Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Websites 101---Hosting your domain

If you're a small business owner the costs that come with your website can become a bit confusing. Often the beginner will wet their feet on a website that is included with their cable or DSL service. The first site may not even include your own domain or "your_company.com."

Later you discover that your needs have graduated to having your own .com. Moving your website up to your own business site may include the following:


  • Domain Registration--this is the fee to register the name that you give your website; i.e. your_company.com. No other company can register a domain name exactly like yours. The fee you pay for registration is around $10.00 per year and needs to be renewed or it will expire and be available to someone else. 
  • Hosting---hosting is where your site resides. Websites are placed on servers(on computers just like yours only with special programs) that are constantly on the internet. You can take your domain and move it to any hosting provider that fills your needs. Hosting fees differ with the services offered. Often you can start with a cheaper provider but find your needs grow with your online presence. Some considerations when choosing a hosting provider may be:
    • Service---how responsive are they when you have problems?
    • Programming--what kind of programs are available on their servers for you to use?
    • Security---if you're collecting customer data you'll want to know it is safe. Larger e-commerce sites may need a dedicated server. 
    • Space and band size---what are the allotments and how much will satisfy your needs?
    • Up time/Down Time---all servers need maintenance every now and then. How is this handled?
Navigating through the maze of hosting and domain choices can be daunting and time consuming. A good web consultant can make this task an easy one and have your business generating leads and products online in no time.  

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