Steps For Implementing a Web Site
By Cheryl McKeary

Are you looking to have a Web site presence on the Internet but don’t know where to begin? Do you want to hire someone to prepare your site or do it yourself? Anyone unfamiliar with getting a site up and running can find the process overwhelming, which then leads to procrastination in getting the task done. Below are the steps to get you on the right track. You may decide to do it all yourself or just delegate some of the tasks, but it’s important to know where to begin.

Pick a domain name.

• The domain name is the name you want users to type in to get to your site. You’ll probably want to pick something close to your company name if that is available. Go to www.internic.com/ to see if the name you want is already registered. You can check the availability of your domain name and register it, if it is available. Registration costs vary depending on the registrar. For additional information on registering a name go to http://www.internic.com/faqs/domain-names.html.

Find a host for your site.

• A host is a company that provides hardware, software and communications so that others can access your site. There are a number of hosts that will provide space for your Web site. You can do a search for hosts on any search engine (i.e., www.google.com; www.askjeeves.com). Prices vary depending on your needs. Typically 10 MB-50 MB is more than enough for a basic site. If you plan on having many pictures, graphics, sounds, etc. you may want more space. You can start at 10 MB and move up as you expand your site. In checking out site providers, you will want to look first for reliability and second for price. Check to see if your current Internet provider (where you have your email through) offers Web site hosting. Some providers offer limited space for free if you have your service (dial-up, DSL, cable, satellite) through them or they may offer other plans depending on your space requirement and budget.
  Many hosts have the ability to register your domain name as well as give you Web space.
  
  Once you have established a host, they will provide you with your host name, User ID and password you need to access the site for uploading files.
  
  Determine the purpose of your Web site.
• What is the purpose of your site? To provide information? Ordering? Promotion?
• What do you want people to do or know after they visit your site? Focus on your audience.
• What content do you want on the site? Text? Images? Sound?
• Make a list of everything you want to include and prioritize each element.
• Gather data you want included on your site.
• Look at some of your brochures and other marketing pieces.
• Review other Web sites to determine what you like or don’t like. Be sure to convey this information to the person designing your Web site.
• Find photos that highlight your company. Include pictures of employees, equipment, products or other photos pertinent to your business.
• Write information about your company, owners, services, etc. Keep your text succinct and simple to read.
• Do you want to include a map to your location?
• Do you have a company logo you want to use?
• Web site search engines look for keywords that will get your site listed in search engines. Provide a list of “meta tags” you want included for searching purposes (i.e., city/town where you’re located, terminology pertinent to your business).
• Once you have gathered the information, determine what you want for pages and create a simple chart showing how the pages will relate to each other. The more detailed you are in the preparation stage of your site, the easier the setup will be for you or a Web designer.

Design your site.

You can opt to design the site yourself and set up a basic site at places like www.geocities.com for no charge. They include an easy step-by-step, however, you are limited in the design of the site. If you decide to use one of the software programs for creating Web sites (i.e., Dreamweaver, GoLive, or others), I would recommend you also learn how to do the HTML coding as well. You have much more control over making changes if you are familiar with editing the HTML code.

Preview Web site.

• Once your site is complete, it will need to be uploaded to the hosting company you signed up with.
• As you review your site, test each link to be sure it works correctly.
• Review for ease of use, typographical/grammar errors and incorrect information.
• Remember your site will look different depending on the browser (i.e., Netscape, Internet Explorer, AOL, etc.) and version of the software. If possible, review your site on different browsers to be sure it looks okay.\

Promote your site.

• Determine any reciprocal links (Your site links to other Web sites and, in turn, they link to your site.)
• There may be local businesses, newspapers, Chamber of Commerce or other organizations you want a reciprocal link to. This is a good way to get visitors to your site.
• Don’t forget to use your Web site address in all your marketing pieces, including ads in trade magazines, brochures—any place you normally include a phone number or address is a good place to add your Web address.

Maintain your site.

• Once your site is complete, you should be continually thinking of ways to update it to get visitors returning to your site.
• Have you added new products in your company? Are you offering additional services?
• What new promotions are you having within your company? Do you list current events in your community? If so, these should be kept up to date.
• Some sites need updating weekly or monthly while others may go quarterly without updating. You want your visitors to develop a habit of dropping by your site and finding new/updated content each time.

Whether you design your own site or hire a Web designer, the site should be easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye.

Remember your Web site presence is another form of advertising and you want to convey a look that portrays your company’s image.

Cheryl McKeary owns and operates a desktop publishing business and uses both MAC and PC computers. She can be reached at mckearydesigns@gmail.com.