choosing a Designer
Choosing
And Registering Your Domain Name
Where Will Your Site Be
Hosted
How To Promote Your Site
Miscellaneous Information
Privacy Policy
Add
Your Site To Google
Why Do I Need A Web Site?
A web site is a
cost effective way to make your business accessible to your
customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week! A visit
to your site can give all the information you want your customers to
have, whenever they want it! A very convenient way to
advertise...your information is always available and can be updated
in an instant. Customers will know they are getting exactly what
they want by doing business with you just by visiting your site. You
can free up some of your employees time by including frequently
asked questions about your business.
Back to top
How To Get Started
The most difficult thing for a small business owner may be finding
out how to get this web site "thing" started. First you need to take
a look at your business and decide what purpose your web site
will serve. Take a look at other sites in the same industry. How
are they using their web space? What services do you offer that they
do not? What kind of information do they have? What is your target
audience? Do you want to sell things from your site?
Gather information you already have for your business like
brochures, yellowpage ads, newspaper ads, price and product lists,
photos of your building, you and your staff, logos, trade
certification information etc...
PDM Business Services Web Design will look at sites in your industry
right along with you so if you would like to recommend sites for
review just send the URL, (web address).
Get a notepad and start jotting down ideas. Eventually you can start
organising your ideas into what you visualise your web site to be.
After you order your site, we will go over it together to get the
look and layout you desire.
Back to top
What Should My Site Look Like?
Your site should reflect you and your business' personality and be
clean, clear and easy to navigate. While you visit others in your
industry, take note of the types of sites that you like and those
you didn't like. There are many guidelines to what makes a good
site. PDM Business Services Web Design will provide guidance as the
look of your site takes shape.
Can I use pictures of my products/service on the site?
Absolutely! Graphics should be used to supplement the text content,
however they should not be the primary focus of the site, unless of
course you are selling things like art! The use of a lot of images
can slow the loading time (the time it takes for customers to see
everything) of a page. Some visitors may not wait for the page to
appear completely. They usually move on. If you have ever been to a
site that has taken a long time to appear and became impatient, you
know what this means.
You can include pictures of your storefront, your staff, your
products, YOU! PDM Business Services Web Design will work
with you and help you decide how to best use the images you have.
Back to top
Choosing A
Designer/Developer
After you have decided the purpose of your site and have some idea
of what you want it to look like, if you haven't already found a
designer/developer, now is the time. Be sure whomever you choose can
provide exactly what you need. Do you want custom graphics or a
pre-made template? Do you need an on-line store with a secure order
form? How will your site be marketed (search engine submission)? Are
there hidden fees? How much does maintenance cost? Will anyone from
the company be available to answer questions?
If
PDM Business Services Web Design cannot meet your needs, we will be
more than happy to help you find someone who can. Through market
research, many different design and development companies can be
found out there and it is certain there is one that will suit your
business needs!
You can also search the web, even by region if you would like to
find a company in your area.
Back to top
Choosing And
Registering Your Domain Name
What is a Domain Name?
Without going into a lengthy technical discussion, a domain name is
essentially a unique, easy to remember name, used to identify your
web server (computer your site is stored on). Your domain name (virtual
URL) is assigned a number associated with the computer your site
is stored on but rather than trying to remember a string of numbers,
it's much easier to use a name you recognise! . So used along with
"http://www.(anynamehere)", this now becomes your URL
(Uniform Resource Locator) or web site address. The domain name for
PDM Business Services Web Design is PDM Business Services.co.uk. The
complete URL for this site is http://www.PDM Business Services.co.uk.
Putting it in the location line of your web browser brought you
here! All domain names are registered with ICANN (The Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers-see below). Think of
ICANN as the DMV of domain names!
Do
I have to have a domain name to have a web site?
Not necessarily. There are hosts that can provide you with a
non-virtual account (or subdomain hosting) which means the URL
of your site would be http://www.yourhostingcompany/yourbusinessname,
Your hosting company will give you a subdirectory on their
servers to store your site's files. If you decide to move your site,
you cannot take this name with you. Your URL will be different as
well as any e-mail addresses that you may have signed up with the
hosting company.
The advantage of having a domain name is that you will have your own
URL and you can take it wherever you want. If you decide to switch
to a different hosting company, a virtual URL and any associated
e-mail addresses, can go with you and will always remain the same
(provided you renew your registration each year).
What should my domain name be?
Choosing your domain name can be a simple as the name of your
business. For example, if the name of your business is ABC Car
Repairs, you may want http://www.abccarrepairs.com to be your web
site address. That means, abccarrepairs.com is your domain
name. Use only letters, numbers and/or hyphens. (Although the name
cannot begin or end with a hyphen). There is a 67 character limit on
the length of your name and domain names are not case sensitive.
XYZAutoRepair.com is the same as xyzautorepair.com .
But, what if someone already has my name?
It
is possible that the name you choose is already taken. In that case
the registrar (companies that process domain name registrations) you
use may suggest others. Try using abc-carrepairs.com or
abccar-repair.com or a-b-ccarrepairs.com. Chances are that one of
the variations you come up with will work.
How do I register my name?
There are two ways you can register your domain name. One is doing
it yourself through an accredited registrar. ICANN list. If you are
not sure where your site will be hosted, it may be a good idea to
"reserve" your name before someone else gets it!
The other way is to have your hosting company (see below) do it for
you. When you sign up to put your web site on-line with a hosting
company, many offer to take care of the registration process for
you. If your site is not ready, you can park your domain with your
host. In other words, reserving your name and space before your site
is ready to go live.
How much does it cost to register a domain name?
The cost of a domain name can run on average between £12.00 and
£90.00 per year, depending on with whom you register and the type of
domain you choose (.com, .co.uk, .org, etc). Many registrars offer
sales and promotions and some hosting companies will include your
domain name registration in with their hosting packages.
How long does the process take?
Depending on how you register, 24-72 hours.
Back to top
Where Will Your Site Be
Hosted
What is a hosting company?
A hosting company provides a place on their servers for your
site to be stored. There are virtual hosting companies that allow
your site to be on their servers with it's own domain name.
Non-virtual hosting companies lease you space on someone elses
server and allow you to have a sub-directory of your files using
their domain. Non-virtual hosts tend to be less expensive than
virtual hosts.
What is a server?
A host computer that stores information like web pages and is
connected to the Internet all the time is considered a server.
How much does it cost?
That completely depends on the hosting company that you choose and
how many options you need. A basic package that has 40MBs of storage
space for your files, a couple of e-mail accounts and cgi-bin (a
program designed to accept and return data, such as a form) access
can cost an average of £30.00 per month. (This is just an estimate
based on comparison shopping!) Some require a set-up fee. The more
features you are looking for, the more you will pay. For example, an
on-line store with a shopping cart and a secure server order form
will most likely cost more than a storefront site. Billing from your
hosting company is separate from your domain name registration and
web site developer, unless your hosting company builds your site for
you.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may offer free space to it's
customers. Check out how much space they allow and if commercial,
business or for-profit pages are allowed. This may be the ideal set
up if you only require a page or two!
What about Yahoo! GeoCities and companies like that? Don't they
offer free space?
Hosting companies such as Yahoo! GeoCities and Angelfire offer free
space to personal homepages but NOT to commercial sites.
What should I look for in a hosting company?
After you determine the purpose of your business site, look for a
host that will meet your needs. Things to take into consideration
are space allotment, technical support availability, bandwidth
capacity (the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed
amount of time), type of lines the company has their computers
hooked up to for reliability of a connection... Yes, there is a lot
to consider when choosing a hosting company. If you need help
finding a hosting company, PDM Business Services will give you a
hand.
Back to top
How Your Site Is Promoted
Submission to search
engines
After your site is up and running you will want your site to be
submitted to search engines (a program that searches for documents
based on keywords) so people can find you. This can be done in a
number of ways. Your hosting company may offer search engine
submission. There are companies that, for a fee, will submit your
site. Or you can also do it yourself. Search engines use keywords
that are placed on your page (but hidden from visitors) to find you.
Keywords are placed on your site by your developer and would include
things like the type of business you are in, your region etc. For
example, keywords for an auto repair shop may include "auto repair,
your town, your county, automobile, car repair, truck repair,
brakes, inspections, ASE certified, vehicle repair, engine repair,
motor home repair...."
PDM Business Services will work with you and your hosting company to
ensure that your site is efficiently submitted!!!
Industry Directories
With the Internet growing every day, there seems to be a directory
for every possible business industry! Directories work a little
differently than search engines. If you searched for auto repair
shops in your search engine, you may find directories listed. Click
on the directory for a list of auto repair shops. When your site is
submitted to a directory, an actual person takes your information,
visits your site for review and places it in the listing along with
a description.
Banner exchange
A banner exchange program such as
Microsoft's
bCentral LinkExchange Banner Network,
offer you a chance
to promote your site simply by putting a banner on your page and
submitting your banner to the exchange. Your banner will be rotated
on the sites of all the members in the exchange.
Local Business Directory or Chamber of Commerce
Find out if your community has a web site and add your link.
Link from your own or friends personal home pages
If you or your friends have a personal home page, that is a great
place to put a link to your business site!!
Put A Link In Your E-Mail Signature
Most e-mail programs have the option of putting a "signature" line
at the bottom of your e-mail. That means that you can put a link to
your business site in your signature and EVERYONE you send e-mail to
will get it!!
Business cards, letterhead, invoices, print ads, yellow page ad,
business checks...
Be sure to include your URL (web site address) on all your marketing
tools!
Your Answering Machine
If
you turn your answering machine on after hours, add the URL to your
message. That way customers can go to your site and find the
information they were looking for!
Link From
A link to your site will be placed on the design page of PDM
Business Services. A chance for more visitors and potential
customers!!!!
Word of Mouth
Definitely one of the most cost effective ways to promote your site!
Sign Guestbooks
While you are out surfing, if you visit a site with a guestbook,
sign it!!!
Back to top
Miscellaneous Information
Why do sites look different on different computers?
Every attempt is made to be sure your site looks good in all
browsers. However, the same site can look very different from one
computer to the next. This is because not everyone will have their
own computer set the same. You can modify the appearance of text
(size and font, for example) on your computer by changing the
preferences in your browser. Different browsers do not necessarily
"read" each web page the same either so the same page could look
different in Netscape than it looks in Internet Explorer, even on
the same computer.
PDM Business Services
does not use the same templates over and over. All designs are
original work and once you purchase your site, the graphics are
yours. No other site will use the same design.
Privacy Policy:
PDM Business Services is committed to honoring the privacy of our
clients and visitors requesting information. Only information that
the Client specifies, will be used on the Client's web site.
Information that is collected that will not be used on the Client's
web site is held in strict confidence. This information will not be
released or sold to any third party for any reason unless permission
is granted by the client. The release of certain information, as
required to submit the client's site to search engines and
directories, will be done only after permission is granted from the
Client.
Back to top
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you in good faith
as a customer service. PDM Business Services will not be held liable
for any actions resulting from the use of any of the services
provided by these links. PDM Business Services Web Design does not
necessarily endorse the business practices of any of the companies
mentioned here
Web
Hosting : Domain Name Registration :
Web Design :
Information Centre
:
Domain Transfers
|
