If you are just beginning to think about creating a website for your company, you may be overwhelmed by all the choices and jargon out there regarding websites and their management. Should you go with a “dedicated” server or get on the “cloud” (whatever that is)? Should you use someone else to create your website, or are you capable of doing it yourself? What should be included on your website, and where are you going to store that data? Who will you turn to if things go wrong with your website?
These are all questions the novice web builder asks, and rightly so. Web sites are the new frontier in advertising and customer sales. More customers will go on the internet to shop this year than ever before, and the day is quickly approaching when more internet sales will be conducted than in “bricks and mortar” stores. Having a website is not really an option for businesses these days; it is becoming a necessity. That does not ease the anxiety of the new website designer, however. It may be easier to allow someone else to create your website and simply pay them, but it is perfectly possible to create your own website with a little hard work and study.
What type of business do you have?
First, determine the type of business you have and make your first, important choice: what type of server do I want for my website? A server is the location where your website information is stored. It is a physical “box” in which sits data storage and software to run your website’s programs. You must have a server if you expect to run a website, and there are several types available. Which one you choose will depend on the type of business you have and what you plan to do with your website.
If you have a small business with few current customers, you will probably be fine with a shared server. This means that you will purchase a certain amount of space on a server which is also being used by other businesses. Although your information will not be available to them, you will split the cost of the server, making it more affordable.
If you have tons of customers who are or will be visiting your website, or if you have employees scattered everywhere who need instant access to your data, you need a server which allows you to access your resources immediately, and on demand. A cloud server fulfills this function nicely. Cloud servers operate on an as-needed basis. You only pay for the portion of time you actually use the cloud’s resources, so this can be a great option for the beginner; your initial bills will be low, but will rise as more and more people visit your website and buy your products. Clouds have some security issues, but for the most part they are good choices for busy, growing businesses.
If security is a larger issue for you, however, you may want to consider a dedicated server. This type of server is leased only to you, and no one else will have access. The server provider will maintain the server, but you as the business owner may be responsible for additional security. Be sure to discuss these issues with your server provider.
This is the most expensive type of server utilization, but it does provide the greatest degree of protection for confidential information.
Who will build your website?
If you are willing to be brave, you can probably do it yourself with a bit of practice. With the availability of all the programs today, you do not need to know how to write HTML code; you simply follow the instructions on one of the easy websites which allows you to create your own web content. You can post pictures of your merchandise, contact information, and ordering information relatively easily. If you want to include a “check out” for your business, however, you will need to be a bit more technical, and this may require a higher-powered program than the “easy” website builders found online.
Once you have determined your server needs and how your website Is to be written, it is time for you to get to work on your website. Be creative! What catches people’s attention on the internet is not subdued websites but those which reach out and grab with novel or interesting text and picture. Do not forget pictures, as they will double your website’s overall traffic!
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