| Not sure why you need a Web
site? Want to know what it's all about? This is the place to
start.
What is a Web site?
What is a Domain Name?
Why do I need a Web site?
What can a Web site do for me?
How does a Web site work?
Essentially, a Web site is a way to present
yourself online. Your Web site is a place on the Internet
where anyone in the world can visit whenever they want to find
out more about you, ask you questions, give you feedback, or
even buy your products. Think of the Internet as the world's
biggest trade show, and your Web site is your booth.
Your Domain Name is your address on the Web.
Just like people use your phone number to call you on the
phone, your Domain Name allows people to access your site on
the Web. Clever, simple, or easy to remember Domain Names are
most desirable as they can play a large part in attracting
visitors to your site. Most Domain Names end with
".com" (such as octelcorp.com), but other extensions
such as ".net" and ".org" are also
available. In addition Domains can be used with your e-mail
accounts allowing you to send and receive e-mail with
addresses such as "support@yourcompanyname.com"
| Why
do I need a Web site? |
Five years ago having a Web site was a
vanity.
Two years ago having a Web site was trendy.
Today having a Web site is a necessity.
People are using the Web for everything from
researching schoolwork to buying dinner. It's quick, it's
convenient, and you never need to leave your desk. Even people
who prefer to shop off-line are researching products on the
Web. These days when people are trying to find you, the first
place they look is on the Web - and if they don't find you,
they will probably find someone else!
| What
can a Web site do for me? |
Your Web site can be used for a large number
of tasks such as:
- Making public announcements
- Providing support to your customers
- Receiving feedback from your visitors
- Sharing/distributing files and images
- And, of course, selling your products
Those might not sound impressive, but don't
forget that you'll be able to do those things for people
around the world at any time of day or night. You have the
potential to become a house-hold name 10,000 miles away.
| How
does a Web site work? |
A Web site is simply a collection of files
that reside on a computer connected to the Internet. When
someone visits your site, they are actually contacting that
computer, and that computer (called a Web server) gives the
visitor the files they want to see. It sounds very simple, but
most normal computers don't have the power or the software
needed to constantly respond to all the requests made by all
the visitors to a site. And even if they did, they'd need an
extremely fast connection to the Internet to keep up with all
the requests. Most people and small companies don't have the
resources to run a Web server, and that is where web hosting
comes in
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