Resources
Supplementary class materials
“Establish Your Web Presence”
This web page provides additional information and resources for students of "Cashing In Through a Web Presence", offered through the Arlington Adult Education program and Capital PC User Group.
Registering and managing domain names
There are many registrars to choose from. Here are two to consider. Note that I consider it vital that your domain be registered with a company other than your web-hosting provider — this will help ensure that, in the event of a dispute or business failure, your domain name does not get held hostage or fall into limbo. (It's a good idea to check on-line reviews of registrars before comitting to one.)
- Network Solutions — a safe choice, but pricey
- DomainSite.com — a lower-cost alternative
- RegSelect — comparison shop for domain registrars
- The Effective Strategy For Choosing Right Domain Names
- 7 Tips When Registering a Domain
- What Does It Mean to Park a Domain Name?
- How to Point a Domain Name to Your Website
- "whois" lookup — see the registration details on any domain
- Apps For Finding Creative Domain Names — these may help you decide what domain(s) to register
Comparisons of web hosting providers
There are so many web hosting providers! Find the one that has the features you need at the price you want — but make sure the service and reliability will be good enough for your business.
- TopHosts.com
- HostCompare.com
- Hosting-Comparison.com
- UpperHost.com
- WebHostingRatings.com
- Lifehacker's list of reliable and affordable web hosts
- The Best Web Hosting Services
Sources for web page templates
Use these templates as a starting point for building your web site — or at least to get some ideas about how you might want the site to look.
Blogging
Blogs are an easy way of adding content to a site and of establishing your expertise in your area. And you can get your blog hosted for free.
- WordPress
- Blogger
- "The Tangible Benefits of Blogging" (white paper)
- Twitter Demystified for Business Users (white paper on microblogging)
E-mail marketing
- MailChimp resources: free e-mail marketing guide, templates
- Design and Build Email Newsletters Without Losing Your Mind (and Soul)
- Free High-Quality HTML Email Templates
Miscellaneous information
- Submit your site to Google for possible inclusion in their search index
- Also submit your site to Google Places for Business
- Submit your site to Bing for possible inclusion in their search index
- Add your business to Yelp
- Create a page for your business at Facebook
- Add your business to Pinterest
- What's the Difference Between a Content Management System (CMS), a Blog, a Web Editor and an Online Site Builder?
- Taking Credit Card Payments Online: What’s Involved?
- Build a Small Business Website — free short course via e-mail newsletters
- The Beginner's A-Z Guide to Starting/Creating Your Own Website
- Microsoft Office Live Small Business articles & tips
- "Build a Website That Sells" — free e-book with lots of additional references
- "11 Steps to Create a Successful Web Site" — another free e-book with lots of additional references
- "5 Steps to a Successful eCommerce Web Site" — yet another free e-book
- "5 Steps to Successful E-Mail Marketing" — and still another free e-book
- "3 Steps to Search Engine Marketing Success" — and still another free e-book
- Tips for an Effective "Contact Us" Page
- 10 things customers want on a small-business Web site
- Search Engine Optimization Made Easy
- 9 Steps To A Happy Relationship With Your Hosting Provider
- The Web Book — free e-book in case you want to get your hands dirty in building your own site