Web site requirements

What will you need to get your web site up and running?

1. A Domain Name

This is the 'www.theNameOfYourSite.com' bit that people type into the address bar or the search box in Internet Explorer or Firefox.

I can arrange registration of your domain name. This is usually done with a web hosting provider, and if I arrange your hosting for you, then I can get a great discount price from my ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Your domain name should be as descriptive of your business as possible.

My first website was for Down Under Quilts magazine. In those days, you could only have thirteen letters after the www and before the com, so I had to have duquilts, because downunderquilts was fifteen letters.

If your business is making garden designs, then your domain name could be gardendesignsbyyourname.com (.au).

If you specialise in cottage style gardens, then jantscottagegardendesign.com would work nicely.

Naming your domain with a descriptive one helps with search engine results.

If someone wants to get a garden design, they might type in garden designs, or garden designer. If they are really keen on cottage gardens, then they would type in cottage gardens or similar. The more specific your site name is, the higher you will be on the search results pages.

2. A Hosting Package

Hosting is where the files — the images, pages, etcetera — that make up your site are stored on a computer that 'serves' the information out into the web for site visitors to find it. I can help with that if you don't already have a provider.