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If you're a small business owner, it seems you can hardly turn around these days without someone urging you to join the big boys and get a home on the Web. And like any savvy businessperson, you want to know what to expect and how to avoid pitfalls.
First, you need to select a Web host service provider. These are companies that have super-fast computers called servers running 24/7. Once your Web page is uploaded to their server, it will be available to people around the world, around the clock.
Dave Hazelton of System Resource suggests it's often a good idea to choose a local Web host, who will be more readily available for technical assistance. You can find them listed in the yellow pages, do an online search or go to a Web host directory site like www.webhostdir.com. Many Web hosts also can design your Web site, or you may choose to hire a professional Web designer, or do it yourself. There are several software packages available on the market for under $100 to help you create a Web page.
Expect to pay in the range of $120 to $600 per year for a Web host, more if you also require design services. Design services will run from under $100 to much more, depending on your needs.
A prospective Web host should guarantee an uptime of at least 99 percent and have a fast connection to the Internet with at least a T1 line. Hazelton explains it this way: "A T1 line can transfer the equivalent of a floppy disk each second." The host's hardware will be a major determining factor in how fast your page downloads to someone's computer.
Find out how much space on the Web host's server is included. Most Web sites need at least 5 MB of Web space. Your host should include email accounts and free technical assistance in the package. If your customers will be ordering products online, make sure your host has a secure server. And don't opt into a long term contract even if it sounds like a good deal. It could cause problems down the line if your host goes out of business or you become dissatisfied with their services.
Next, you need to register your domain name, which will be the address people will use to access your Web site. A domain name is in the form anyname followed by .com for a commercial site, .org for a non-profit organization site, etc. You can only register a domain name that is not currently registered to anyone else. You can look up domain names and see who they are registered to at www.whois.net.
Only registrars accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are authorized to register domain names. For a list of companies that are accredited registrars, check www.icann.org. The price for registration varies. Network Solutions, one of the major registrars, charges $35 per year. Many Web hosts are resellers of services from one of the accredited registrars and can handle the paperwork to register your domain name.
Some shady Web hosts will register your domain name to themselves. Then if you want to transfer to a different Web host, you can't keep your name, because they own it. If you've put a lot of energy into promoting your site, you don't want to start all over with a new name.
Web hosts may use this strategy to keep your business with their company, even if they raise their rates. They can even sell the name you worked so hard to promote to another company. While this practice is not technically illegal in all jurisdictions, it is certainly unethical.
Hazelton says, "Now you've got to negotiate with [shady Web host] to get your name back. It's a six-month process and you may not win." He suggests that people register their domain name themselves online. There are a number of sites, such as register.com, where you can do this.
Ask your prospective Web hosts what their policies are and, as always, read the fine print before you sign anything. If you have them register your name for you, make sure that you are listed, along with your email address, as administrative contact and billing contact on the paperwork they turn in. The organization listed in section 3 of the form is recognized by ICANN as the owner of the name. Make sure your organization is listed there.
There is a lot of useful information on domain name issues and a form to submit related questions to an attorney at www.reignyourdomain.org.
To paraphrase an old saying, a byte of prevention is worth a megabyte of cure.