| Running a business is not easy. So much to do and to | | | | your specifications higher cost are to be expected. |
| think about! A decision about your company's website | | | | Such costs will be for graphic design, implementation of |
| is one of many on your plate but it could be one of the | | | | the site, domain name registration and hosting of the |
| most important. | | | | site. Market varies widely and research will need to |
| Whether you need a website and what sort depends | | | | undertaken. Contact few local web design companies |
| on the nature of your business, target market and | | | | and request quotes in order to chose one that will suite |
| ways you are planing to reach your potential clients. | | | | you best. Good web design company will make sure |
| A website can be a highly functional selling tool or a | | | | that your site is search engine friendly, well structured |
| simple on-line brochure. | | | | and they will recommend to which directories it will be |
| What you will need | | | | beneficial to submit your site. |
| Domain name registration | | | | Also they will optimize the site's content and |
| The process by which a company or individual selects | | | | recommend ways of marketing. |
| a domain name and later officially registers the domain | | | | Product Based Business or Business with regular |
| name through an approved domain name registrar. | | | | changing content |
| There are few official companies through which you | | | | Product based Business model |
| may check domain mane availability and register. Cost | | | | If your business is product based the need for a |
| for such service may vary but is relatively low and will | | | | website increases. You may not want to sell your |
| start at about £3 per year. | | | | product on-line but being able to show it to the potential |
| Web Hosting | | | | buyer is crucial. |
| The business of providing the storage, connectivity, | | | | Look at it as on-line catalog. If your product range is |
| and services necessary to serve files for a website | | | | small in and more importantly constant the static site |
| A company that provides web hosting services is | | | | will also suit you. You will need to use a recommended |
| called a web host. There are literally thousands of web | | | | web design company and the cost may vary on |
| hosting services, ranging from individuals to worldwide | | | | average between £400 and £2000. |
| corporations. Your web site developer will be able to | | | | Content Management and website growth |
| advise you on what hosting services are suitable for | | | | If your product needs regular updating, for example |
| your company. | | | | you sell antique furniture and each peace is different, |
| Email | | | | you will need to be able delete, replace your product or |
| You will also need an e mail account. Normally a | | | | mark as sold the best solution for you is Content |
| hosting company will offer email services as well as | | | | Management System (CMS). |
| hosting services. | | | | A Content Management System is what allows |
| Service based Business model | | | | company employees to publish new content to their |
| If your business offers services that cannot be sold | | | | web sites. It will allow you to be in control of the |
| over the Internet, for example, landscaping, plumbing, | | | | content of your website. There are many such |
| consultancy, etc, the purpose of a website will be to | | | | systems on the market but main thing is to look out for |
| serve as an on-line brochure, advertising in local on-line | | | | is user friendliness. Complicated system will not only |
| directories and generally to appear professional and | | | | irritate and puzzle you but slow down the content |
| trustworthy. | | | | managing process and take time away from running |
| Design | | | | the business. Therefore it is recommended that before |
| Pre-designed template | | | | such system is bought the demonstration is requested. |
| The most cost effective solution in this case will be a | | | | Contact few companies to compare the cost, usability |
| static website. Static website is a website that does | | | | and suitability of the products on the market. |
| not provide any interactivity between it and its users | | | | A good CMS will have a wide spectrum of usability |
| and any changes to the content of the site will have to | | | | and will be adaptable to the businesses ranging from a |
| be undertaken by the web developer. | | | | small one user system to large multifunction, multiuser |
| Such site can be purchased pre-made where buyer is | | | | system. |
| guided to chose from several different templates | | | | E-commerce |
| (looks). Often such service is paid for monthly and the | | | | E-Commerce (electronic commerce) is the buying and |
| charge is low and include domain name registration | | | | selling of goods and services on the Internet. |
| and hosting of your website. The benefits of such | | | | An E-commerce and CMS solutions together can |
| ready made websites is the relatively low cost. The | | | | provide you with all the tools necessary to establish |
| drawbacks to be considered are not very personal | | | | your company as an Internet retailer. A good |
| look and feel of the site, limited room for development | | | | E-commerce system combined with CMS will allow |
| and growth and fact that you paying for using the | | | | you to perform a multitude of functions from managing |
| web space and do not own your site outright as you | | | | your products to running promotions. |
| would if you paid a web developer to build the site for | | | | So, what ever your business there is a solution out |
| you. Which is the other of the options. | | | | there which is right for you. The main advice when |
| Bespoke design | | | | buying a website is shop around and do your research. |
| If you use a web developer to build the website to | | | | |