We all know that the internet is an important way to help establish a business presence as well as a great way so share ideas and information. But, building a website can be a complicated (and sometimes daunting) process.
The first thing to understand is how the internet works. We all know that the internet consists of computers all talking to each other. Well, when a web page is “called” by your surfing… another computer on the receiving end “serves” up the page. This computer is called a SERVER. The Server then finds the page your computer “asked for” and sends the document it to your computer for display.
Didn’t understand all that mumbo jumbo? Surfing the internet is much like ordering food. You place an order with a server (or wait person). That staff member takes your order and eventually returns with your order (or web page) you ordered. This is basically how the internet works. You place and order for a web page (surfing) and the server (the high powered computer) process the order and return your request. Simple right?
The first thing that you will need to have your own web page is a Hosting Service. A hosting service is a company that specializes in the upkeep and maintenance of servers that serve web pages. Which is one less thing for your to worry about… can you imagine trying to troubleshoot a server problem at 3am in the morning. Not a fun thought!
Where do you find a hosting service? Try searching for “cheap web hosting under $5”. You should have several options hopefully for under $5 a month. (I know people who spend twice that much on coffee every day). You can definitely go overboard on this so try and keep it simple.
If you only posting static unchanging information you should only need less than 100MB of space on a web hosting service that serves HTML pages. Essentially, what you are looking to accomplish here is an online brochure or just strictly informational web pages.
Please note: If you are looking to create online shopping carts or extensive business processes you are probably going to have to spend quite a bit more time learning about databases, more advanced web programming languages, and internet payment solutions. These are advanced topics which will not be covered in this article.
In addition, if you are a business owner I suspect that your time will probably better spend running your business
you may want to consider contracting a professional for help.
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