This chapter is intended for people new to web hosting. If this is your
first time creating a website, start here.
Taking your business online has the following benefits:
- Makes it easy for customers to find your business.
- Advertises your business and provides important information.
- Acts as a convenient feedback form.
There are a number of ways you can present your company on the Web. Web
presence may be as simple as a contacts page, or as complex as a large
company website with access to an ERP system. Getting your business
online is as easy as following these three steps:
- Register a domain name.
- Purchase web hosting from a hosting provider.
- Create your website.
These steps are explained in more detail below.
Registering a Domain Name
Think of the domain name as your business’ address. Your customers will
use it to find you online, so make sure that it is a good one. The best
domain names are short, easy to type, and easy to remember. An example
of a domain name is www.example.com. Registering a domain name can be
done through one of the many organizations called domain registrars.
Your hosting provider will usually be able to assist you in registering
a domain name as well. Web hosting services are often bundled with
domain name registration offers, and vice versa.
Note: When registering a domain name through a hosting provider, make sure
that it is registered in your name. Otherwise, you may have trouble
if you decide to change your hosting provider in the future.
Purchasing a Customer Account from a Hosting Provider
Purchasing a customer account is much like leasing business premises -
it is the space and infrastructure that will house your website. It
includes Internet connectivity, disk space to store your website
content, and so on. For more information about customer accounts in
Plesk, refer to the Customer Account Administration chapter.
Creating Your Website
There are three ways to create the content for your website. Each has
its advantages and disadvantages. Here is a short summary of all three:
-
Use Presence Builder. The Presence Builder tool that comes
bundled with Plesk allows you to create websites using a web
interface. You can use one of the provided templates to create a
professional-looking website in a matter of minutes. -
Use a Content Management System. Content Management Systems (CMS
for short)…