Web site for my company

DebtFree2012

Hi there

Can you help me understand how I can have my own website please? I'd like it to be called my company name if available (I'll not post the name on here).

After googling web hosting I scared the life out of myself as it's a new area to me. I'd appreciate your input on the options available and of course which is the most MSE as my business is new and this is a start up cost that I'd like to keep low.

The purpose of the website will be to advertise my company, allow customers to email enquiries to me and to provide examples of my work (for of reports that should not be copied). I'll require the company logo on there and a few different levels/links showing the different services I offer and their prices.

TIA

-taff

Buy the name separately otherwise if you leave your hosting site, the name could stay with them.
Sign up to a hosting/design package if you think you can do a good job of desiging it yourself
Or sign up to a hosting/design site and get someone else to design it for you.


1&1 seem ok [ my partners band uses it]. I use dreamhost to host and buy names.

You can get the hosting from different sites, and get a designer to do it for you. You cna them either pay them to update any changes, or find someone else who will.

A simple site with no bells and whitles or shop will be easy enough to do.

DebtFree2012

That's great thank you - I looked at 1 2 3 - reg and it's got all sorts of different things which I just don't get!

So I need to buy the (domain) name first then get someone to host it and also a package to create and maintain the website from, which I can do (the latter) myself?

Thanks again.

[Deleted User]

Find yourself a firm such as these fellas - http://www.netweaver.co.uk/web_hosting.php

Back when i did web dev, that's who I pointed customers to

£35 a year, free .uk domain (Although you could buy separately.. they're not expensive) and 5GB of space.

j0nathon2

With 123-reg you'd probably just want the domain name as their other services can be quite expensive. A .co.uk will cost you a few quid per year, a .com about £10.

This is just the name though, but at least you will own it.

Then you need a host, and as the one posted above, that's probably an average cost, £35ish a year. Might want to check reviews and history as many people like to set themselves up in this business for a quick few quid then disappear. You'll have to point the name you bought to this host. Some hosts will give you a free name, but check the T&C that you own this forever, not them, and you can transfer away if you want - alternatively just turn this down and point your name bought elsewhere to it.

Then you need the content to put on there. You could develop it yourself in free software or learn HTML, which will be free, or pay a web design company which will be more expensive. When you want things more than just static pages it gets more and more expensive.

Good idea not to post your name here, don't want somebody buying the domain to sell back to you at a premium!

It is all easier than it seems.

DebtFree2012

Thank you so much again. Lots of ideas and information here and I've had a very useful PM too.
I'll be up and running in no time

googler

Namesco, a UK-based operation, will handle hosting, name registration, e-mail etc, and generally provide a full package for you.

[Deleted User]

ld0rman wrote: »

I am a student in web development so would be happy to help you out for free if you wanted as I always like getting experience.

As the other posters have said the best thing to do would be to buy your domain seperately so you have complete control over it.

As for the site itself, the budget companies are all on about the same level, offering low priced plans for sites that aren't going to get hundreds of thousands of visitors. They will have site building software to make it easy for people like yourself without the expertise to build a functional, basic site to your liking.

If you want anything more pretty or interesting you'll have to pay a web developer, or take advantage of a student wanting to get experience like myself :-)

I'd second using a student.. it gets your a free/cheap/cost of a crate of beers website, and the student gets a reference customer and an item in their portfolio. That's how I started off back in 2001. It's so sad watching your old websites die though!

Just remember to scope out your project nicely, and plan it all upfront before designing.

pickaweb

In order to setup a website you need 3 things.
A domain name, which is the website address
A web hosting service which gives you the space required to publish your website to the internet so that your site is available 24x7.
You also need a website. It also give you email accounts @yourdomain
If you have a low budget and are starting out the best thing is to go for an online website builder tool.
Most hosting companies will offer you a website builder solution.
Hope it helps.