How do I start a web site? Part Two

How do I start a website? This is by far the most commonly asked question. This simple question comes from internet beginners looking for the freedom of the web to small businesses who are looking to advertise or sell their products online. While the idea of a website may seem complicated or hard to understand but it really is more simple then you might expect. Follow along with this three part series as we explain the steps to starting a website and terms to be familiar with.

Part 2: Web Hosting

Welcome back to the three part series covering how to start a website. So you have your domain name registered (hopefully!) and you may be wondering why you do not see your website. Perhaps you are already a step ahead and need to figure out how to get your website on the internet. Well then let's get started.

What is a web host?
A web host's purpose is to run data centers that house web servers for your site. Servers are basically computers with large hard drives built for serving up website's and storage for your site. The hosting company is also responsible for backing up your data, providing a high percentage of availability of your site, and other services that add value to your business.

Why do I need a web host?
Users online will not be able to access your website from your personal computer. While you can host your own website, we will leave this for another article. Just know that a good bit of knowledge and experience with networking, server administration, and special internet services are required. Luckily a web hosting company can provide the setup, space, and backbone for saving your web pages, downloadable files (music, podcasts, tec.), or blog so you can share with the world.

Much like domain names, there are hundreds, probably thousands of hosting companies. Each with a certain set of services and a price for those. Generally with hosting, you will want to look for a hosting company with the largest amount of storage (if you plan to have large files) and highest bandwidth. Bandwidth is another word for traffic. Each time a user connects to your site and accesses files it accumulates data transferred. If you expect lots of traffic to your site then a higher bandwidth might be worth the cost. Another item that may be of interest again would be value-added services. Here a few questions to ask yourself or the potential hosting company:

• Will I be able to use applications like forums or blogs? If so, does the host provide support for installation?
• Will I be able to install my own applications if you do not provide them?
• Will I be required to sign a contract for pricing or terms?
• Can you change prices at any time, or can I lock in for a deal?
• Will I be able to make changes to how the site works (server configurations)?

I have a web hosting account, now what?
So now you have your web hosting account what is the next step? Well the next step would be to build your website and upload your files. Most hosting accounts offer quick WYSIWYG (What You See If What You Get) interfaces to quickly get up and running with pre-defined layouts. If you are the most Do-It-Yourself type then you may want to create a design and build the web pages for yourself using a development application like Dreamweaver, Homesite, or Front Page.

What's Next?

You have your domain name and hosting account setup, you have some web pages but what do you do next? The next part would be advertising your site! There are a few ways this can be done, and some of these are even free (just some elbow grease). Stay tuned for the next part in this series.

Related Questions:

• How can a consulting company help?
  Consulting companies like VinnoVations can provide you with industry knowledge and expertise. While building a site may seem simple, understanding how browsers work, colors effecting your design, or how to use search engines for traffic, can be quite a bit more complicated. If you would like to talk about what VinnoVations can do for you, please contact us.