Umpqua Web Design

I spent two weekends exploring software to add a forum to WordPress for a client! I looked at three different ones: bbPress, phpBB, and Simple:Press.

Everything I read indicated that bbPress was by far the best program, so I tackled it first. I got it installed and actually integrated it without a lot of problems. I had found a couple of tutorials on it and even a video. I created a tab that  linked to the forum and I created a mutual log in. But how to get back to WordPress? Lots and lots of searching, pouring through bbPress’ forum with unresolved posts, and I still didn’t have an answer, other than learning that I needed to get into the code and attempt to make the header look the same in both programs. But I found conflicting instructions on how to do that. I came away feeling that the support was next to nil and that perhaps it wasn’t even compatible with WordPress 3.1! Very frustrating.

So I moved onto phpBB. I like the look of their forum, it was easily installed via GoDaddy, but again there was the issue of making it look like the blog. I found a very good video on it, but it requires getting into the code and being able to troubleshoot when running into problems (even the presenter had issues). I didn’t spend a lot of time on it.

I took the advice of someone I’d just taken a WordPress class from. She recommended Simple:Press. What a breeze in comparison! They have an awesome tutorial and it integrates seamlessly with WordPress. It even creates the Forum tab! Whatever theme you pick for WordPress, the forum fits right into it!

I am sold on Simple:Press and won’t waste my time looking at any others.

What is web hosting and why do I need to concern myself with it? The second part of the question has a simple answer: if you want your web site to be found by others, it must be hosted somewhere.

Web hosts are companies that have computers, called servers, that are connected to the internet 24/7.  These servers are assigned IP addresses so that other computers connected to the internet can find them.

An IP address is a four-part string of numbers. It’s easier for humans to remember a name than to remember a series of numbers. For example, what’s easier to remember, google.com or 209.237.80.42?

Choosing a host
The first thing to decide is whether to pay for hosting or to get a free site. If it is for a personal site that you just want to share with family and friends, a free site may be right for you. The main disadvantage to free hosts, however,  is that they have pop up ads. This can be very annoying and doesn’t look professional.

Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) oftentimes offers free space. This is usually limited space with limited services. But it may be a perfect solution to your needs.

A third option, and one that most businesses prefer, is to rent space from a hosting provider. Commercial web hosts offer multiple email accounts, much more space than a free host or one from your ISP, and many other features too numerous to mention in this article.

All web designers have preferences for web hosting. But they can help you make an educated decision about which host to choose. Use their knowledge and experience when choosing a web host.

What about cost?
Web hosting generally runs in the neighborhood of $10/month, paid annually. Oftentimes this is less when purchased in larger increments. So purchasing five years at a time is less than purchasing only one year, and ten years is cheaper yet. And I have seen free domains offered when purchasing a hosting plan.

If this seems overwhelming, don’t let it be. A little bit of research, or consulting with a web designer can help in your selection. Contact us, we’d be happen to help.

Costs involved in having an online presence include the development of the website itself, purchasing a domain name, and web hosting.

It can be confusing at first to understand the difference between domain names and web hosting, and why both are needed, so let’s look at these in detail. We already addessed the web site itself in  How Much Does a Website Cost?. Let’s look now at domain names.

What is a Domain Name?
Domain names represent a unique address, such as www.umpquawebdesign.com. I like to think of a domain name as being like the address on your house. There is only one house with that number on that street in that town. The mailman has to have that unique address to find your home. The domain name is similar; it tells the servers where to find your website.

Suffixes
Domain names have suffixes and we’re seeing more variety as time goes on. The most common is .com, but there are others: .net, .org, .gov, .biz, etc. Since most people automatically assume all websites end in .com, your first choice would logically be .com.

Choosing a Domain Name
Choose a domain name that best describes your business or product. It appears that search engines prefer domains with keywords in them, so brainstorm 5-6 keywords and try different combinations of those words.

In addition, you will want to make your domain name unique, easy to spell, easy to remember, and avoid long names – people won’t want to do a lot of typing. I would also recommend not trying to be cutesy by misspelling a word or using 4 instead of for, for instance. It may be clever, but it’s hard for people to remember. If they can remember your name, they’re more likely to come back to your site over and over again.

Before settling on a name, find out if the name has been taken. There are several places to check this. Some examples are: register.com, namecheap.com, pcnames.com,  and hosting companies, such as godaddy.com and networksolutions.com.

Registering a Domain Name
Your domain name can be registered at the same place that hosts your site, but it doesn’t have to be. The hosting company may offer a free or reduced price on the domain name if you purchase hosting with them, so you will want to check your options. 

Cost of a Domain Name
Domain names are fairly inexpensive, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-$15 per year. Some registrars charge more than others, some suffixes are more expensive than others, and some registrars, as already mentioned, offer free domain names with a plan.

One of the first questions people ask when considering hiring a web designer to create a website for them is how much will it cost? I wish there was a simple answer to that seemingly simple question. A vague answer can come across as dishonesty.

There are so many variables when developing a website. An informational site is mostly text and doesn’t take a great deal of time. But a site with a shopping cart or a photo gallery takes considerably longer and requires more expertise. Since every site has different requirements, it’s understandable that a flat rate cannot be given for every website.

Web designers have different ways to charge for their services. Some designers charge by the hour, some by the project, and some per page.

Hourly rates vary tremendously depending on location, experience, and abilities of the designer. If an hourly rate is quoted, it’s important to find out how many hours the project will take.

If a project price is quoted, it’s important to make sure all the requirements of the website are listed and in writing before the project begins.

Per page rates are usually for static sites that do not require a lot of custom features. Designers with less experience tend to charge a per page rate.

If you are considering hiring Umpqua Web Design to develop a website for you, please understand that we want to give you the most accurate quote we can. To do that, we need to know what your site requires.

The most important reason to have a website is to connect with people beyond your physical location.

Brick and mortar businesses are limited by the distance people are willing to travel. But an online business is open to the world.

Brick and mortar businesses are also limited by the hours it is open. An online business is open 24/7. Customers can shop or read while the physical business is closed.

As technology advances, potential customers or clients are turning increasingly to the internet to find what they need. They are more likely to go to the internet than they are to go to the phone book. Come to think of it, as more people are replacing their land lines with cell phones, do they even have a phone book in their possession?

Locally, a web presence is important because potential customers or clients can go to your website to find your hours of operation, your phone number, and your address.

A website is an essential tool for marketing your business because you can inform, educate, or sell products and services locally, nationally, and  globally. You can stay in touch with your customers or clients in so many more ways than you can without a website. Newsletters, surveys, blogs, and emails are all ways to maintain customer relations.

Today’s shopper (whether for products or services) assumes you have a website and they are searching for what you have. Your competition most likely has a website already and if you don’t have a web presence, they are very likely to get some of your business.

A web presence is important for answering questions people commonly have, for imparting knowledge and creating credibility.

Having a website for your business is essential. Why not contact Umpqua Web Design today and get started today?