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Like most
businesses, you know you need a website - but where
do you start? Getting online is not as difficult or
time consuming as you may think. As part of the THOBSON
commitment to giving small to medium-sized businesses
the tools and resources they need to succeed online,
we have created this Getting Started guide.
From choosing a domain name, to finding
the hosting plan that fits your needs, to navigating
the processes of setting up your website, and putting
your site to work for you, we've got the answers right
here. We committed to one goal at Interland- to get
you online easily, and keep you online
successfully.
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Your Domain Name is your unique
online brand, and the address for your website (www.example.com)
and e-mail (name@example.com. This is an important first
step, because you want a Web address that makes it as
easy as possible for potential customers to find you. |
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So, how do you select a domain
name? Here are some tips to help you get started: |
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Choose a domain as close to
your company name as possible. If the web address you
want is taken, you have a variety of alternatives. You
can use a domain name that describes your product or services,
or try a variation on your company name, like a hyphen
or abbreviation. |
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Try several variations on your
desired name. Avoid overly long or complex names that
will be difficult to remember. |
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Names can include up to 67 alphanumeric
characters, including hyphens. Names cannot begin with
a hyphen, but they can begin with a number. Also, names
should be at least 4 characters long. |
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The extension ".com"
is the most common, but you could also use .net, .org,
.biz or .info. Some businesses register their name with
all available extensions so their business is not accidentally
confused with another, and to ensure their business is
the one customers find first when looking for them. |
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Your website
is built from a set of image and text files. Common
file types you will use include HTML for text pages,
and JPEG or GIF for graphic images and photos. You can
also include databases, multimedia and e-commerce functionality.
You can build everything yourself using an HTML editor
like Homesite® and graphics programs like Photoshop®,
or you can use Web design software like FrontPage®
and shopping cart software like Miva Merchant®,
which is easier for less-experienced users. There are
even template-based software programs, like our Site
Builder tool, that don't even require you to know HTML.
Whatever your skill level, there's a tool out there
for you - you don't have to be an expert programmer
or designer to create a professional looking website.
For people to access your site, the files that make
it up must be stored on a specialized computer, connected
to the Internet around the clock. It's like renting
a storefront at your local shopping mall, except on
the Internet there's no advantage to location, you have
access to the same visitors as anyone else. A Web host
provides storage space, availability and security for
your data, so that your website is always "on",
24x7x365
At Thobson, we have hosting plans to suit every need,
and every budget. Click here to view our Hosting
Plans - if you're not sure what to choose, our experienced
Sales Staff can help!
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Just putting
your website online isn't enough. You have to promote
your business online, so that potential customers can
find you. Search engines are the most common way people
find what they're looking for online, and can be a cheap
and easy way to get your website noticed. You can submit
your site yourself for free, or use a variety of software
tools to help you optimize your site and submit it so
that it achieves the highest possible ranking.
Online advertising with companies like Overture®
and Google™ is another way to get your site noticed.
You can purchase keywords, so that when someone types
those words into a search engine, your website is
among the first displayed. Newsletters and email advertising
are also great promotional tools, and you can create
these yourself, or use tools to more quickly and easily
create professional-quality marketing materials. These
are just a few of the ways you can promote your business
online - the important thing is that you devise a
marketing plan that makes sense for your business
and budget, and there are a multitude of options available
to help you achieve your marketing goals.
Thobson offers all-inclusive Website
Hosting, Site
Building and Marketing
Plans designed to help you achieve your business
goals. Click here to learn about our Website
creation and marketing
plans, or visit our Achieve
Success section to read more about online promotion
and other topics that will help you make the most
of your online presence.
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