Setting up a Small Business Website

A small business owner has much to think about with respect to her business: create a business plan; set up the business; and now there is also the internet to deal with. "Does it make sense to have a website?" is a question small business owners need to answer. In conjuction with that question is the equally important one: "what do I expect a website to do for my business?"

Website concepts are totally independent of the business's tools for accessing the internet. The ability to send and receive email and browse the internet are made available via the personal computer's mail and browser software via access provided by the internet service provider (ISP).

Basic Elements for a Web Site

Domain Name: Using examples is the best way to define a domain name. The domain name of the website you are viewing is "mtromp.com". To reach that domain you would type "http://www.mtromp.com" into your browser's address field. You will want to register a unique domain name for your business. The web hosting company that you select will generally assist you in registering a domain name. Registration is generally $10 per year for one domain.

Web Host: A web host is a company that will store your web pages and make them available to the rest of the internet. A web host specializes in connecting computers to the internet in a secure fashion. The Web Host will make sure that the computers are running 24 hours per day / 7 days a week. The Web Host knows how the internet works and how to set up computers to work with the internet.

future articles:

• Choosing a web hosting company
• Finding a web developer