Web Hosting is really the question of control and ownership. Based on how you answer the question of control and ownership - will depend on how you proceed to the next step.
There are three types of web hosting - shared hosting and dedicated servers - the third being a web based web site that comes with web hosting. Shared hosting is ideal if your site is relatively small with a proportionate amount of traffic. You retain ownership of the content since your space is considered privately owned. To manage your site using shared hosting is relatively simple and cost-effective in most cases, therefore, it is the best and ideal start up web hosting package when starting an online business.
Dedicated servers are ideal if your content could potentially grow large in a matter of months or even 1-2 years. Naturally, with a lot of content will draw in more traffic thus generating more bandwidth usage. A dedicated server or virtual dedicated server will be your ideal solution. It will provide you the room for growth, the power to handle the traffic and the flexibility and managed cost to handle the responsibilities. With the added room and power comes the added cost. However, starting at around $99 per month - cost will not be a deterrent.
Web Based Web Site and Hosting is not something you should consider as a solution - for any size business. We don't recommend this solution for anyone because it will not provide any benefit towards your goal. The web pages are not search engine friendly. The content that you enter are "technically not yours" once they have been incorporated into the system. It will not provide you the flexibility in growth, in manipulating the design layout as you wish - but rather stuck with the minimum number of web page layout that are less than desirable, and it will not present your business in its true form. It's true, your content can be displayed on a computer screen in a matter of minutes but if no one sees it - it won't do anyone any good.
Then, there are two hosting environments - Microsoft Windows and Unix Linux. Microsoft Windows utilizes ASP pages to manage its content while Unix utilizes PHP pages to do the same - both will hold, store and display HTML web pages - which can consists of Flash, Graphics and Text to name the most common elements.
Which environment to select really depends on your current IT environment. If you utilize Windows XP or Vista and are running on a Windows Server to manage your office network environment - then this is a no brainer - your best bet would be to use a Windows Environment Web Hosting account. However, if cost is an issue as well as selection of software solutions available on the market - then a Unix environment will provide more options in this area. You can utilize a Unix environment for your web site - while using a Windows environment for your office network and both will work just fine with each other while you establish your market niche. Although this would not be recommended as a long term solution, it is highly utilized to satisfy most business budget while you wait and prepare to implement the long term solution.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
ABC of Web Design
The ABC of Web Design starts with planning - which means writing down everything on paper or word processing program and creating an outline of your business model. Address everything in the business plan including where and how you intend to produce the product - are you manufacturing it yourself or are you outsourcing to an outside company - and when it is produced - how much inventory to hold and related subjects like storage, shelf life, categorizing, labeling, packaging. Thereafter, you'll need to discuss marketing, management, logistics, personnel - I think you get the picture. Now, that you have the "A" of ABC as your business plan, we now need to work on "B".
Based on your business plan, we will now be able to determine the structure of your web site or online presence. The main purpose of developing a web site is to PRIMARILY used it a marketing tool and presentation medium for your Sales or Customer Service Representatives to use as reference so prospective clients or customers can view your product details, photos or videos at their convenience by simply visiting the web site. The SECONDARY reason is to attract a worldwide market to visit the site. The structural options provided to you are as follows:
1. Static
2. Dynamic
3. Hybrid - Static and Dynamic
Static pages:
Pros: All static pages are search engine friendly to begin with - and when optimized properly - all static pages can potentially be a doorway or landing page to your web site. Meaning to say - your home page is not the only page that will bring in traffic - all of your sub pages can potentially bring traffic to the site. The pages are quite easy to create provided that master pages were created for future use. If done correctly and with proper planning, it can serve you well in terms of traffic.
Cons: The management and upkeep of static pages will take longer to update thus costing you more in employee payroll or hourly rate. This will create possible delays in launching new promotions if not planned properly.
Dynamic Pages:
Pros: Easy to install, update and manage with relative ease with little or no technical experience. Content can created on the fly. It's secured and has an abundance of features available for future use.
Cons: Not search engine friendly therefore your cost will be in marketing. With static pages - the cost is in Site Management. With Dynamic pages - the text and information displayed on a page are generated when it is requested - say when you clicked on a link - the web site will then put together the information and generate a web page for your viewing. The page is not put together until you request for it - like clicking. Since search engines cannot click on a link - all it can do is read the content of the page and follow URLs - it does not literally click on a link - it read the link and if the URL qualifies - it follows it - again following a URL is not the same as clicking it. Cost of software and annual updates. Copyright to the software belongs to the software developer - it is not your own. Cost of development can increase tremendously if you outgrow the initial software solution.
Hybrid Web Site:
Pros: A hybrid site is search engine friendly due to the strategically placed static pages within the site. Low maintenance cost because the majority of the content are managed dynamically. In essence, all of the pros of the static and dynamic pages above applies here.
Cons: Initial Cost will be higher than normal because of the work and third-party expenses such as software license, installation, and the development of the static pages and related work involving the set up of architectural and structural planning of the site.
Obviously, there's a lot more to it than this - you just have to call me to get the intricate details.
Based on your business plan, we will now be able to determine the structure of your web site or online presence. The main purpose of developing a web site is to PRIMARILY used it a marketing tool and presentation medium for your Sales or Customer Service Representatives to use as reference so prospective clients or customers can view your product details, photos or videos at their convenience by simply visiting the web site. The SECONDARY reason is to attract a worldwide market to visit the site. The structural options provided to you are as follows:
1. Static
2. Dynamic
3. Hybrid - Static and Dynamic
Static pages:
Pros: All static pages are search engine friendly to begin with - and when optimized properly - all static pages can potentially be a doorway or landing page to your web site. Meaning to say - your home page is not the only page that will bring in traffic - all of your sub pages can potentially bring traffic to the site. The pages are quite easy to create provided that master pages were created for future use. If done correctly and with proper planning, it can serve you well in terms of traffic.
Cons: The management and upkeep of static pages will take longer to update thus costing you more in employee payroll or hourly rate. This will create possible delays in launching new promotions if not planned properly.
Dynamic Pages:
Pros: Easy to install, update and manage with relative ease with little or no technical experience. Content can created on the fly. It's secured and has an abundance of features available for future use.
Cons: Not search engine friendly therefore your cost will be in marketing. With static pages - the cost is in Site Management. With Dynamic pages - the text and information displayed on a page are generated when it is requested - say when you clicked on a link - the web site will then put together the information and generate a web page for your viewing. The page is not put together until you request for it - like clicking. Since search engines cannot click on a link - all it can do is read the content of the page and follow URLs - it does not literally click on a link - it read the link and if the URL qualifies - it follows it - again following a URL is not the same as clicking it. Cost of software and annual updates. Copyright to the software belongs to the software developer - it is not your own. Cost of development can increase tremendously if you outgrow the initial software solution.
Hybrid Web Site:
Pros: A hybrid site is search engine friendly due to the strategically placed static pages within the site. Low maintenance cost because the majority of the content are managed dynamically. In essence, all of the pros of the static and dynamic pages above applies here.
Cons: Initial Cost will be higher than normal because of the work and third-party expenses such as software license, installation, and the development of the static pages and related work involving the set up of architectural and structural planning of the site.
Obviously, there's a lot more to it than this - you just have to call me to get the intricate details.
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