So, you have decided to put your business to work for you on the web. Your next decisions could make or break the productivity of your new web site. There are many points to consider when setting up a web site. The following is a discussion of what to consider.
Professional Web Developers:
The single most important decision to get your business on the web is to hire a professional web developer. Professional web developers can be a great source of information. They are experienced with internet technologies and can produce professional looking web sites with high visual impact which can help build your web presence. Stay away from amateur web designers. The price may be cheaper and more attractive, but you will get an inferior site in the end and they may not be there when you need help with your site. You can count on a professional developer for support if you have problems with your site. Your website needs to be easy to use and enjoyable for your customer to ensure return visits. A professional web developer has the experience and knowledge to build a great looking and user friendly web site.
Domain Names:
Choosing a domain name is another important part of your web site development. Try to use a domain name that will be easy to remember and spell or find the closest version to your company’s name. You want your domain name to be short, catchy, and memorable. Have a few backups in mind in case the domain name you want is already registered. Buy the “.com” version of the name if it is available. People will remember “.com” with your domain even if it is a “.net” or “.org”. Avoid names that sound or look like other companies. A customer may land on another site by mistake and never come back to yours. A good domain name can make the difference in the productivity of your site.
Web Hosting Services:
Web hosting companies vary in services and reliability. One thing to consider is uptime, or if you’re a pessimist, downtime. You want to choose a host whose servers are up and running as close to 100% of the time as possible. An hour or two for routine maintenance is no big deal, but watch out for hosts who have a history of downtime and problems. Talk to your web developer, they usually have a few hosting companies they rely on for hosting.
Web Space:
Another point to consider is web space, which is the amount of memory provided to store your web site information. If you are planning a large e-commerce site, you will want more space than if you are trying to provide information about your company to prospective clients. Your web developer can help you decide on the amount of web space you will need.
Bandwidth:
Bandwidth is another important issue. This is the amount of information your site can send to users within a given timeframe, including downloading files and visiting your site. Bandwidth is usually tracked in monthly increments. Once your site has reached its bandwidth limit, you will either have to pay for more, or your users won’t be able view your site. The size of your website affects the bandwidth, so keeping files such as graphics or video to a minimal size will help control this. Professional web developers employ many techniques to optimize graphics and other information to keep bandwidth usage to a minimum. You also need to consider the amount of traffic you may generate to your site. More page hits means more bandwidth.
Access to Your Site Files:
Access to your site through ftp (file transfer protocol) is another important item to consider. You will want to be able to update or edit your site when needed. Some hosting companies will control the access and perform updates for you and may not do it in a timely manner. You don’t want to be waiting days or even weeks for your updates especially if you are trying to generate income from your site. Also make sure that you own the domain name and site files they generate for you. This will make transferring domains easier if the need arises. Some hosts provide Content Management Systems (CMS) that make editing easier for the client. Most professional web developers will work with you and perform updates for a minimal cost.
Hosting Plans:
Once you have chosen a hosting provider, you will want to choose a hosting plan. The cost of the hosting plan will be dictated by the points mentioned above. Most hosts offer a variety of plans at different levels of services and costs. Various options can include the number of email accounts, amount of bandwidth, level of customer support and availability of applications such as databases, forums, guestbook services and shopping carts. Web developers have experience in determining what best suits your type of web site and your personal needs.
A variety of factors influence your success on the web. Considering the topics discussed here can help you avoid mistakes and set you on the right path for an effective web site that meets your needs. A professional web site developer, such as isiteweb, can discuss these points with you and help make your venture into the World Wide Web an enjoyable experience.
About the Author: Matt Claypool is a web designer/developer at isiteweb.
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