| Chapters - What is a Web site?
- What is Web hosting?
- What is the procedure for building a Web presence?
- What is e-commerce?
- Which hosting plan fits my needs?
What is a Web site? [top] 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.
What is a Domain Name?
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(commerce)" (such as sudanhosting.com), but other extensions such as ".net(network)" and ".org(organization)" 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@yourcompany.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.
What is a Web Host? [top] To have a Web site on the Internet you first need to have a Web server. Unfortunately, owning a Web server can be very costly and requires technical expertise that most businesses don't have. This is where Web Hosts come in. Web hosting companies provide the equipment and other technical resources that you need without the headaches that come when you have to do it yourself. Think of a Web Host as the landlord of building. A landlord rents out storefronts to various businesses. Each business decorates and runs their store differently, and doesn't worry about the maintenence of the building. In a similar way a Web Host rents out space on a Web server, (or entire Web servers), to various businesses. Each business builds their own Web site and never has to worry about the maintenence of their Web server. In other words, the Web Host provides the place on the Internet where your Web site lives. It's a lot cheaper than buying you own server, and you don't have to hire the technical staff to take care of it.
What kind of server should I choose? [top]
Shared Server: Shared servers offer clients the ability to host their Web site on a powerful, professionally managed server, at a low monthly cost. Shared servers provide individual Web sites with redundant connectivity, 99 percent uptime and 24/7 monitoring for a fraction of the cost of a dedicated server. Intended Clients and Uses
Shared servers are an excellent solution for entry-level hosting needs. Designed to host small scale e-commerce sites and static Web pages, shared servers offer first-time Webmasters a reliable Web presence without advanced technical skills.
Server Response Time
The activity of other sites and the number of other sites on the server can affect shared server performance.
Flexibility and Scalability
As you are restricted to the server box space, upgrade capacity is primarily focused on disk size and throughput.
Software
Shared Servers are limited to the software that is installed by hosting provider.
No technical skills required to use a shared server.
Dedicated Server: Dedicated servers are a single computer fully devoted to the needs of one customer. They allow for faster access to information and provide the customer with greater flexibility to add advanced database and e-commerce applications. As the customer does not share RAM, disk space or a connection to the router, dedicated servers provide customers with the most advanced Web hosting solutions. Intended Clients and Uses
Dedicated servers are designed for mid to advanced-level hosting needs such as "mission critical" and high-traffic sites. The servers can handle heavy data-driven sites, advanced e-commerce programs, video streaming, and multimedia programs.
Server Response Time
Dedicated server response time depends solely on the volume of activity on the customer's Web site.
Flexibility and Scalability
All aspects of the platform (disk space, memory, etc.) are upgradeable since dedicated servers are single client machines.
Software
Unlimited ability to download software programs to your server.
Advanced technical knowledge is recommended-experienced programming and database capabilities. Why should I choose SudanHosting as my Web Host? [top]
Because we work hard for our clients. Here are a few reasons why: Experience – SudanHosting has experienced system administrators to take care of your needs. More businesses trust their Web sites to us than another company with a bad technical staff. Service – We strive to provide our customers everything they need, ranging from exclusive products and features that you won't find anywhere else to Customer Service representatives that are there to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Capacity – From high-speed Cisco®-powered Tier-1 Internet backbones to e-commerce solutions, and security services, we have the infrastructure, resources, and expertise to give businesses of any size a clear competitive advantage in the emerging Net economy.
Choose a Domain Name for Your Site [top] The first thing you need to do when establishing a Web presence is decide on a Domain Name. Choosing the right Domain Name is very important, as it directly affects how easy it is for potential visitors to find your site. Try for something that's easy to recognize, easy to remember, and to easy to guess. For example, if your business is "Joe's Widgets" then "joeswidgets.com" would be a good Domain Name since it's logical, easy to remember, and easy to spell. It's also a good idea to think of alternate Domain Names in case the first one you think of is already taken. If you are not planning on building your Web site right away, you might still want to consider registering your Domain as soon as possible. Thousands of Domain Names are registered every day, and there's no guarantee that yours will still be around when you decide to build your site.
Select a Web Hosting Plan That's Right for You [top]
Most people start by browsing through the hosting plan descriptions on this site. We offer a plan for everyone, but it's not always easy to decide which one is for you. Here are some tips to help narrow down your choices: If you plan on selling anything from your Web site, take a look at the commerce plan.
Consider the Standard plan if you're an individual.
Consider the Advanced or Commerce plan if the site is for a business.
SudanHosting can also help you decide. Simple email babubakr@sudanhosting.com and we will help you select the plan that is right for you.
When you have decided which Web hosting plan best meets your need, click on the buy button. Placing the order is easy and your site will be running in a matter of minutes.
Build and Publish Your Web site
Building your own Web site can be very gratifying, but doesn't have to be very difficult. There are currently a lot of software packages available - such as Microsoft FrontPage 2000 - that make creating and publishing your Web site relatively quick and painless. SudanHosting supports the use of most Web site design and publishing tools including Microsoft Frontpage Extensions.
Promote Your Web Site
To really succeed on the Web, you need more than just a Web site. You need "traffic" - a steady stream of visitors coming to check out your products, services, information, and everything else you offer online. In order to draw people to your site, you need to be listed in the Web's most popular search engines and Web directories. Services like www.jimtools.com can help you get traffic to your site by listing your site with search engines and giving you tips for making your Web site more easy to find online.
Analyze the Results
The success of a Web site is generally measured by how many visitors it gets. Your Web server automatically logs each time someone accesses one of your Web pages. Looking at these logs can tell you how much traffic your site gets, how popular different parts of your site are, and when your site is the busiest. Analyzing your traffic can even give you an idea of which parts of your site may need to be improved or expanded.
All SudanHosting Web hosting plans come with built-in tools that you can use to help you analyze your traffic. Once you become a SudanHosting customer, it is easy to log into your custom control panel and access current site statistics.
E-commerce [top]
E-Commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services across the Internet. An e-commerce site can be as simple as a catalog page with a phone number, or it can range all the way to a real-time credit card processing site where customers can purchase downloadable goods and receive them on the spot. E-commerce merchants can range from the small business with a few items for sale all the way to a large online retailer such as buy.com. Definitions Ad Clicks
Number of times that a viewer clicks on an ad banner. Address Verification
Process used by a credit card processor or other party to verify that a customer's ordering address matches their records. Automated Clearing House
An ACH transaction is an electronic fund transfer through the Federal Reserve Bank from a checking or savings account Authorization
The process of checking the validity and available balance of a customer's credit card before the transaction can be accepted. Bandwidth
The amount of information (Web pages, text, graphics, video, sound, etc) that is downloaded through a connection. Banner
An interactive ad placed on a Web page that is linked to an external advertiser's Web site or another internal page within the same Web site. "Card Not Present" Merchant Account
An account that allows merchants to process credit cards without a face-to-face transaction with the purchaser. Click here to get a merchant account. Certificate Authority
A Certificate Authority (CA) is a third party which verifies the identity of merchants and their sites. The certificate authority issues a certificate (also called a digital certificate or an authentication certificate) to an applicant company, which can then put the certificate up on its site. Commerce Server
The server that manages and maintains all transactional and backend data for a commerce Web site. Cross Promotion
The promotion of a Web site through other traditional forms of advertising such as magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, billboards, etc. Delayed Settlement Processing
Once a transaction has been authorized, the merchant must ship the hard goods before a transaction can be settled. Delayed settlements are stored online until the merchant selects the transactions for settlement. Digital Certificate
A Digital Certificate issued by a Certificate Authority certifies that a merchant and a particular Web site are connected, just as a photo on your driver's licence connects your identity with your personal details. A Digital Certificate verifies to the shopper that the virtual store is actually associated with a physical address and phone number which can increase the shopper's confidence in the authenticity of the merchant. Distribution Channel
The method through which a product is sold including retailers, catalogers, Internet commerce Web sites, etc. Domain Name
The unique name of an Internet Web site. For example, yahoo.com is a Domain Name. Download
The transfer of information from the Internet to the browsing computer. Drop Ship
The shipping of a product directly from the manufacturer to the customer without requiring the retailer to carry inventory. Electronic Software Distribution
Software that can be purchased and downloaded directly from the Internet. Hit
Each time a Web server sends a file to a browser, a "hit" is recorded in the server file logs. Home Page
The first page through which a viewer usually enters a Web site. HTML
Hyper Text Markup Language is the standardized language which allows Web browsers to interpret Web sites. HTTP
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is a protocol which allows computers to communicate with each other. Keywords
Words that may be used by viewers searching for information. Keywords can be purchased from search engine companies so that an appropriate ad banner may be displayed when a viewer searches for a particular word. Merchant Account
A "bank account" established with a payment processor for the settlement of credit card transactions. Any merchant who wants to take credit card orders must establish a merchant account. Click here to get a merchant account. Off-Line Transaction Processing
Capture of order and credit card information for later authorization and transaction processing through a traditional card swipe terminal or through a computer. Order Confirmation
An e-mail message notifying a customer that an order has been received and will be processed. Order Management System
A system that accepts orders and initiates a process that results in the outbound shipment of a finished good. Real Time Credit Card Processing
Online authorization of a credit card number in real time informing the merchant that the card has been approved. Settlement
Once the goods have been shipped to the customer, the merchant can key a transaction for settlement at which time the customer's credit card is charged for the transaction and the proceeds are deposited into the merchant account. SSL
Secure Socket Layer is an encryption technology on the server that scrambles important data such as credit card numbers and order information when it is being stored or passed from one computer to another. Shipping Confirmation
An e-mail message that notifies a customer that an order has been shipped. URL
Uniform Resource Locator which describes the "address" for a document on the Internet.
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