READY. STEADY. GO!
Step 1.
REGISTER YOUR DOMAIN NAME
Getting a domain name involves registering the URL (aka Website Name) with an organization such as Afrihost or WebAfrica.
If you have a pre-existing URL (domain name) but no hosting space on a server it is extremely easy to link the 2 up.
Likewise, if you already have a domain name but wish for a second one on which to host your website we can always set up a REDIRECT that will allow both URLS to go to the same website.
Step 2.
Get your Web Hosting Account
When you register your Domain Name most service providers will suggest a Hosting Package at the same time. It’s best to go with this option as you can usually receive a Free Domain Name Registration for the first year.
To understand the difference between a Domain Name & Hosting please review the explanation at the bottom of this page.
Step 3.
DETERMINE YOUR WEBSITES PURPOSE
Once you have settled your domain name and web host, the next step is to designing/building the web site itself. We need to decide what do you want to achieve with your website?
Is it going to be purely a Marketing Type website, or will customers be able to buy online, will there be a Portfolio of Products, Services, Imagery Gallary etc etc and all that jazz!
PLEASE NOTE: While I am more than happy to set up your account for you via your preferred Service Provider I will require your Credit Card details or some form of Payment Method in order to set up the Monthly/Annual Debit Order, hence why I suggest doing so yourself.
Client Assets
What I need from you to get the ball rolling:
- Provide your logo (in digital format) – Does your company have a brand guideline or corporate ID? Provide existing company pamphlets or brochures / sample websites to your designer for review is a great start.
- Provide all visuals (photos and images) for the website – or these can be sourced for you if you provide me with thumbnail examples.
- Provide all content (text) for the website – preferably per page.
EXAMPLE OF COPY REQUIRED:
– SLOGAN or 1 line sentence that encapsulates your business
– ABOUT US / HISTORY of COMPANY / SMALL BIO OF YOURSELF and/or TEAM
– SERVICES PROVIDED
– RATES & INFORMATION
– TESTIMONIALS
– CONTACT FORM – provide all parameters such as Name/Email/Location or anything else that you require from a prospective client
FINALLY…
Knowing what you want means you’ll get the site that you want. A good designer can formulate ANY design layout for the client, however, without a little direction it is impossible to come up with a design that is visually pleasing AND functional for the visitor.
Naturally the above guide is not exhaustive. It is a distillation of some of the essential steps in getting started with your site. If you want more information, please contact me directly.
MY PREFFERED HOSTING SERVICE PROVIDERS
SITEGROUND
Trusted By Millions Of Businesses Worldwide, Siteground is recommended by WordPress.org and trusted by the owners of over 2,800,000 domains.
The Start-up Package is perfect if you are a small start-up business, or an individual looking for an online presence. At $3.99/mo. their highly affordable as an all-round domain name & hosting provider!
AFRIHOST (SOUTH AFRICA)
While I am not affiliated with Afrihost I have always trusted their service and found their Customer Support top notch.
At only R59 a month, the Standard Linux Shared Web Hosting Gold Package provides a FREE domain for first year [.co.za|.site|.online|.store|.tech]
Once you have signed up with your Hosting Service Provider they will send you a number of emails with Account Details – please pass all of these details onto me so I can then set up the WordPress Dashboard and get the ball rolling on building your website.
THE Difference Between Domain NAME and Hosting
What is a Domain Name?
Domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser’s URL bar to visit your website.
In other words, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.
For more tips and practical advice, see this guide on how to choose the best domain name for your website.
What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is the place where all the files of your website live. It is like the home of your website where it actually lives.
A good way to think about this is if the domain name was the address of your house, then web hosting is the actual house that address points to. All websites on the internet, need web hosting.
Web hosting companies specialize in storing and serving websites. They offer different types of hosting plans to their customers.
How Domain Names and Web Hosting are Related?
Domain names and web hosting are two different services. However, they work together to make websites possible.
Basically a domain name system is like a massive address book that is constantly updated. Behind each domain name, there is an address of the web hosting service storing the website’s files.
Without domain names, it will not be possible for people to find your website and without web hosting you cannot build a website.