These are some common questions, if your question is not answered here, don't hesitate to contact us. Remember, there is no such thing as a daft question!
- What is a domain name?
- Why do I need a domain name and why does it need to be registered?
- I'm doing OK, why should I have a website?
- What sort of thing should I put on my website?
- What is the difference between web design and web hosting?
- Do I need a computer to have a website? / Do I need a better computer to have a website?
- Can I host my website on my home computer?
- Do I need broadband to have a website?
- What is a search engine?
- What is search engine optimization?
- How will I know if I am getting visitors to my website?
- How much will it all cost?
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a globally unique name that identifies a website. www.greensmurf.co.uk is an example of a domain name.
Why do I need a Domain name and why does it need to be registered?
You need a domain name to identify the location of your website on the internet. All domain names must be unique hence they need to be registered to ensure there is no duplication.
I'm doing OK, why should I have a website?
Today the internet is becoming ever more popular and it has become an extremely powerful advertising medium. An increasing number of people including many of your potential customers use the internet to search for and compare service providers in preference to any other advertising medium. Many of your competitors already have a web site and if you choose not to have a web presence then you may loose customers to those other competitors represented on the web.
What sort of thing should I put on my website?
Your website can contain anything you choose. Usually it will contain something about you and/or your company, details of the services you offer and most important contact information. It can also include photographs, pictures and your company logo. You may also want to include links to other web pages.
What is the difference between web design and web hosting?
A web page is essentially a document that is viewable on the internet. Web design is the production of a web page or set of pages that make up a web site. This includes writing the text, designing the lay out of the page, formatting and adding any pictures or photographs. In order for the pages to be viewable on the internet the web pages need to be placed on a special computer (called a host or a server) that is permanently available and connected to the internet, this is called web hosting.
Can I host my website on my home computer?
It is possible to host a website yourself. However, it is not recommended unless you have specialist technical knowledge to configure your computer for website hosting. Also, in order for your website to be constantly available your computer will need to be switched on and connected to the internet constantly. Additionally your computer could be at greater risk from getting computer viruses and will need to be backed up regularly. For most people, website hosting is best left to specialist companies who do all the hard work for you.
Do I need a computer to have a website? / Do I need a better computer to have a website?
You do not need a computer or be able to use a computer to have a website. However, if you would like to receive enquiries via e-mail then you will need a computer to receive these. If you already have a computer, you do not need a better or faster computer to have a website.
Do I need broadband to have a website?
You do not need broadband to have a website. You don't actually need a computer to have a website. If you already have dial up access to the internet and are happy with that, then there is no need to upgrade to broadband (unless you want to!)
What is a search engine?
Very simplistically, a search engine is a facility on the internet that has the ability to find web pages that contain a specified set of search words (called keywords) that have been provided by you. Google, Yahoo and MSN are examples of search engines. The keywords can be anything that you want to search for. For example "Greensmurf Devon".
What is search engine optimization?
Search engine optimization is essentially making a website "search engine friendly", that is making it easy for search engines to find your site. A search engine works by following links from website to website and cataloguing the contents of those websites along the way. There are a number of design practises that can be followed to make your site easier to find and also to be featured higher up the results list from the search engine, this is called search engine optimization.
How will I know if I am getting visitors to my website?
If we host your website for you, we will provide you with visitor tracking software. This software automatically produces reports that show not only the number of visitors you have had, but also how they arrived at your site (the referrer). It also records what time of day you were visited and the pages that were visited. For an example report please contact us.
How much will it all cost?
The price will depend on the complexity of your website and if we host your website. As each website is individually tailored to meet your precise business needs, we can not say exactly how much it will cost without discussing your needs first. Please contact us for a free, no-obligation quote. For a rough guide to costs see our prices page.
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