Web Site Design & Hosting Basics

If you're just getting started with a new web site, there are many things you will need to consider before getting your site up and running on the Internet. By following the steps below, your web site experience will be both educational and enjoyable and your web site will be up and running in no time, effortlessly.

At Multimedia Firm we provide our clients with complete web site solutions that include domain name registration, web site design & redesign,hosting, marketing and maintenance and webmaster services.

Step 1 ~ Register your Domain Name

A domain name is the unique www.yourcompany.com, .net, .org etc. name that identifies your web site from all other sites on the Internet.

Step 2 ~ Design your Web Site

Prior to beginning it is important for you to identify who your customers are and what motivates them to buy from you. Keep in mind that your web site will be accessible to visitors around the world 24/7, therefore your customers could potentially come from just about anywhere.

When developing your web site make sure you choose a company that understands marketing to global customers. You should shop around, ask lots of questions and by all means ask for references! After all, don't happy, satisfied customers say allot about an organization? Beware... The biggest mistake most organizations make when selecting a web design company is choosing the one with the "lowest price." Remember, price is only one of many factors. In addition to price, other things you should consider include their overall knowledge of web site design, do they fully understand what it is you're trying to accomplish, customer service before, during and after the sale, marketing ability and whether they can promote and maintain your web site after it's on the Internet.

Whether you select Multimedia Firm, or another company to create your web site, by taking all of the above factors into consideration you will make a better "informed" decision.

Step 3 ~ Choose a Web Site Hosting Plan

In order for visitors on the Internet to be able to access your web site it must be "hosted" on a web server. Organizations that provide web site hosting are also known as web presence providers. We offer two types of hosting plans, basic and e-commerce. Basic plans are for those web sites that will not be selling products online, while e-commerce plans include online shopping capabilities (shopping carts) with credit card processing. There are many hosting plans available and each one has different features and capabilities. The hosting plan you choose will be determined by the type and complexity of your web site. Whether you have a simple 3 page web site, or your plans include a large online store, we have hosting plans to fit your needs.

Step 4 ~ Promoting & Marketing Your Web Site

Web Site Marketing is very important, and when done properly, will place your web site at or near the top of search engine rankings. The higher your ranking, the more visitors you will get on your web site.

Fact: Over 85% of web surfers use search engines to find what they need

Regardless of your industry, more visitors to your web site translates into more revenue for your business and you don't have to spend a fortune to get top placement. Today there are literally thousands of search engines on the Internet that assist web users in locating web sites that meet their search criteria. Effective Web Site Promotion and Marketing is essential to assure visitors "see" your web site when they go to a search engine.

Step 5 ~ Maintaining Your Web Site

After your web site is up and running, you will need to maintain it. Whether the content changes daily, weekly, monthly or rarely, a good maintenance program should be arranged.

Fact: Less than 15% of web surfers return to web sites that are not maintained

A web site that is properly maintained assures the content remains fresh, thereby encouraging visitors to bookmark the site and return frequently. Remember, more visitors translates into more revenue for the business.

Congratulations! You're now ready to join the millions of successful organizations worldwide who have secured their spot on the Internet.