Getting Started On The Web

Using the Internet has become very commonplace these days. You can find anything you want to buy on eBay or using Google; you're a whiz with your email; and you visit websites every day. But you never actually expected that you'd need a website of your own, and now that you do, you feel behind. There is so much information pushed at you, and you just wish you had a better idea of what you were getting yourself into. This article's for you.

There are three basic parts to having your own website. You need:
1. a domain name
2. the website itself
3. a web host

Domain Name
The domain name is your address, your website identity. The domain name is the “.com”, as in “yourname.com”. There are many resources for choosing a winning domain name, but keep in mind the simplest principles: the name you choose should represent your business well, and be easy to remember. Domain names need to be registered, and the worldwide organization that registers them is called ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).

While there are many providers who will register a domain name for you, you should choose an ICANN Accredited Registrar, as they are likely to be available to you throughout the life of your domain. And this is important: your domain is your business' identity. Treat it with great care, as you would any trademark or vital piece of company equipment. Don't lose it!

Losing a domain name is easier than you think, and it happens all the time. The way to avoid this is to be sure to always register your domain in your own name. Countless businesses allow a web designer or an individual employee to register a domain for them, without using the business' contact information. Lose contact with that person, and suddenly the business loses control over their own domain. It's set to expire, and the email address that is getting the notices about the impending disappearance of the name is no longer valid. Because of the advances in identity theft and fraud, it is very difficult to prove that you are the owner of a domain name if that name was not registered with your own information and email on it. The process for trying to regain control of your own name is stressful and frustrating – prevent it by registering the name yourself. And if you move, or have a change of email or phone number, remember to include your domain registrations in your list of contacts to update. You would never dream of moving to a new office without letting your clients and vendors know where you are, treat you domain name registrar as you would any of your other valued service providers.

The Website
Once you have secured your domain name, you will need to build your website. The website is simply a collection of files, written in a language (HTML) that is easily read by a web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, etc.). Whether you decide to tackle building the site yourself or you hire a designer to do it, the most important thing to keep in mind is what, exactly, you want your site to do. Is it a brochure for your product or service? Is it a full-fledged shopping system? Will it be used to demonstrate something? When you know exactly what your site needs to do, it will be easier to build.

A Web Host
With your website built, we now need our third resource, a web host. The web host owns the physical machine where your website files are stored and made available to the world. In a brick-and-mortar business, the domain name is your street address, the web host is your office building, and the website is your office furniture and all your company resources. Having a reliable web host is very important, and you will need to do your homework in researching hosting companies. The thing to remember is the main purpose of your website, and does your prospective host offer a plan that meets your site's needs. Remember that cheaper is not always better – the money you save on hosting will be spent on headache medicine if your site and email go down!

Moving Forward
Domain name, web site, web host. Moving forward from there can be as simple or as complex as you make it. You will need to decide if you want to research companies that will provide each of these services separately, or if you will chose one provider to handle everything for you. Your needs determine this – one provider or many depends on your situation. As you move down the path with your own website, you will find that there is always more to know and do. Once your site is up and running you may want to have statistics to keep track of your visitors. You will probably want some sort of marketing plan to promote your site and drive traffic to it. You will learn as you go. As long as you have a clear idea of your basic three, you are on the right track!