What is required in order to have a website?
There are 3 main components to a website:
- Domain name. This is the name that people will use to find your site, ie: www.yourdomainname.com
- Webhosting. This is the physical location of your site- basically a computer (called a ’server’) where your website’s files are located. It is where the domain name will ‘point’ to once your site is live.
- Website Files. These are the graphics, pages, and other files that make up your website. They reside on the webhost’s server.
What domain name should I choose?
It’s really up to you, but here are some tips:
- Use your business or product names as your domain name. Keep it short and easy to remember.
- If the obvious name has already been purchased by someone else, get creative! Use hyphens or prefixes such as “the”, “a”, or “my” to create a unique name.
- Protect your name from competitors. Register similar domains (e.g., .org, .net, .biz), misspellings, and alternate or abbreviated names.
- Thousands of domain names are registered daily. Once you decide on your domain name, get it quickly! There’s no guarantee that a domain name available today will be available tomorrow.
How do I register a domain name, and what does it cost? Can you register it for me?
You can register a domain name at any registrar. I recommend GoDaddy or Network Solutions to my customers. Each registrar has it’s own unique pricing. I typically do not register domains for customers because it’s simpler for ownership considerations and recurring billing purposes. But if you need any assistance or advice, I can certainly help!
What will a website cost me?
That depends on two things: your needs and the designer/developer who builds it. Some sites are simple, others are huge and involve online purchasing, credit card processing, and other customized functionality. And every designer and web developer has their own pricing system. Some charge hourly, some quote on a project basis, and others mix the two. The only way to truly know how much your website will cost is to get proposals- so contact me and we’ll get started!
How will I make changes and updates?
That’s really up to you! I am happy to handle any updates and future changes to your site for you on a case-by-case basis- meaning I will give you a quote each time you contact me with changes and we’ll proceed from there. But, if you’d like to have more control over your website and feel comfortable doing so, I offer several options for Content Management that will allow you to manage your site on your own.