website info

[LW]

I need a little insight on creating a website. I have been doing footwork to prepare for the beginning of a side business for the past year now. Unfortunately, I know exactly NOTHING about website creation other than what I have been able to Google. Here is what I have done and figured out so far. I got on godaddy and looked up the name that I want and it is available. Does it matter who I purchase the name through? Then when it comes to creating the website itself, should I use the website builders that they offer or hire somebody to do it? The main features that I need are basic information pages, a contact form and a few email accounts. The biggest thing I need to make sure of is that it pops up on Google searches.
So, using godaddy.com as the example, is it best to buy the name from them, use their website design and have them host it or there a better way to skin the cat?

[LJ3]

For what you mentioned, staying within one service provider is usually best. There are a few "jobs" involved with what you mentioned.

There is the DNS (domain name service) registration - this is who registers the DNS name www.lw.com for you
There is the DNS hosting provider - this is who puts that DNS (URL, website name) on their name servers which is basically the IP address everyone needs to hit when they enter www.lw.com - they tell the world where your site lives.
There is the webstie hosting service - this is who provides you the online tools to create and host your site. Since they already control the registration of your site name, and the "directions" to your site, it's easiest to stay with the same company.

Googles searches are a completely different animal. IT's called search engine optimization (SEO). Lots of people say that their stuff is SEO friendly, or some such thing. It can help some. But it's a matter of degree.

Web search engines "crawl" over the entier internet, extracting information from evey single webpage out there. They grab keywords and other information and index your site accordingly. SEO optimization is an industry in and of itself. Even if you do the absolute best you can do with SEO and learning it yourself. You will not b able to compete with companies that employ people that do only SEO.

Some of it is time based, the more people that look for Len Jenkins photography, the more my site will come up. I've plugged the term "northen virginia photographer" and other similar phrases in hundreds of places on my site, the crawlers see it every night. If you type "northern virginia photographer" in google, I'll be abour 7 million pages down in the result and the big companies that have SEO budgets will be at the top. Part of it is the technology and resources they put in to it. Part of it is tthat they can pay to be put at the top. It's not a fair game and only the big dudes do well there.

Now if you type Len Jenkins Photography, I may be on the first page of search results

[BarryBobPosthole]

I don't know no nuthin bout birthin no babies.

But I can wish you luck! Good luck and can't wait to see what you got cooked up. We can advertise you on here if you want. We've done it before. Don't know why we wouldn't do it again.

BKB

[LW]

So would godaddy be a good one to use or should I go somewhere else. As far as search results, when I Google what I would consider to be keyword searches, nothing but Google jibberish come up. So, I might be the only game in town. I figure that might make being found on Google easier. Or, I may be full of shit.

[Buckrub]

Bluehost.
Www.weekdayfisherman.com
I did that one by myself in a day or two off and on.

[LW]

Bucky, that's a nice website and it looks like it would accommodate me well. My big question is this, how do I make sure that when somebody is Google searching for my services without knowing the name of business, that it would come up on Google? I have read about meta tags. Can you explain these to me and if and how I would implement such mysterious creatures? Remember, I'm not a computer guy.

[LW]

Also, what did that website cost start to finish and monthly?

[Buckrub]

Len will have to answer about tags. Never heard of em. Goggle mighgg sould answer.

I dont remember cost. I think about a hundred a year maybe??? That counted setup and DNS though. Their website explained. I remember the cheaper sites always had some catch or no help desk included or something. Heck...I think maybe Len put me on that one but that was two years ago.

Wow...Ive been retired two years. I just asked the Lord for at least one or two...so Im on borrowed time.