Website Domain Name FAQs

How do I decide on a domain name?

Try to choose a name with these characteristics:

1. Try to keep the domain name short so that your website is easy to type and remember.
2. Domain names with special characters like hyphens and underscores are harder to describe to customers over the phone. Visitors aren't as used to them either and you may inadvertently send customers to your competitors sites if they have similar names without the special characters.
3. Try to use your company name or a description of your product instead of company initials. People would instantly know what a site called "BuyCarsOnline" is about. The full title is much more descriptive than the acronym "BCO".

I typed the domain name into my browser and got an error message. Does that mean it's available?

Not necessarily. Here are some possibilities:

1. The domain name is available.
2. The owner is designing the site but hasn't uploaded it or set it up yet.
3. The owner purchased the name for future use.
4. The owner bought the name, hoping to resell it at a profit.

If a domain name does not come up with a website in a browser or a search engine, it is no guarantee of the name being available.

How can I check if a domain name is available?

Most web hosting companies and domain registrars let you check the availability of a domain name. Some web companies such as Viron Media also offer alternate versions if the name you wanted isn't available.

Offline Marketing Tips for your Website

There is a common misconception amongst many people in regards to websites that as soon as you have a website, people will start looking at it and therefore it will attract new business. This is not entirely true. A website is like anything else; for people to find it, they need to know it exists first.

There are a number of ways in which to let people know about your website, such as:

• Business Cards
• Complement Slips
• Adverts
• On Invoices, Quotes and Receipts
• Store Front
• Company Vehicles

These are just some examples. There are many creative ways in which you can get your name/brand and website out there. Take every opportunity to let people know the address of your site!

Website Design FAQs

Why do I need a web designer?

With so many free and open-source solutions out there some people are wondering why they need to pay for a website developer. Whilst it is possible to build a basic website yourself, you need to bare in mind that web technologies are improving all the time, web standards are becoming ever more important, and there are optimisation techniques which will really get the most out of your website.

Think of it like getting some plumbing done. You can do it yourself, but it is always better to get a qualified professional to do it even though it costs a bit extra.

How much does a website cost?

There are numerous factors which affect the final cost of your website, such as;

• How many web pages your site will have
• How many graphics (such as logos and banners) need creating
• What functionality is required (forms, interactive maps, etc)
• The number of domain names you will have
• The hosting required for your website

Do I need website maintenance?

When you have your website built it is only really the beginning of the project.Maintenance is required to keep your website up-to-date, to improve your search engine rankings, and offer fresh content to keep your visitors coming back.

What is Search Engine Optimisation?

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a website or a page (such as a blog) from search engines via "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results as opposed to other forms of search engine marketing ("SEM") which may deal with paid inclusion. The theory is that the higher a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors/traffic it will receive from the search engine.

As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for. Optimising a website primarily involves editing its content and HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines.

Source: wikipedia

Why have a website?

There are many reasons why it is becoming more and more important to have a website, such as;

• Your business is open 24/7, 365 days of the year
  Unlike normal office hours, your website is running all the time. This makes it available at all hours, meaning it is much more convenient to find out more about your business to those who operate outside such typical office hours.
• It can be updated at any time
  Unlike brochures, your website can be amended at any time. This will save you a great deal of money on printing and distribution costs.
• Improve customer service
  By providing FAQs and contact forms, your customers can get answers to questions almost immediately. You can also provide useful or important downloadable documents.
• Present a professional image
  For a small business, a well-designed web site is a great way of instilling confidence and looking bigger than you actually are. In this day in age, customers assume that you already have a website. By now, your primary competitors probably already have a presence on the Internet. If they do, keep up with them and find ways to make yours better.
• It can increase the amount of business you do
  If you don't currently have a website you are almost certainly losing business right now! If you do have a website that is out of date, difficult to navigate around, is not optimised for search engines, or simply its design creates the wrong perception of your business, you are losing business!

If you would like a friendly chat to discuss the possibilities for your website, or for a completely free, no obligation quotation, please contact Viron Media who offer web design services in and around Peterborough.