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Tips - Website
Buyer Beware
There's still a
lot of truth to the adage, "If it sounds too good to be
true, it probably is."The
advertisers may be neglecting to tell you about the annual
fees for domain name registration and web
site hosting fees, and are also failing to tell you what
you get for your design fee, and what the cost
will be to update or change your site, and who will
be working on your site. Most importantly, after
you have paid $1000s, and you are still dissatisfied,
you decide to change to a competent, honest web
developer only to find out that you do not own your web
site or they are "holding it hostage."
Then, you must either stay with the original company, or
start over.The Facts
- What Goes Makes Up A Website?
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Domain Name Registration
You select your name i.e. YOURNAME.COM
for your website. You
have to register this name and pay an annual fee to the domain
registration service.
Generally,
this ANNUAL FEE is between $25-35, but many services ask for a two-year
sign on. You can often get a discounted rate with
multiple-year signups. Beware of sites offering domain names
for less than the standard rates because they must make up the money
difference somewhere. Usually it's because they are selling
your information to other markets. Read the fine print.
When you buy a domain name, do not send your userid and password out
via email. EVER. Call and give the information to your
webmaster.
And never directly give it to a hosting company you
are using to "set the DNS server for you" - learn what it is and how
to change it yourself. That's how one client lost her domain
for over a year. Your ID and password gives the person or
access to the ownership of that domain (even your credit card info
in some cases) and they can change anything, if they are not
reputable.
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Site Hosting Fees
Your web site must be stored by a web
host. This is how the
world is able to go to your site.
There are thousands of hosting providers and the ANNUAL
FEE can vary from $10 to $100s per month, approximately $120 - $1200+ per year. Some companies both
design and host your site.
However,
some of those companies are reluctant to allow you to switch
services and can hold your site hostage even though
you may own the rights to your site.
Usually it takes 3-7 days for all the electronic paperwork to
be transferred from one host to another host.
I'll warn you right now, beware of OneDollarHosting.com - one of my
clients had her website held hostage for over a year. She couldn't
make updates, they were rude when she finally managed to get them on the
phone, and they took over her domain name so she couldn't transfer the
site to another hosting company which offered better service. In
fact, one of their comments to her was, "Dude. What do you expect for $1 a
month?".
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Customer Service & Support
Before you sign up with a hosting company find out how you contact
them for support when you have problems with your website (and believe
me there are always problems even with the most reputable companies
because things out of their control go wrong).
Don't just look at how you contact the hosting company for support,
actually call them. If you can't reach them by any means other
than fax or email your request for service don't sign with them.
You should be able to speak to a person immediately (or within a
reasonable wait time - 2 minutes or less). Be sure they are local
and do not farm out their support to another country. Although you
may reach a live body, they usually end up emailing your request to the
hosting company and it can take days before the problem gets resolved
and many more phone calls.
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Design Fees
You should be careful to find out
exactly what you are getting for your money. Many designers quickly
create a “cookie cutter” site, which is very plain and generic
or comes as one of the 25-30 packaged sites in a development
program, then assess you additional charges to make the site meet
your expectations.
Some designers collect your money, create the “cookie
cutter” site, and then forget about you and the various
viewers coming to your site (dial-up, Web TV, different browsers
such as Netscape, MS Internet Explorer, etc.). Remember just
because it looks good when you see it, doesn't mean it will look good in
every browser.
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Website
Developer/Webmaster
Some large web development companies
employ part-time college students, or other individuals with
minimal experience, where the turnover rate is very high
and skill levels vary.
If
that person leaves the developer company, your site may not be
worked on again for a very long time, meanwhile people come to what
exists of your site and are so disappointed they don’t return.
Also, one mistake many newly-graduated designers make is to try to use
everything they learned about web design on your site, thus adding lots
of things that will more than likely annoy your visitors rather than
impress them.
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Website Ownership
Your contract (and you should
ALWAYS have a contract) with the website
developer should clearly state to whom the site
ownership rights belong. A reliable webmaster will not be
offended if you decide to switch your services to someone else, no
matter the reason.
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Do You Really Need a Website?
Many business owners are convinced to jump on the website
bandwagon only to find that have spent big $$$ for very little
traffic. There are many
alternatives available through Directory services. Directories are
like co-op advertising sites and what they offer varies as does the
price. Bizness
Concepts, Inc. is in business to make the customer happy, and I will
honestly let you know if you do not need your own domain name with a
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Bizness Concepts offers alternative web
advertising through
ArbutusBiz.com, CatonsvilleBiz.com and
ParkvilleCarneyBiz.com
our local businesses and
services, and through
WritingCorner.com for writers and readers.
Even if you don't use Bizness Concepts for you web design
services, remember to always get the facts and protect your investment.
Deanna Lilly - Bizness Concepts
410-536-4610
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