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FAQs

1.Why do I need a Web site?

• Why Publishers Need Web Sites
• Why Nonprofits Need Web Sites
  

2. Why do I need a professional to develop my Web site?

Simply put, expertise. Web developers and Internet marketing specialists can create Web sites that differentiate you from your competitors, reflect your business image, and help you achieve your business goals. And they know how to market and promote your Web site online. So, if you want a Web site that gets noticed and looks like professionals developed it, you must hire professionals.

3. What‘s Web hosting?

To host a Web site online, you need a Web server. And unless you own one (which is extremely costly and impractical), you need a Web hosting company to provide you with the technical resources necessary to host your Web site online. Hosting companies own space on the Internet, and they rent it out to their customers. So when you purchase hosting, you’re really renting a “home” on the Internet. Just as an apartment landlord would be responsible for maintaining an apartment building, a hosting company manages the maintenance requirements of the Web server that hosts your Web site.

4. What’s a domain name?

Just as you have a mailing address for your home and business, a domain name is your address on the Web. The format for a domain name is www.yourcompany.com. The “Your company” is the unique name that you will assign as your domain name. The most common ending for businesses is .com. Another common ending is .net. For organizations, .org is the convention.

5. Why do I need a domain name?

With a domain you can:

1. Enhance your company image: People often perceive businesses and organizations that have their own domain names as more established, credible, and professional than businesses and organizations that host their Web site on other domains.

2. Help people find you: A company’s Web address is usually intuitive and memorable to its customers. For example, a person who wants to visit the Pepsi Web site would probably assume that the domain name is www.pepsi.com, without knowing it offhand.

3. Take your Web address wherever you go: Your domain name is yours, as long as you pay your renewal fees. So it doesn’t matter if you choose a new company to host your Web site—your domain name will remain the same.

4. Be accessible to search engines: Businesses and organizations with their own domain names are typically ranked higher in search engine results.

6. Are there any guidelines for creating domain names effectively?

There sure are. For some general rules, read our Tips for Choosing Domain Names.

7. How do I get a domain name and hosting?

All our Web Site Package Plans include domain registration and hosting.

8. What if I already have a domain name and hosting service? Can Mission Uplift still develop my Web site?

Yes. We’ll work with you to ensure that your hosting plan is compatible with the services you seek from us.

9. How do people hear about Web sites?

People generally hear about Web sites via:

• Search engines
• Search directories
• Promotional literature
• Online/offline advertising
• Word-of-mouth
• Links on other Web sites

10. How do people find Web sites when they're using the Internet?

• Search directories (such as Yahoo.com)
• Search engines (such as Google.com)
• Links on other Web sites
• Online advertisements

Since Internet users find most Web sites through search engines (and search directories), it’s best for your Web site to be listed in the top 1-20 results of major search engines. This way, Internet users will more easily notice and find your Web site. But achieving this high ranking in search engine results isn't easy. You site must be designed in a way that's tailored to different search engines. And that's why Internet marketing specialists are best equipped to handle your online promotion needs.

11. What is e-commerce?

Simply put, e-commerce is the process of selling your products online. To sell your products online, you need e-commerce applications for your Web site. And you must have a hosting plan that supports e-commerce.

12. How do I promote my Web site?

Before you begin promoting your Web site, it must be well-designed and user-friendly. Also, it must include valuable content. People are unlikely to visit or revisit your Web site otherwise.

Once these components are in place, you can promote your Web site by using the following strategies:

• Search engines
• Search directories
• Links on other Web sites
• Online & offline advertising
• Marketing & promotional materials
• Word-of-mouth
• Mailing lists & newsgroups
• Web site features that encourage repeat traffic (e.g. mailing list, newsletters, updated news and event calendars, press releases, online polls, forums, word-of-mouth marketing features, etc.)
• E-mail signatures

At Mission Uplift, we will work with you to devise an online promotion strategy that complements your overall business goals. Check out our Internet Marketing Services and our Web Site Package Plans to learn how we can help you market and promote your Web site.

13. How can I track and evaluate traffic to my Web site?

If you purchase hosting from us, we will provide you with a quarterly summary of your Web site’s statistics. The summary report will reveal:

• Your Web site’s most frequented pages
• The Web pages, search directories, and search engines visitors use to enter your Web site
• The geographic area your visitors come from
• The keywords visitors use to find your Web site via search engines
• And much more.

The report will also include a list of statistical implications and marketing suggestions that will help you evaluate and modify your online marketing strategy accordingly.

Additional ways to analyze your Web site’s usage include:

• User interviews
• Focus groups
• Online and offline surveys
• User feedback
• Observation

We’ll work with you to ensure that your Web site achieves your usage and business objectives.

NOTE: If you do not purchase hosting from us, you will need to let us know if and how we can access your Web site statistics.

14. How do I get started?

1. Read our FAQs.

2. Brainstorm your Web Site vision: Contemplate how a Web site can help you achieve your business goals. Start by asking yourself:

• Why do you want a Web site?
• What primary and secondary purposes will your Web site serve?
• Who do you want your Web site to serve?
• What Web site features would help you achieve your business goals and would fulfill the primary purpose you have defined for your Web site?
• What content would you like to include on your Web site?
• What actions (i.e. buy products, subscribe to a mailing list, etc.) do you want people to perform via your Web site?
• Once your Web site is developed, how can you evaluate its success?

3. Generate potential domain names for your Web site: Be sure to read our Tips for Choosing Domain Names, and to check the availability of your domain name ideas.

4. Contact Us: Call us, or fill out our Consultation Request Form. During a phone, e-mail correspondence, or in-person consultation, we'll discuss your ideas and devise a plan for bringing them to life.

15. How long will it take you to develop my Web site?

Completion time depends on both the project's complexity and on the client. We work with you to establish deadlines for your projects, and we make every attempt to complete your project on time.

16. What are your payment terms?

• 50% up front
• 30% after the mockup design has been approved
• 20% when the Web site is completed and launched.

17. How do I manage my customers' security concerns?

In general, your Web site should include:

• A security policy: E-commerce Web sites should be protected via the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol. Visit Verisign for more information.
  
  
• Privacy Policy: If you collect any data from users on your Web site (e.g. e-mail addresses, phone numbers etc.), you should include a privacy policy on your Web site that states:
  
  • All the information your Web site collects from users
  • How you use the information you collect from users
    
    
• For guidance on crafting a privacy policy, read the TRUST e Model Privacy Statement.

18. How do I maintain my Web site?

We will maintain your Web site. We can also design applications that will help you maintain your Web site.