Keeping Your Domain

Did you know that your domain name can expire? You probably already did, and have already scheduled out reminders for when it needs to be renewed, but imagine what would happen if the domain on your website wasn’t renewed and expired. You try to log on to get some order updates one day, but your browser can’t find the page. This happens a lot more than you might think.

You may be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal? I can just renew it later.” Well, there’s a bit of a problem with that. Say you’ve seen some pretty decent success with your website, and the domain name has become pretty well known. You get a good amount of traffic and people like your site, which is exactly why you poured so much money into professional web development in the first place. You have effectively branded that domain name, but once it’s expired, it’s up for grabs. Someone out there who’s interested in your specific domain can just wait for the day that it expires and pounce on it, registering it in their name before you have a chance to renew – effectively stealing it right out from under your nose. Shady, I know, but it does happen and is something that every website owner should be aware of.

The bottom line: make sure you keep all relevant information from the company (also known as the registrar) you purchased the domain name from, and don’t let your domain name expire. This is as important as keeping the pink slip to your vehicles, as it keeps you in control. And remember: DO NOT entrust ANYONE else with this information.

Security

Making sure your site has proper security is also very important. If you don’t have an accurate and valid SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate browsers will show security warning screens every time someone tries to visit a secured page. SSL certificates are usually found on sites with online shopping carts and have an expiration date, so they need to be renewed when (preferably before) they expire.

I feel completely comfortable giving out my credit card information after seeing this.

Having an invalid SSL Cert can kill the traffic to your site, as visitors will quickly lose confidence and trust in your site and new customers will usually steer completely clear of it. Know your SSL certificates expiration date – by doing so you can prevent it from expiring and task your web firm or website maintenance company to renew it.

Make Sure You Have a Good Hosting Company

Your website can have all the bells and whistles and cool functionality that you can stuff into it, but it all means nothing if you have a weak hosting company. What good does it do to have a cool site if no one can go to it because your hosting company is having issues? Your site is worthless if nobody can visit it, so make sure you have your site hosted with a company that’s reliable and has 24/7 support and available help.

If you’re experiencing problems with your current web hosting service, it may be time to think about switching to a new provider. When purchasing a hosting plan, make sure you purchase a business plan – there are too many three dollar hosting accounts out there, and you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to hosting. This is an area that should receive a top-notch plan, especially when it comes to your online business needs. It’s not about unlimited disc space and bandwidth, but support. The important thing to keep in mind about hosting is whether or not the company has prompt 24/7 support and fast hosting speeds, not space and bandwidth.

Site Back-Ups

Making sure you have accurate back-ups for your site is just as important as having a site in the first place. If for some reason your site does go down, or the server hosting it is lost, you will need to have a back-up or your site will be forever lost in the ether that is the internet. It is also important to know that the hosting company for your website may not guarantee your site backups – most hosting companies will provide backups, but with the primary intention of restoring their servers, not your site. It’s a nice gesture but do not count on it. Also, remember to read your hosting terms and see for yourself whether or not backups of your site are included.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your web design service company may provide backup services, so be sure to ask. If they do offer the service, it will most likely be for a nominal monthly fee. Backups are about being proactive and protecting your investment, and should not be ignored.

Your website is basically the public face of your company, and first impressions mean the world. If, for whatever reason, your site goes down or is lost, and you don’t have the proper backups and security protocols in place, it could mean the end of your business. Websites are costly to rebuild as professional website design doesn’t come cheap, and the whole process takes a decent amount of time. Make sure you protect your investment by keeping on top of your back ups and security.

Apples to Apples: Before you contact a web design company, make sure you have sketched out a rough outline of your web site so you can compare apples to apples. This way you will avoid asking the first company to quote you for a small project but by the final quote, you have added more features so you cannot accurately compare quotes and services.

Staying a float in a sea of web design companies

Price vs. Cost: There is no getting around it; you want value for your money. It is tempting to focus on the price but be careful that you do not end up spending more with the lowest bidder. How is this possible? Realize that in the end, most good web designers and coders make about the same rate. The variable is how much time they are willing to invest with you as a partner – or just a customer. Some companies will quote you low but they are not willing to lose money on a project so they will cut every corner needed to keep from losing money. A poorly designed web site can cost you much more money in the long run and actually drive away the very customers you intended to attract. Good things are not cheap, cheap things are not good and cheap things cost more.

Ownership: Please purchase your own domain using your own name and email. We cannot tell you how many times we have had to help a client start over with a new domain and web site because the web designer purchased www.yourbusinessname.com in his or her own name. At Web Editor’s Inc., we have a very open policy towards site ownership. If we do register a domain, we do so on your behalf using your name and email. All artwork, source code belongs to you.

Hit by a Bus: When you are talking to web design companies, try to get the sense if it would be easy to move later down the road. We call this the “get hit by a bus” policy. If we were hit by a bus, you would have all the information you need to take your site to a new web design company. We are confident in our work and would never pressure anyone to stay with us if they are uncomfortable.

Sustainability: Another complaint we hear often is “My web designer disappeared!” We have a theory that many web designers and programmers are young, inexperienced and not suited for customer service. If you make a request when they are busy or a request they do not agree with, you may never hear back. It is important that you be able to work collaboratively with your web design company. We invite you to drop by our office in downtown Temecula and meet with us face to face to discuss your needs and share your vision.