Websites for the seeker!

by Matthew Craig.

If you decided you want a website, but don't know much about "it", you are in the right place.  I build and design webistes for a living.  I have been building them since 1994.  In the early days of the web, it was simple you make HTML, and put it on a host, and viola! You had a website.  A lot has changed, but the basics are still applicable. So we will start off with the most basic and go from there!

Why do you want a web site?

This may seem like a simple question.  And it usually is until you really think about it.  Most people do not know why the want a website they just "know" they want one.  Here are a list of "common" reasons

Business Reasons:

1. Web Exposure increases your visibility
2. Exposure can lead to clientel
3. Hopefully clients leads to money.
4. Posting Events and Sales online
5. Client Management
6. Keeping people up to date on news and organization changes
7. Providing the public with contact information and answering basic questions.
8. Ability to interact with people down the street or on the other side of the globe

Individual Reasons:

1. Keeping friends and family informed.
2. Sharing your life and pictures/video/stories with friends and family.
3. Impressing friends/co-workers/family
4. Having a soap box to say what you want that is not regulated by others.

Non-profit Reasons:

1. Web Exposure increases your visibility
2. Informing people about who you are and what you do
3. Posting events
4. Co-ordnating events and people
5. Sharing stories, articles, pictures, music, and video
6. Keeping people up to date on news and organization changes
7. Providing the public with contact information and answering basic questions.
8. Ability to interact with people down the street or on the other side of the globe

These are just some of the common reasons, I've heard plenty more.  But your reasons will heavily affect the way you build your website and the way you build it will affected by your budget.  Be you a business, an individual, or a non-profit a website can help you achieve some of your goals.

Everything at a Cost

Very little in life is free... except perhaps death... and I think they found a way to charge your family for that.

So now that you have decided you want a website, and why.  Lets consider the aspect of your plan that will have the largest bearing on your site... your budget.

Things you can't change:

1. You need a host.
2. You need a domain name
3. You need content
4. You need a "look"

A host is what you call a computer that is permanently connected to the internet and holds your information, so that it can give that information to people who request it.  I have seen people run "hosts" from their personal computer, I have run hosts from my own machine.  I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THIS! Unless you are an IT professional, it is a lot of work to maintain and keep a host secure.  The cost for hosting has dropped so much recently, that I have not met a person who could not justify this cost.  Most hosting cost less than $10 per month.  Mine cost about $5.  IT IS WORTH IT.

A Domain Name, is your "name" on the internet.  All computers on the internet are assigned a number.  This number is what computers use to talk to each other.  However humans are horrible at remembering long numbers, but we can remember names.  For example, few people know this but when you go to Google, you are actually going to the computer with the number  "64.233.235.2".  When you type in www.google.com, your computer looks up a table that says "www.google.com =  64.233.235.2" then your computer goes to the number address and askes for the information.  The same applies to your website.  you need a name, and that name needs to be registered with the authories who assciate your name with a computer number, so that your clients can find you without having to know a number like "64.233.235.2" That number is the number of your host.  Unfortunatly this name referal service is not free, but it is pretty cheap.  I pay about $12 a year. Some places offer it free as part of a hosting package, some places chage upwards of $50.

Your content... well one would think it is free, but reality says otherwise.  Good content is hard to come by, and it takes time to create, edit, and put online.  The ideas behind your conent might be free, but to put it on line it will either cost you time or money or both.  Either you need to take the time to create, edit and post your content your self, or you need someone to do it for you.  Many systems out there allow you to be the editor for your website.  Many developers do not allow the client to control this, and charge a monthly fee.  You also need to consider, how often your content will change, as well as who will go through and remove out dated content. If you do this yourself, you are looking at an investment in time and energy.  If you have someone else do it unless they are a voulunteer, you are looking at time and money.  On other note here... if you have a voulunteer, what happens when they leave?  Make sure you have a plan.

Your "look", this is as wide and varried as peoples personal appearances.  People have spend millions on developing a look, or a theme for their website.  This you can spend as much or as little as you want.  But be aware, typically (just as in real life) really cheap themes... look well... really cheap.  Ways to develop a look vary too.  Most businesses hire a graphic designer to develop their theme and website appearance.  Most people go to design services, or do the work them selves.  A lack of money can be compensated for with time, skill and effort.  Most of the themes on my websites are free, as in they cost me nothing in money, however they did cost me time to modify and adapt to my websites.  You can find design services that see basic themes for as little as $10-$30 dollars.  I recomend this option for most people.  Even business, purchasing pre-built themes is a great time saver, and looks very professional.

The beast called content, and how to cage it!

Developing content is the hardest and typically most time consuming aspect of web development.   Fortunatly there are many CMS (Content Managment Systems) in existence to help us in this endevor.  They allow user(s) to simply type in thier content, and place it into a theme to make it look professional.  Allowing you to focus more on the content of your content. :)

There are litterally thousands of CMS's out there. Some of the CMSs out there cost money... some are free.  I have tried hundreds of them.  Each one of them has thier place, and was developed for specific needs.  Your needs and wants will limit your CMS's choices, but after that you get into selection based on features and cost.  I recomend hiring (or finding) a consultant to help you find what your needs are, and if a CMS would help you, which CMS to use.  There are SO MANY options I cannot possibly cover them all in a single article.

I have come accross hundreds of individuals and quite a few businesses, who seem to think that because their nephew down the street has made a few HTML pages, that making a website should take a few minutes and cost next to nothing.  Well, in truth it can.  If you have someone who knows what they are doing, and are willing to do it for next to nothing.  (Very rare, and not ussually fair to the person who does it.) On the flip side of the spectrum I have met hudreds of developers who have inflated their worth far beyond what most people and businesses can afford.  Neither option works out for both parties in the end. So please consider carefully who you hire or consult with about these things. 

Last but not least! Making Money!

For most businesses making money is at the top of the list for reasons to have a website.  But for everyone else, it is either simply a side dish, or not even on the menu.  If you are hoping to make money off your website, there are special considerations you need to consider.

1. Who performs the transaction
2. Where are the sensitive portions of a transaction stored, and who has access to them
3. Who is liable for loss/theft/damage of this information

Most businesses don't realize the level of complexty required to have a website that takes money, and preforms transactions.  Most businesses will need a merchant account, a way to process credit cards and checks.  This can be costly if outsourced, and risky if in house.  Due to the nature of financial information and the possiblitiy of identity theft, credit card fraud, the business assumes the liabilty for what happens to the information if they hold it.  So if some 15 year old in china figures out a way to steal the information, your business can be held liable for what he does with that informaiton.   Please realize, this is a very complicated issue.  I have been around a long time.  I strongly recomend outsourcing for merchant accounts an shopping carts.  I am not a fan of outsourcing in general, but this is where it makes sense.  ESPECIALLY if the business does not have well trained and dedicated IT staff.

Well this should at least get your feet wet in the topic of website ownership.  There are litterally thousands of options, and they can seem overwhelming at first.  But you will find with good help you can find what you are looking for.  Please feel free to ask me, if you like what you've read, consider hiring me as a consultant. matt(at)taggedzi[dot]com.