X. DO YOU KNOW THE STEPS TO ESTABLISH YOUR OWN WEB SITE?

 

    The cost of developing a web site varies considerably in countries and by the business or individual who is developing it. In general, average costs to develop a web site are based on an hourly fee, determined by the experience of the web design company, its size, and the eagerness of the company to obtain your business. Also, the size of the web site is a major factor: the larger the pages and technological features, the higher the fee.  You can reduce the costs of setting up and maintaining your site by planning exactly what you want on your web site, being able to tell the web designer what you want from your web site, and having a site map, text, and photos for the site already prepared.  Finally, while working with the web site developer, make the fewest possible changes once the process has begun.
     
    Establishing your own web site involves four main steps:  obtaining Internet access, obtaining web space, registering with InterNIC, and developing a web site.
     
    1.Obtain Internet access via a local Internet Service Provider.
     
    2.Obtain web space via either your Internet Service Provider (some providers do not offer web space services), or through an alternative web space provider.  Web space exists on servers owned by web space providers. Each web space consists of an Internet Protocol (IP) Number, which is the routing number by which the computer networks locate your site.
     
    3.Register with InterNIC.com to obtain a domain name.  A domain name connects your web site name to the IP number, allowing your site to be found by name.  You can either register directly with InterNIC.com or utilize the services of your web space provider to administer the registration process for you.
     
    4.Develop a web site either independently or using the services of a programmer.
     
    Essential Elements of Web Sites:
     
    You can congratulate yourself on having developed a good web site and on being ready for e-commerce if you can answer “yes” to the points listed below:
     
  • Your web site is update regularly.
  • It is linked to related sites.
  • It features your company address, telephone, and facsimile numbers, and e-mail addresses prominently.
  • It provides the names and e-mail addresses of key staff.
  • It provides biographical data on, and photographs of, these key employees.
  • It asks visitors to contact you or take some kind of action.
  • It requires no more than three clicks for a visitor to find needed information.
  • It uses customer relationship management software to track visitor needs and contacts with your firm.
  • It makes your privacy policy clear.
  • It has been developed in consultation with customers so that they web site offers what they need.
  • It has shopping carts for online purchasing.
  • It offers e-mail messaging and telephone call-back from a real person.
  • You answer all e-mail messages within 24 hours.
  • You send e-mail newsletters once a month to customers and potential customers.
  • The web designer attends strategy meetings to keep current with your overall corporate strategy.
     

    With thanks to the Corporation for Enterprise Development in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for providing the template. Questions have been altered but the original concept comes from CED.