So You Think You Need a Web Site
As the Internet continues to invade our lives, most of us sooner or later come to the conclusion that we must become part of the dot.com onslaught rather than fight against it.  is here to help. This tip sheet is designed for those who resize the need for a presence on the Internet, but don't have a clue as to how to get started. It will not tell you all there is to know about obtaining a Website, but it will give you the basics and hopefully, point you in the right direction.
Getting Started
Before you can create a presence on the Internet, there are a few things you should know. First, you need space on the Internet on which to build your site. This means that you will need a Web hosting company. You may be familiar with various "Free" hosting services such as Yahoo, MySpace, etc. Usually, these companies offer customers a small amount of “free” space on their server and some kind of “Build Your Web Site” capabilities for the non-professional user. While it’s true that AOL, Microsoft, Verizon and other major companies have spent millions trying to provide extra-easy, user-friendly access to the Internet, the pocket of "free" Web space that you can get for free is not a good choice for the serious-minded entrepreneur who wishes to take his or her product online. While they do have the advantage of being a free,they s usually have 3 basic disadvantages:
Disadvantage #1 - You can't use your own domain name.
Most people who establish a Website, whether for business or for fun, want to use a name (or URL) for their site that reflects them or their product; (example Tricenet.net, Marysdolls.com). This requires you to register your URL, or domain name with InterNIC, the official U.S. domain name authority.
Free web sites, almost without exception, do not allow users to use their own domain names. Because of the way their Internet server computers are set up, you must use a name that shows the host first, then usually takes you through a couple of other path folders before arriving at your space on the server. Ergo, your URL will be something like:
Members/aol/hobbies/marysdolls.com
Depending on your outlook and plans for the site, this can be a disadvantage. A Website’s address should always be something that users will find easy to remember, and will associate with the concept of the site. The URLs provided by free hosting services seldom fit this criteria. Further, you will want your e-mail address to include your own domain. You want to advertise your company, not Yahoo.
One option is to secure the services of a parking host. This is a hosting company that will park your domain name on their server and then point to your site on another server like Yahoo, etc. Bear in mind though, that this service does involve a fee and that the URL that appears in the user’s browser window is not your domain name, but the longer Yahoo name, which identifies the server that is actually hosting the site. This can prove confusing to users.
Disadvantage #2 - Banner ads.
Free web site space often comes with the stipulation that you must allow the host to run banner ads on your site. These are large, noticeable graphics and/or annoying pop-up ads that appear on your site, advertising the product or service of a company the host has sold advertising space to. This is how they are able to provide free Web space; they can offer advertisers a huge array of sites on which to peddle their wares.
Bear in mind that you will seldom have any control over what products or services are advertised on your site. While some free hosts claim that they will be cognizant of any conflict of interest, the possibility of a competitor or of a product you might find offensive being advertised on your site is very real.
Disadvantage #3 - Limited technical features.
Free web sites do not provide access to many of the technical components a business site will need like secure credit card transactions and database capability.
Choosing a Host
There are literally hundreds of Web hosting companies available with prices ranging from as little as $7 per month, to $170. The price of hosting your site will depend on what features you will need. Here are some basic points that will help you to choose a site that suits both your needs and your budget:
1. How much space do you need?
For the average start-up web site, 5 to 10 megabytes of space will be more than adequate. If you plan to have sound files, and or a lot of graphic files, you will need a bit more. Most hosts offer different packages, each with a different amount of storage space (usually measured in megabytes) and bandwidth (usually gigabytes). Starting out with a package that offers at least 50 megabytes of storage and 10 gif of bandwidth is usually a good place to start. This will give your site lots of room to grow without your having to upgrade to a more costly package.
2. Your Domain name.
First of all you should know that anyone can register their own domain name with InterNIC, the official U.S. domain name authority. While there is a fee for use of the name, THERE IS NO FEE TO FOR THE REGISTRATION PROCESS. Despite this, some web hosts will offer to register your domain for you, and then charge you a “processing fee” over and above the fee InterNIC charges.
You should also know that the registration of domains has been de-regulated so that the charge can sometimes be much less than it’s been in the past. Previously, the cost was $70 for 2 years of exclusive use of a domain name. Currently, you can get this same domain for as little as $30. Many hosts will include the fee in their hosting charge provided you sign up for at least one year of hosting. It pays to shop around and find the best deal. A good hosting company should be able to register your domain for you without charging a processing fee and the domain should be less than $35 per year.
3. Will you be selling products and/or services on your Website?
If you plan to get involved in e-commerce, you need access to a secure server; one that is set up to handle on-line credit card transactions. You will still need to have your shopping area set up by a professional Web designer, and you may need to set up a Merchant Account with a bank, depending on how much selling you plan to do from the site. Note that there are some free options out there that don;t require a Merchant account, but you should consult a professional Webmaster regarding set-up and conection to your site.
Many new businesses prefer to hold off on setting up an online store until they are established on the Web. In this case, your Website can serve as an advertising and informational tool, and as a means of taking orders which are filled offline through conventional means. Customers can place orders online that will come to you via an e-mail form, or they can print out an order form and submit it via regular mail.
4. Will you need a bulletin board, chat room or search engine on your site?
If the answer is yes, you will need access to a CGI-Bin. This is a folder on the host’s server that holds the scripting for these features.
Building and Maintaining Your Site
There are many products on the market that claim to provide all you need to build a professional Website with no knowledge of HTML coding or other scripting language. These software packages are known as WYSISWYG programs (What-you-see-is-what-you-get). They allow the user to create a Web page and/or an entire web site using a drag and drop technique.
They sound good...BUT (there’s always a ‘but’). No matter what they claim on the box, you will not be able to build and maintain a professional Website without knowing basic HTML code! What these programs do is construct HTML code for you behind the scenes and sooner or later, you will need to go directly to the code to either fix a problem, or to see why something you are trying to do isn’t working. More times than not, would-be do-it-yourself Web designers find themselves staring at a problem they don't know how to fix in the software they have paid anywhere from $50 to $150 for. Then they end up paying someone else to finish the job.
So unless you do plan to invest in a couple of Web design courses, take that money you were thinking of spending on a fancy WYSISWYG software package, and secure the services of an experienced Webmaster.
For more on what to consider when planning a Web site, check out the
Evaluation form or direct questions to info@Tricenet.net
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