Step One: Choose a domain name. A domain name is the "www.yourcompany.com" address (or URL, Universal Resource Locator) that people use to identify and navigate to a web site.
Most people choose a domain name this is easy to understand... typically, your business name, if available, is your domain name. People will remember that.
When the Internet first came about, a name was registered .com if it were a business, .net if it were an Internet related business and .org if the name belonged to a non-profit organization. Nowadays, there are too many domain names to keep track of so whatever name you can find is the name you can register... with the exception of .edu which is for educational institutions and .gov for governmental agencies.
Keep in mind when looking for a name, the shorter the better. It's not until you start writing your email address for everyone that you really see how long your domain name is!
Spectrum WebFX can help you decide on a domain name and register it for you if you are uncomfortable in doing it.
If you feel confident in registering the name yourself, click HERE to see if the name you want is available and then register it for as low as $12.95 a year!
Step Two: Develop your web site on paper. Build a site that describes your business clearly and precisely. You can choose between an informational site (one that simply describes your products and services) or an e-commerce site (one that lets your customers purchase products or services online). Having this done on paper will help you and your web site designer when the time comes to start designing your new web site.
Spectrum WebFX strives to produce web sites that are creative, easy to navigate through and unique to each business. This step, we feel, is most important because the time you take to gather information to present your company will reflect when it comes to your web site. We pride ourselves in being resourceful when it comes to finding added content to add to your web site that is beyond just the basics of your business. However, we just find the "fillers" for you. YOU need to provide us with the bread and butter of your business' web site.
Any information you think may be beneficial to have on your web site should be included in your "paper" web site. We will organize it all into a cohesive web site that reflects your company's style. If your company does not currently have a logo and you need one designed for you, we can do that, too! Each business is unique and we believe each web site should be also.
Some items to gather for your web site would include:
- Logos
- Catalogs
- Product Brochures
- Industry Reviews
- Articles
- Product Instructions
- Customer Testimonials
The following is a brief overview of the design services we provide for your web site:
Graphic Design We can provide many types of graphics to make your web site unique. If you prefer to supply your own graphics, we will use those as well.
We can add:
- Your company logo
- Clip art
- Borders
- Bullets
- Buttons
- Custom made graphics
- And more
By adding the above, your web site will create a visual pleasing effect for your potential clients.
Interactive Forms Spectrum WebFX can post interactive online forms to your web site. Such forms include:
-
Applications
- Sign-up forms
- Order forms
- Customer inquiries
- Search forms
Once these forms are submitted, by a simple click of a button, the results are sent to your own CGI directory.
Sound & Video We can include sound and video clips to your web site that would be available to your potential customers via download or with the appropriate plug-in for their browser. This will allow you to present your company more completely and with greater detail.
Training In addition to web design and promotion services, we offer your company web site maintenance training. Upon completion of this training, the trainee will be able to:
- Update site text content
- Update site graphics content
- FTP site to the Internet
- Add site to search engines
This training can be done via email, Internet, fax, or telephone as web site owner's expense. If in the local, Cleveland area, training can be provided at an on-site location for an additional fee.
Basic computer tutoring is offered by Spectrum WebFX Consulting Services also. Again, if in the Cleveland, Ohio area, please call us or email us for a quote!
Site Promotion The final step in maintaining your web site is letting people know that it exists. Spectrum WebFX will submit your web address to the largest search engines on the World Wide Web. However, the best form of advertising, if running a local business, is putting your new web address on all the information you send out to your existing customers. Include your web address on business cards, brochures, flyers, stationary and so on.
Step Three: Find a host for your web site. A web site host stores all the files of your web site and provides a server in which your domain points to. Email is normally available through your hosting company as well. When your site is completed, you (or your designer) will upload your site to the server on which your domain name resides.
There are several things to consider when looking for a web host. The main thing and the least technical is... when someone goes to your site, will it be accessible and will your email address work? The average user doesn't need to know anything other than that. There are all sorts of features, securities and other items that advanced users need to know, but for the most part, all you need to know for a web site that is really just an "electronic brochure" is whether or not it is running when people hit your site.
Spectrum WebFX offers web site hosting for the "average Joe" and the more advanced user, as well. All the benefits and technical information about our web hosting services can be found by clicking here.
How much IS hosting? Pricing varies depending on the company you choose. If you shop around,you will see that fees range anywhere from $0 for "free" hosting (with annoying banner or pop-up ads) to $50-$75 per month for basic hosting.
When hosting with Spectrum WebFX, when someone goes to your site, will it be accessible and will your email address work? The answer to both of those questions is YES! For $25 a month, we will host your web site on our servers and guarantee our service. If you are not completely satisfied within the first 30 days, we will credit your account... no questions asked!
Step Four: Get prospects (and buyers) to come to your web site. You can advertise, using traditional methods such as putting your web site address on business cards, stationary and anything that goes out to potential clients and you can register your site with web search engines and other directories.
Most small businesses offer a product or service to local consumers. With billions of web sites out there, getting listed in the top of the search engines is not real likely without paying lots of money to get there! That's why we suggest keeping with the traditional means of advertising. We will register your web site with the major search engines and make sure all the html coding (META tags) are included when designing your site, but Spectrum WebFX makes no guarantees of search engine placement.
However, there ARE people who do Internet Marketing full-time and would be happy to have your business. We would be glad to give you information on these companies upon request.
True story... while working with a company in North Carolina that specializes in getting listed with search engines, we were told that one of the major search engines (whose name we will not mention) charges $200 to submit a site for them to review when listing in the "categories" on their site. This $200 is charged whether or not they decide to list your site! One week, this company was unsuccessful with 3 attempts they had made so if our calculations are correct, that week they were out $600!!
As stated earlier, Spectrum WebFX offers efficient, affordable and honest Internet Services. We don't find this method of advertising a wise investment for a small, local business. However, some would disagree with us.
Step Five: Maintain your web site. Give people a reason for returning to your web site. Offer them something such as coupons that are only available by coming to your web site and printing them out.
Nothing's worse than a web site with outdated information and links that don't work! Once your site is initially created, we can update your site monthly (or more) for you as well. Offer "Internet Only" coupons so that people HAVE TO come to your web site for special deals that need to be printed out! There are several ideas that can be discussed when your ready to get your site going. The more you work on your site, the more the ideas will come to you!
Congratulations! If you've made it this far, you should now have a better understanding of what it takes to get an Internet presence. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments that you have.
