|
Assuming you decide to do-it-yourself, here are some things you need to understand. And, frankly, even if you hire out the job...it will benefit you to understand these things:
Domain Names: This is how people look for and find you online...it's your "internet address". Names are purchased through a domain registrar for about 10 bucks per year. We use NameCheap.com. Some people like GoDaddy (we don't use them anymore). Obviously, your first choice of a domain name is YourCompanyName.com. Second choice would be YourCompanyDescription.com...i.e., IndianapolisFlorist.com, AthensDentist.com, etc. It needs to be memorable and you'll want to avoid hyphens where possible. However, many of the best names are already taken...sometimes by competitors, often by domain squatters who will sell you the name for a couple thousand dollars. 'Nuff said.
Web Hosting: You'll need someplace to host your web site. This means that you are renting space on a computer somewhere that's hooked up to a very fast internet connection, sits in a very cool room with multiple levels of backup power and a crew nearby if it should blow up. And no...you DON'T want to host your own site. Finding a good host is much harder than it should be. Most companies have so many accounts, they don't really care about you, no matter who you are. This can be maddening beyond belief, especially when there's a problem. Here are some hosting companies that we have had very good personal experience with...thus, you might have similar success (we should probably tell you about all the ones whose doors we'll never darken again, but we won't):
- IX Web Hosting - Very affordable, good support (24/7 phone support)
- LiquidWeb - Higher-end service. VPS and Dedicated Servers. You will be impressed with their knowledge and their availability
|
