What is the procedure for building a web presence?
Choose a Domain Name for Your Site
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 recognise, easy to remember, and to easy to guess. For example, if your business is "Acme Widgets" then "acmewidgets.co.nz" 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 website 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.
Check to see if the domain name you require is available by checking it out.
Select a Web Hosting Plan That's Right for You
Most people start by browsing through the hosting plan descriptions on the ProWeb website. 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 online from your website, take a look at the Business Web+ plan.
- If you plan on using databases, or plan on having a dynamic website, consider the Business Web+ plan.
- Consider the Value Web+ if you're an individual.
- Consider the Business Web+ if the site is for a small / medium business.
- Consider the WordPress Web if the site is using WordPress
Another way to find the web hosting plan that's right for you is to use our Web Hosting Comparison Chart.
The ProWeb Sales team is dedicated to helping you establish your site. You can give them a call on +64 9 969 4468. They can help you decide on a hosting plan, answer any questions you might have, and even walk you though the order process.
When you have decided which web hosting plan best meets your needs, click on the 'Order Now' button on that plan's page to start the ordering process. Placing the order is easy and your site will be running as soon as possible.
Build and Publish Your Website
Building your own website can be very gratifying, but doesn't have to be very difficult. There are currently a lot of software packages available that make creating and publishing your website relatively quick and painless. ProWeb supports the use of most website design and publishing tools.
ProWeb has a content management system called Easy Update. All you have to worry about it the content which you can control through a Microsoft Word like interface. ProWeb's web development team will look after the design aspects for you.
If you find that you need help publishing your site, or are interested in more advanced website features, contact the ProWeb team.
Promote Your Website
To really succeed on the web, you need more than just a website. 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. ProWeb can help you get traffic to your site by listing your site with search engines and giving you tips for making your website more easy to find online.
Analyse the Results
The success of a website is generally measured by how many visitors it gets. The ProWeb Web Servers automatically log each time someone accesses one of your web pages. Looking at these logs we can tell you how much traffic your site gets, how popular different parts of your site are, and when your site is the busiest. Analysing your traffic can even give you an idea of which parts of your site may need to be improved or expanded.
All ProWeb web hosting plans come with website statistics / reporting tools that you can use to help you analyse your traffic. It's easy to log into the ProWeb Statistics Server via https://stats.proweb.co.nz.
If you require support please contact us.