I need a Website but don't know where to start.
I can guide you through the process of setting up a website and will be able to explain the technical stuff as we go. You may decide to start with a single page and then add to it as your business grows.
I'm very busy and don't have time to think about content and design:
Organising Your Project: this simple guide may help
- Brainstorm, make notes, including questions you may have
- Sketch out all your ideas and requirements
- Organize physical folders to keep information and materials for your web site: photos, brochures, company logo and written materials, including sample pages of sites you like and dislike
- A directory folder on your computer with text for your web site, digitized photos, images, logos, and other relevant information
- Look at web sites that are related to yours in some way. This will help you analyse your competition and give an overview of web sites generally. It will also help you with ideas for your own site.
- Make a note of the following:
- Web sites that you like and dislike and why
- Any Web sites that have elements that you like, such as colors, navigation, overall layout, the type of content and how it's presented
Things to Consider:
- Purpose of Web site
- Target audience
- Web site content:
- text, and who will write or provide the text if not already available. Some very basic contents might be:
- who you are/biography
- what you do
- your contact details
- list of services or products
- photographs and images
- logo
- pricing page
- Updating of text and other content to keep site fresh and content current
- If you haven't already done so, write or gather content and other materials for your web site. Remember your web site design is based on its content.
- Ideas to bring in new visitors and repeat visitors
I need a web and email address but my content isn't ready.
You can set up your web address and email in advance of the site going live. I can create a holding page to let people know your site is under construction. Eg highstreetdental.co.uk
A domain name usually looks something like this: "www.anamehere.co.uk". It is like registering your business at Companies House. Names are being registered rapidly (approx 100 million names will be registered in the next two years alone). Anyone can register a .com, .co.uk or.net name. The suffix of a web address usually tells you what kind of site it is, this list is not exhaustive but are amongst the most common:
- .com a commercial organisation
- .co.uk a UK company
- .gov a government body
- .info unrestricted use
- .biz a business
- .org a non-profit making organisation
- .edu an educational institution
- .museum a museum
- .ac an academic institution
- .net a network/commerical organisation
The domain name you choose will be registered in your name and will be leased to you for an annual fee. Annual fees for a name are usually in the region of £15-£25. If you choose to arrange domain name and hosting yourself, you should be aware that some hosting companies register the Domain in their name making it difficult and expensive to transfer elsewhere should you wish to, so it is important to check the company's policy before you sign up.
Domain names and trademarks have completely separate registration systems. However, domain names can acquire trademark significance if they are used to identify the source of products or services. Owning a trademark does not give you a right to a domain name.
Hosting means that you rent space on the web on which to store your pages. The company who hold that space are the hosts. Hosting packages offer various facilities and this is reflected in the price. You may pay more for programming facilities or for database access.
What about images and graphic design for my site?
You may choose to provide your own electronic images or hard copy but I can also take photographs if necessary and prepare graphics such as banners, buttons etc.
What is the timescale for my site to go live?
I can accommodate deadlines where necessary but generally providing content is supplied in good time, the site could be live in two to three weeks or sooner.
How much content per page can I have?
Its difficult to quantify this because it will depend on the size of images etc, there is really no limit but for user-friendly pages around 400 words per page is a good amount. If there is a substantial amount of text this could be split into two or three pages and would not attract an additional charge.
Can I upgrade my site once its gone live?
You can upgrade any site after its gone live and I can advise on individual requirements.
Can I amend/update my site myself?
You will be able to access an on-line control panel which has an easy to use drag and drop feature so that you can update your pages and then drag them into the on-line upload screen. You can update whenever, wherever you need to.
E-Commerce: How can I sell items from my website?
For starter sites, probably the most simple and cost effective solution is to use Google or PayPal. The hosting company used by City Web Design offer the following service within the basic hosting cost and this is what they say: "Host Depot and Mercantec have created an alliance to offer leading e-commerce technology with Google Checkout integration. Take advantage of this revolutionary development in combined expertise to turn any website into an active e-commerce storefront. If you have a bank account, you've got an e-commerce web site! That's right, no merchant account is required. The setup process is as easy as adding a single "Buy Now" button to your web site. A "Buy Now" button is an image that you can display next to an item in your web site and that allows buyers to purchase these items from your store using the Google Checkout process. The more items you have to sell, just add more "Buy Now" buttons."
Call City Web Design on 07985 007364 or email clare@citywebdesign.co.uk for further details.