Questions & Answers

 

What is the difference between a website and a homepage and what should be included? 

A website is a collection of web pages. The central web page, from which additional pages may be linked, is the homepage.  A homepage, at minimum, should include a business name, address, phone/fax numbers and a link to an email contact.  It should also have a brief description of the business or organization.  The homepage may or may not have links to additional pages. 

Examples of from the homepage to other pages on the website might be:

For Small Businesses:   About Us,  Products, Services,  Specials,  Contact Us, Company History,  Location (map or directions), Newsletter,  Customer Testimonials

For Organizations:  Mission, Officers,  News,  Join Us, Calendar, Affiliates, Member Pictures, Links (to other similar organizations) 

Not all of this type information needs a separate page, much of it can be incorporated into the home page.  However, the larger the pages, the longer they take to download.  

Other things to be added to a home page, at little or no extra cost, might include a Guestbook for visitors to leave comments and a hit counter to view how many visits occur daily. 

 

How Much will a website cost?

Mather's Web Works  specializes in Small Business and Non-Profit Organization websites.  We try to keep costs at a minimum and design websites that are attractive, simple to navigate, and affordable for those who would like to establish a presence on the internet, but don't have a huge advertising budget.  

Although we do have a basic price structure to provide, the cost can vary depending on a number of factors such as:  

• If all pages within the site are designed with the same basic structure, or if additional pages will be somewhat unique.  

• If content is furnished in usable form i.e. furnished via disk or email, (ready to format and insert), or if the content needs to be retyped or scanned.  If your business or organization does any form of print advertising it is likely that you have access to content in a usable format. 

• If logos, graphics and pictures to be used are furnished in final form, or they need to be scanned, reworked or designed by us.

Other Possible Costs related to Website Ownership:

ISP/EMAIL Service 

It is recommended that the website owner should have a way to get online and an email account.  Various Internet Service Providers (ISP's) charge from $9.95 to $25.00 per month for internet access and email accounts.  It is not, however, strictly necessary to have access to email, or a computer, to own a website....we can work around it.  An informational site (with an order form or membership blank that can be printed out and mailed in) may be all that you require.  

If the website owner has an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that furnishes email accounts, it may also furnish space for a website on it's server.  Some personal website server space is generally included in the monthly access fee, which can be found in the $10 - $35 per month range, however, they may charge extra to house a business website.  Independent website hosting services vary, but may be found in the price range of $7.95 - 21.95 per month for a small business site.  

There are a number of free website hosting services that can be utilized with already established email accounts.  These free hosts invariably put some type of banner or pop-up ad at the top of each page to pay their own expenses.  A free hosting service is generally a better route to take for an Association/Organization website than a small business.  

Domain Name Registration 

(URL = Uniform Resource Locator = your website address)

If the website owner wishes to apply for a domain name (URL) i.e. www.yourbusinessname.com  there is generally a separate domain name registration fee.  Registration guarantees that your domain name will be unique and not available for use by another entity. Registration would be done after the website's host server is chosen.  If the website is moved to another server, the domain name/URL  will always remain the same.  Some website hosting services will include free domain name registration in their price. 

Free website hosting services will furnish URL's such as: http://matherwebworks.topcities.com  or something similar, at no charge.  However, if the website is ever moved to a new location, the URL will also have to be changed.  Since nothing is truly ever free, ads in the form of banners or pop-up windows will also be placed on the website by the host.  

 

Is it Possible to make my Website Profitable?  

Certainly! You may want to consider adding an online Store Front and Shopping Cart.  

Adding a shopping cart is an excellent way of making your website profitable.  Customers may do their shopping from their own homes, with access to a business website's online catalogue of items for sale.  Payment may be made online using a secure server to submit their credit card numbers, or by calling them in to the business phone number after submitting their orders online.  They may also have the option of paying for their online order by sending in a check or money order to the business address. The business prints the order from the shopping cart server and then fills the order. 

An online Store Front is an excellent way to add to your profits and to seek out new customers! 

 

The most important thing is to make "informed decisions" before the website is online so as not to have to change the URL, or host server, at a later date. 

At Mather's Web Works we are happy to help our customers at any time by furnishing valuable information they made may need in order to make those informed decisions.