FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is a Website?
- What is a Web
Page?
- Why should a business
have a Website?
- What do I need
in order to put a site on the
web?
- What is a Domain
Name?
- How do I register
a domain name?
- What does DNS
mean and how do I change it?
- What criteria
should I look for when choosing
a website provider?
- How much should
I budget for a professional
website?
- Should I go with
the cheapest proposal?
- How much does
a website cost?
- How much does
it cost to not have a website?
- How long does
it take to complete?
- Should I use
layouts or custom design?
- Can my layout
be customized?
- What if I already
have a Website?
- What if I want
more web pages and additional
functionality?
- What if you guys
go out business?
- What is web hosting?
- Why do I need
to Host a website?
- What is uptime?
- Can I host my
own site?
- Why don't I just
go with the cheapest hosting?
- What exactly
is "disk space" and "bandwidth
transfer"?
- Does my host
offer unlimited bandwidth/space/transfer?
- How do I upload
my site and information on
my own?
- What if I Want
frequent changes and Updates
to my Website?
- How often can
I make changes and updates
to my website?
- How do I know
if I'm getting visitors to
my Website?
- Why is it important
to track my online traffic?
- Why is my site
not listed in Google, Yahoo
and other Search Engines?
- Are there other
ways to advertise my website
besides search engines?
- What types of
other advertising can I use
to promote my website?
- What are HTML,
PHP, ASP, JAVA, PERL, XML,
etc?
- What is a database?
1. What
is a website?
A set of interconnected web pages,
usually including a homepage, generally
located on the same server, and
prepared and maintained as a collection
of information by a person, group,
or organisation.
back to top
2. What is a
web page?
A document on the World Wide Web,
consisting of an HTML file and
any related files for scripts and
graphics that are and often hyper
linked to other documents on the
Web.
back to top
3. Why should
a business have a website?
Like Yellow Pages, Newspapers,
Radio, T.V. and other forms of
Media, a Website is another way
to deliver a message or connecting
a buyer and a seller. It lends
itself more to Directory Advertising
like Yellow Pages, but with unlimited
space: by the time a consumer has
looked up your Website on the World
Wide Web, they are usually ready
to make a purchase decision and
are researching who and where to
spend their money.
back to top
4. What do I
need in order to put a site on the web?
In order to have a website on
the Internet, you will need a domain
name, web pages that form a website
and finally, web hosting.
back to top
5. What is a
domain name?
A domain name is a unique address
which points to your website. Almost
all domain names begin with www
(standing for world wide web):
there are many suffixes; too many
to list and still counting E.g.
www.dictionary.com, http://www.harvard.edu,
http://www.w3.org, http://www.cira.ca,
http://www.internic.net to name
a few.
back to top
6. How do I
register a domain name?
First you will have to make sure
that the domain you want is available
using something called a "WHOIS" lookup.
If available, you can register
the name yourself or have a Website
Provider do it for you.
back to top
7. What does
DNS mean, and how do I change it?
DNS stands for domain name server.
Essentially, this is the address
or location of the server which
holds your website. In order to
change this you must request a
DNS change from the company that
registered your domain, the registrar.
back to top
8. What criteria
should I look for when choosing a website
provider?
You will have your website for
many years to come. In a sense,
outsourcing your website is like
putting part of your business in
the hands of someone else. We recommend
that you perform your due diligence
and find the answers to some of
the questions posed, such as; Number
of years in business? Is the business
incorporated? Can they provide
references? Do they have a portfolio
of work completed? Is their staff
certified? Are they a full service
provider?
back to top
9. How much
should I budget for a professional website?
It's wise to watch the bottom
line with any investment in your
business and a Professional Website
IS an investment in your business.
Prices will vary and only you know
what your budget is. We suggest
you consider the following - how
much does it normally cost to acquire
a new customer? What is the lifetime
value of a customer to my business?
What am I presently spending on
advertising? What do my customers
expect from my business and me?
One of our customer's sells products
with an average retail price of
$10,000.00: he's not the cheapest
in town but his products are of
high quality and reliable. His
philosophy is, "if everything were
determined by price, we'd all by
eating at McDonald's and driving
Yugo's". Also, keep in mind that
many suppliers and wholesalers
offer Co-Op advertising. In essence,
by placing their logos and or information
about their products/services in
your advertising/website, they
may reimburse you for a percentage
of the cost of your Website either
in cash, or for product in lieu
of. Many Yellow Pages ads are subsidized
in part by advertisers suppliers
i.e. Maytag, Whirlpool, Joico and
other popular brands. Lastly, did
you know that a Website is a business
expense and as such qualifies as
a write-off? Ask your accountant.
back to top
10. Should
I go with the cheapest proposal?
We certainly recommend against
settling with the cheapest service.
Very often the cheapest proposal
will result in...the cheapest work.
Poor quality layouts, sloppy
programming and a overall lack
of quality service result in buyers'
remorse and leaves you feeling
disappointed with your new presence.
A web site is one of the most important
marketing vehicles that you'll
possess in today's business world:
take the time to carefully weigh
your decision. There are many designers
out there looking to make a quick
buck on unwary clients, don't be
the one to donate to that cause.
back to top
11. How much
does a website cost?
Professional Websites vary in price according to different criteria, some of which are size, database, functionality, programming and other development variables. Many sites require additional programming outside of standard HTML; such as flash, complex forms, content and graphics. We recommend that you get in writing all of the costs associated with the pre-development (website
creation) and post-development (additions and maintenance). Expect to pay anywhere from $2,500.00 to $4,500.00 for the creation of a Professional Website - sometimes more depending on your needs.
Please see what one website developer recently blogged. Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
back to top
12. How much
does it cost to not have a website?
When asked by one of our newer
customers why she wanted a website,
she replied, "because we're conspicuous
by our absence on the web". Like
a phone number, fax number and
mailing address, the Web and E-mail
have become such a commonplace
part of our lives that customers,
suppliers and prospects expect
you to have these communication
tools. By the time someone has
gone through the process of finding
a website - yours or your competitors
- it is for a reason; the most
common being to research a product
or service prior to making a buying
decision. A professional Web presence
puts you in the running and often
results in more food on your plate.
back to top
13. How long
does it take to complete?
A website is never truly finished.
Professional and well maintained
sites always require changes and
updates. That said, we can usually
go live with a site within 4-6
weeks after being hired to design
it; perhaps even faster if the
stars are aligned and we receive
all of the necessary text and graphic
information in a timely manner.
back to top
14. Should
I use Layouts or custom design?
We offer both options. Professional
website providers charge on a per
hour basis - the average hourly
spend being between $95.00 and
$125.00 per hour. A site can take
30 hours or more to create, depending
on the number of pages and programming
involved. A professional layout
can significantly reduce the time
it takes to create a website, as
the framework and structure are
already in place, leaving the content,
logo, slogan and other criteria
unique to your business to be provided.
back to top
15. Can my
layout be customized?
Absolutely! Imagine a house being
built in the early stages; a free
standing structure of wood, planks,
nuts and bolts all following certain
recognized usability codes and
standards. This is similar to how
a professional layout will look
and feel at the start. Now, you
meet with the Architect and Interior
Designer - US - to choose your
individual color schemes for the
interior and exterior of your new
virtual home, plus any additions
you desire: Keeping the end in
mind, you'll paint a picture of
how the house will look when it's
finished and the best part is,
you'll be able to see it being
built and have input throughout
the process.
back to top
16. What if
I already have a website?
Glad to hear. You're part of the
majority of Canadian based businesses
that also have embraced the Internet.
We deal with many businesses that
came to us with existing websites
for some of the following reasons:
- Their webmaster left and they
needed a company to fill her/his
shoes.
- Their website provider or hosting
company had closed their doors.
- Wanting to save time & money
by outsourcing their website
initiatives.
- The niece or nephew that created
their original website has gone
off to University.
- They were dissatisfied with
their current website provider
or host.
Whatever the reason, we were and are
able to help.
back to top
17. What if
I want more web pages and additional
functionality?
Like waistlines, websites tend
to grow and expand as they mature.
Also, technology advances and you
may want to take advantage: one
example is streaming video which
is essentially TV over the Internet;
or VOIP which is a phone connection
over the Internet. Whatever the
function, it is recommended that
you consider future growth and
arrange with your website provider
the cost of additional pages and
hourly rates in anticipation of
this occurring. Or, as some customers
prefer, purchase extra pages upfront.
Whatever you choose, ensure you
get future additional work costs
in writing.
back to top
18. What if
you guys go out business?
Good question. Many of our customers
come to us as a result of their
previous Website provider closing
their doors. After all, who ever
thought Eaton's or Massey Ferguson
would go out of business? In short,
things change and to provide our
customers with added comfort, we
happily provide them with their
entire website on CD-ROM. What
this means is that they can take
their original website if need
be and transfer it to another server/company.
back to top
19. What is
web hosting?
A web hosting service is a type
of Internet hosting service that
provides individuals, organizations
and users with online systems for
storing information, images, video,
or any content accessible via the
Web. Web hosts are companies that
provide space on a server they
own for use by their clients as
well as providing Internet connectivity,
typically in a data center. Web
hosts can also provide data center
space and connectivity to the Internet
for servers they do not own to
be located in their data center.
back to top
20. Why do
I need to host a website?
Hosting provides a home for you
Website 24/7/365, where it can
be maintained, Secured, updated
and accessed by multiple users
simultaneously via the world wide
web. Simply put, it is the act
of renting space on a remote server.
back to top
21. What is
uptime?
Uptime is a measure of the time
a computer system has been "up" and
running. It came into use to describe
the opposite of downtime, times
when a system was non-operational.
The uptime and reliability of computer
and communications facilities is
sometimes measured in "nines".
Five nines means 99.999% reliability,
which translates to a total downtime
of no longer than five minutes
per year.
back to top
22. Can I host
my own site?
You could, but it's work. First
of all, most Internet Service Providers
will not let you use your Internet
connection for web hosting, doing
so will result in termination of
your account. Second of all, it
can be a royal pain to keep things
running smoothly; securing your
network so no one can hack into
it, setting up the actual server
operating system, setting up & maintaining
an email server etc.
back to top
23. Why don't
I just go with the cheapest hosting?
Some hosts do not properly understand
the market, and may be pricing
themselves too cheaply. This will
also typically result in poor service,
a brutal control panel interface,
and a lack of overall quality and
downtime. For Professional Hosting,
expect to pay about $40.00 monthly.
The price may be higher depending
on the level of security you require
(i.e. SSL Encryption, Firewalls,
Anti Virus & Anti Spam filters
to name a few).
back to top
24. What exactly
is "disk space" and "bandwidth transfer"?
Disk space is the size allocation
which your web host has given you
on their server to host your site.
Each page on your site is of a
certain size - your site may be
anywhere from a few MB, to over
100 MB. HTML pages are usually
very small, but it is the extra
images, scripts & databases that
can take up large amounts of disk
space. Bandwidth transfer is the
amount of data the server will
allow your site to send in a month.
back to top
25. Does my
host offer unlimited bandwidth/space/transfer?
Some host's do offer 'unlimited'
bandwidth and disk space; other
hosting plans come with clauses
that restrict how much bandwidth
you can transfer at a given moment,
how much CPU usage you can use
(which is arbitrarily decided)
etc... It is wise to iron out your
individual hosting needs upfront
and get it in writing.
back to top
26. How do
I upload my site and information on my
own?
Uploading your site can be done
in 2 ways, the first is through
the "administration panel" which
would be associated with your hosting
plan if this were one of your requirements.
(This is a password protected part
of your website that only you can
access which your host provides
you on sign up.) The second is
through FTP programs such as Ace
FTP or Cute FTP. (FTP = File Transfer
Protocol) Essentially this allows
you to connect to your site, then
drag and drop your web pages into
the online portion of your site.
All web hosting packages will come
with an FTP address.
back to top
27. What if
I want frequent changes and updates to
my Website?
The company you host with can
implement text and graphic changes
for you. Some hosting companies
charge for these changes, some
don't. Provided they offer it,
we recommend you host with the
same company that created your
website, as they'll support the
same software on their servers
as your website & make it easier
to implement your changes. Not
all servers and creation tools
are compatible. By the way, did
we mention that we don't charge
for basic changes and updates of
you host with us?
back to top
28. How often
can I make changes and updates to my
website?
In the not too distant past, a
customer requested 15,000 changes
in one day. After we picked our
collective jaws up off the floor,
we realized the need for parameters.
We agreed to allow 1 text or graphic
change per business day at no extra
charges for those that host with
us. If you anticipate frequent
changes, most professional website
providers will offer packages to
accommodate this.
back to top
29. How do
I know if I'm getting visitors to my
Website?
It's smart to keep track of your
web traffic: unlike rush hour,
this traffic is desirable. There
is software that can measure how
many visitors come to your site,
where they come from, how long
they stay, where they travel to
within your site etc...Your hosting
company can implement this feature
for you.
back to top
30. Why is
it important to track my online traffic & How
can the data help me?
Advertising is about REACH & RESPONSE
- if you know when & where prospects
come from and what they want, you'll
convert more to customers.
Also, this data aids you in determining
Return On Investment: for example,
if you advertise on Yahoo and Google,
you can determine where the most traffic
came from, which in turn will help
you quantify your investment & help
in determining future advertising spends.
Also, if prospects are abandoning your
E-Commerce website at the checkout,
this could help determine that perhaps
there is an element missing in providing
them with the comfort to complete the
transaction. If you notice weekly or
monthly peaks and valleys in your Website
traffic, you may want to take advantage
of this to offer promotions/incentives
and or vital information during peak
usage and maximize the added exposure.
back to top
31. Why is
my site not listed in Google, Yahoo and
other Search Engines?
When building a website there
are several things which must be
done in order to fully optimize
your site for the web: this is
referred to as Search Engine Optimization.
Search engines care very little
about how much your site costs,
or how pretty it is. What they
do care about is relevant content
and excellence in programming.
The sites that gain prominence
on the search engines are those
that are relevant to their markets,
rich in content and promote usability
for the end user. For more information
on how to get your site where it
needs to be, visit www.searchenginewatch.com or
feel free to contact
us.
back to top
32. Are there
other ways to advertise my website besides
search engines?
Yes. If your target market is
local, it would make sense to look
at media targeted to your specific
geographic reach.
back to top
33. What types
of other advertising can I use to promote
my website?
Print media is still an excellent
way to promote traffic to your
website. Keep in mind, there is
'Passive' and 'Active' media: an
example of passive media would
be newspaper, billboards, tv, radio;
essentially, advertising that creates
awareness and may or may not be
something a consumer wants. An
example of active media would be
an advertising medium that people
seek out when they are ready and
want to make a purchase; for example,
Yellow Pages Print and Yellow Pages
Online directories - this is also
referred to as 'Permission Marketing'.
Search Engine advertising is another
example of active media or 'Permission
Marketing', as users are searching
for and researching specific products
and services to help them make
informed buying decisions; however,
you will notice passive media during
your online search in the form
of online commercials like pop-ups,
banners, skyscrapers, spam and
other forms of online advertising.
Of interest is the fact that more
and more technology is available
that blocks unwanted advertising:
one example of this growing market
is Tivo, which records tv shows
and blocks the commercials. More
relevant to the web is the advent
of browsers that also block unwanted
advertising; such as Mozilla
Firefox.
back to top
34. What are
HTML, PHP, ASP, JAVA, PERL, XML, etc?
These are all programming languages
("nerd words") that are referred
to by their acronyms. PHP and ASP
are essentially the same in their
core uses, however, PHP is what
is known as "open source", while
ASP is a Microsoft based language. "Open
source" scripting languages are
beneficial for the average user
as you can create and write code
with the help of people across
the world that still believe in
sharing new technologies and languages.
These languages are commonly used
for online forms, content management
systems and other dynamic web applications.
back to top
35. What is
a database?
A database is a collection of
digital records stored in a computer
in a systematic way, so that a
computer program can consult it
to answer questions. For better
retrieval and sorting, each record
is usually organized as a set of
data elements (facts). The items
retrieved in answer to queries
become information that can be
used to make decisions. The computer
program used to manage and query
a database is known as a database
management system (DBMS). The properties
and design of database systems
is included in the study of information
science. Open source DBMS's include
MySQL, Postgres, and BerkleyDB.
Commercial DBMS's include Oracle,
DB2, Sybase, Informix, and Microsoft
SQL.
back to top
Congratulations! You have reached
the end of our FAQ's...
Contact us if you have any questions we have not addressed or if you feel our FAQ could be more complete. We value your feedback!
