Frequently Asked Questions about Websites

What is a domain name?

What is website hosting?

How do I set up email addresses using my domain name?

How do people find my website?

What is SEO?

How do I register my domain name?

What about using a free website service?

When should I consider redesigning my website?

What about using fancy animation?

A domain name is the unique address of a website on the world wide web. It consists of a unique descriptive name followed by “.com”, “.edu”, “.org”,”.net”,etc. Originally, “.com” was used to indicate a commercial website and “.edu” was used to indicate an educational institution. The “.edu” ending has essentially retained its original meaning, but “.com” is now a catch-all and has been added to for commercial use by “.biz”, “.cc”, “.info”, etc. The first thing is to find out if the domain name you want to use is available. This is similar to registering a company name. Go to GoDaddy.com and search for your domain name. If it is available, you can buy it on-line. For assistance, contact Websites by Ideal. After your website has been designed and created, you will need to place it on a computer system called a server. The server “hosts” your website which means it supplies a secure location for it and enables people to access it. Websites by Ideal will work with your hosting company to set up addresses such as info@your-domain-name.com. We will also assist you in setting up your computer to receive emails sent to your new email addresses. One of the ways for people to find your website is for you to include your domain name in all of your promotional materials. People can then type your domain name into their web browser to get to your website. We also recommend that you get other websites to link to your website. Another way for new visitors to find your website is via a search engine such as Google. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of making your website search engine friendly. This means that it is made easy for Google and other search engines to read the content of your website and match it to searches made by your prospects. For more information, see the SEO page. As the saying goes, “there is no free lunch.” The companies that offer you “free websites” make their money either by charging you exorbitant hosting fees or by building in ads that redirect people away from your website to other websites where they will often find your competitors. The decision to redesign your website is similar to the decision to remodel or renovate your home. When you recognize a need for improvement, either because you aren’t comfortable with the look of your website or it isn’t bringing in as many visitors as you’d like, you need to seriously consider having your website redesigned. For more information, see the Redesign page. Fancy animation does nothing to help people find your website by means of search engines; they ignore the fancy bells and whistles and concentrate on the information content. A few people may be impressed with fancy animation but others who are looking for information find it annoying. In addition, fancy animation usually causes slow response which is another source of annoyance and frustration to your visitors. Frequently Asked Questions About Website Design