There is a lot more to having a website than simply choosing a domain name
{ cindyleighdesign.com is the domain name for this website }
Here are some important things to know and understand about having a website for your business:
Domain Name or URL
Your domain is like your telephone number. It’s what you “dial” to pull up the site. You have to pay a fee to keep that number registered to you. However, if you move, you can redirect that telephone number to your new home. You must register your domain via one of the main Registrar Companies { we use Melbourne IT }. This is often done with your web hosting company when you first set up your website. This domain registration is renewed yearly (unless you choose to pay for multiple years in advance). Just like you can have multiple phone numbers that ring at one address, you can have multiple domains pointed to one website. Many web hosts, like me, manage your domain registration for you along with your web-hosting so that you are automatically billed yearly and don’t have hiccups in service. Unlike many web hosting services, I will always list you as the owner of your domain with Cindy Leigh Design listed as the technical contact. Why is this so important? Some hosts will list THEMSELVES as the only contact for YOUR domain. Which essentially means, you don’t own it – they do! Unless they play nice, this can create a nightmare scenario if you ever want to switch hosts or sell your business.
Transfer your domain. There is a technical process and also a window where – per International Law – you cannot transfer the domain from one Registrar to another. Domains are locked and unable to be transferred within 14 days of expiration and for 60 days after a renewal or transfer. This is to protect the owner of the domain from someone coming in and snatching up their domain out from under them. {For in-demand domains there are sharks circling and waiting for those domains to become available, trust me!} If you are currently hosting with another service and want to transfer your domain, you will need to be able to contact the registrar as there are some technical things they have to do on their end to set up the transfer. Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it.
Change the nameservers. If you don’t want to transfer your domain yet, but want to host with our services, you can request a nameserver change. This is the technical info that tells the Registrar where to send the person who just typed in your domain.
Your Website
A website is a collection of files and pages. You may hire a designer like me to create or update your website or you may create it on your own. I like to use the analogy that your website is like your apartment. Each page is like a room in your apartment that holds all of your pretty things (images, text content, etc). In order for someone to look through the window and see all of your things, they have to use a web browser (what you are using to look at this site right now – Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc). The web browser allows the user to connect to your files on the web server and displays them. There are many different ways to build a website. Most common nowadays are sites built on the WordPress platform, like this one. WordPress is a Content Management System that uses a MySQL database to hold all of your juicy info. Then PHP files tell each page what information to pull from the database and in what order. Finally, your CSS file gives it style and tells it all how to look (colors, fonts, spacing, etc). WordPress takes all of that technical stuff and puts it together in a nice user interface that allows you to more easily make updates to your website.
Web hosting
Think of your web host as the landlord of your apartment building. The server where your files live requires monthly rent (unless you have your own public server in which case you don’t really need this explanation 🙂 ). In order for the masses to see your files, they have to be “housed” on a server via a web host and you have to pay monthly rent – this is your web hosting fee. I use and recommend InMotion Hosting as they are one of the top-rated web hosting companies and offer stellar tech support.
BUT WAIT – there’s more! Within that interface, you can add in different plugins (some are free, some paid) that are mini-programs that function within your website – like the apps on your smartphone. These add the whistles and bangs. Because Word Press is “Open Source”, it makes it somewhat vulnerable to hackers – sites do get hacked if they aren’t set up with proper security and updated regularly. However, by using a framework like Genesis instead of JUST layering on a theme, you add an additional layer of security to your website. (that’s why all of my sites are built using the Genesis framework) In addition, you will need to ensure that each month any WordPress, Genesis, and Plug-In updates are completed. You’ve got three choices for that:
- You do it. I only recommend this if you have the technical know-how. Often, it’s smooth sailing, but sometimes an update to a plug-in can cause something else not to work. If that happens and you need to have me or someone else log in and fix things, you will be charged at the regular hourly rate. Be honest with yourself that you are really going to do your monthly maintenance. Your dentist probably tells you to floss every time you visit, but do you actually do it?
- I do it. (see Maintenance below)
- No one does it. Your site WILL get hacked. Eventually.
Maintenance
Just like your own home or apartment, upkeep and security are important. Your WordPress website is made up of a theme and Plugins. Those often are updated for security purposes. Its important to keep these up-to-date to prevent security risks (just like updating the OS on your iPhone or Android). Most time this goes smoothly, but sometimes there are compatibility issues and things can get a little funky. So, its good to have a little know-how when updating your themes and plugins. I offer my clients Web HOSTING management to keep plugins and security up-to-date.
What does this mean? You can have a website with hosting services only – but that means that you will need to go into your website on a monthly basis and ensure that all of your plugins, framework, and themes are up-to-date with security upgrades, etc. If something goes wrong and you need to hire someone to fix it, you will likely be billed at an hourly rate. With web hosting maintenance, I do that for you to ensure that your website stays current and there are no technical issues.