When you’re ready to launch your web site, you’ll need to make two very important decisions — what your domain name will be and where you will host your new site.

A domain name is used to locate a particular web site on the Internet. It is a part of the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and instructs the browser as to where to find a particular web page.

When a web address (http://www.domain.com) is typed into the browser, the web server will look for a page called index. This page may have different extensions, such as .htm, .html, or .shtml and will be displayed when the URL is called.
Continue reading → Launching Your Website on the Internet

Like going on a blind date, choosing the right web designer can be an adventure fraught with false hope.

Unlike a big corporation, a small business generally has a tight budget—especially when it comes to advertising and promotion—to engage a big web design agency to serve their online marketing needs.

With the understanding that a cheap-looking website is not the best way to represent your business—or that you do not have unlimited funds to throw at web designers on the off-chance that you’ll get something that resembles what you want—there exist good small design studios and professional freelance web designers with reasonable rates, fortunately.
Continue reading → Small Business: How To Identify Fake Web Designers – and Choose a Real one

Although the Internet has provided a wealth of opportunity for all of us, it has also created a breeding ground for scam artists. Internet users are very reluctant to make purchases online, and share their personal information.

For this reason, you must take every opportunity to convey your professionalism — from your web site, products and services, to your customer service, each will play an important part in your success.
Continue reading → Essential Web Site Components

The appearance of your web site is one of the most important aspects of your success. Your product or service will literally be judged by the appearance of your web site.

Poor web design is one of the leading causes of small business failure. There are literally thousands of home-based Internet businesses struggling to make a living online. Most, make very little or no money and end up closing their site in defeat.
Continue reading → Basic Web Design Guidelines

There are millions of web sites on the Internet today with thousands more being added each day. The competition is fierce and in order to be successful, you must stay one step ahead of the game.

Although designing a professional web site is an important part of your strategic plan, it is only the first step. Before you begin the actual design process, you must first determine your overall strategy and design your web site accordingly.
Continue reading → Your Strategic Web Design Plan