One of the first steps in starting a new business is creating a website for that business. Websites give companies a feeling of legitimacy and professionalism. A website should serve as a one-stop shop, where all of the customer’s questions are answered, including questions they didn’t know they had. A website should also serve as a bridge between a business and its customer-base. The more a website simulates the in-person experience, the better.
Back in the 90’s and early 2000’s when the internet was in its infancy, small businesses would have to pay an arm and a leg for a professional website developer to come in and set up their site. While those services still exist and the Miner Agency can certainly help you strategize over how to organize your site, there is now the do-it-yourself option.
When creating a site, an important decision you’ll have to make is what your domain name will be. A domain, simply put, is the link to your site. Think “facebook.com” for example. Domains typically require a flat fee, followed by yearly billings to retain the domain rights. Domains can vary widely in price depending on what it is and who owns it. “Carinsurance.com”, the most expensive domain in the world, costs approximately 50 million dollars because of the volume of online traffic that name draws. Assuming you don’t have millions to blow on a domain name, it may be smart to pick some broad, yet distinct.
A broad name is important because you don’t want to pigeonhole your business into one specific market. Amazon was originally an online books seller before expanding into the digital marketplace it is today. If Jeff Bezos has decided to name the company “onlinebooks.com,” Amazon never would’ve evolved the way it has. With that said, it’s important to avoid nonsense names. Companies like Amazon and Yahoo have billions of dollars to spend marketing their brands. For your average business owner who doesn’t have that marketing budget, it’s best to stick to names that simply express what your business is.
When you’ve decided on a domain name and finished designing your site or webpage, the next move is to post the website online through a web hosting service like cPanel. A web hosting service provides the technologies and services needed for a website to be viewed on the internet. A company like cPanel stores your site on a server and offers 24/7 security protection. Its services include a control panel, that site-owners can use to create new email addresses, make subdomains and organize web files. cPanel is one of the most popular web hosting services in the U.S. because of its simple user interface and ease of use.
Creating a professional website can be a daunting task for any starting business. For professional advice and strategic planning on launching a state-of-the-art site, reach out to one of our representatives at The Miner Agency. And if you’re looking to get started on creating a domain today or wish to sign up for one of cPanel’s numerous services, head to: shop.themineragency.com.
