Some Suggestions
Considering a website for your stable, business, hobby, or whatever? It can be confusing and daunting.
Here are some suggestions based on more than a decade of good and bad experiences.
Register a domain
A domain name is the name which allows access to a website, such as our IronEquine.com. Even if you aren't planning on a website any time soon, consider registering a domain name now. With a good registrar, it costs less than a dollar a month to hang onto a name. It is well worth it.
Tips...
- Check if your preferred domain name is available. [Click to check domain names at 1and1.com]
- If the domain is available, grab it! If it is not, try alternative names. Most sites suggest alternatives.
- Consider registering multiple names. Don't lose customers to MyStableS.com if your site is MyStable.com.
- Domains ending in .com are mainly for businesses and .org for organizations. The new .biz must be for garbage!
- Keep current contact info on file with your registrar. If you don't renew your domain, someone can take it!
Checklist for choosing a registrar...
- Make sure you can transfer your domain to another registrar at any time. A small fee (~$10) often applies).
- Make sure your registrar allows private registration to protect you from SPAM and junk mail.
- Your registrar and hosting company do not have to be the same, but it is convenient if they are.
- Don't pay for more than a year or two in advance. Registration fees are dropping every year.
Hot Tip!
- Good registrars let you to forward email from your domain, even without a website.
You can be joe@joesfinehorses.com instead of jhd34567@somedumbhostname.com.
IronEquine.com is registered with 1and1.com for just $6 per year.
Pick a hosting company
Hosting companies are far from perfect. Search the web and you will hear good and bad experiences for every hosting company. Find a host which works for someone you know, and give them a try.
Tips on choosing a host...
- Get recommendations from someone knowledgable who has hosted a site like yours.
- Read the refund policy of a host before signing up. Good hosts will pro rate a refund at any time.
- Look for a host which allows you to upgrade or downgrade plans, based on your needs.
- If in doubt about a host, sign up for a short period. Ask if you can renew at a lower price after a trial.
- If in doubt, pay with Paypal so the company does not have your credit card info.
- Consider registering domains with your hosting company, so you only get one bill.
Living with your host...
- Be ready to change hosts to maintain service. Even the best companies seem to eventually deteriorate.
- Make sure you always keep your own copy of your site, preferably on CD or DVD, in case you have to change hosts.
IronEquine.com is hosted by 1and1.com for about $3 per month.
Make your site accessible to everyone
The web was created as a cooperative, inclusive place. You don't have to be a big company or wealthy individual to create a good website. You can access the web from anywhere in the world. You can use a PC running Windoze, a Mac, a handheld PC, or a more esoteric computer. You can be deaf or blind, and still use the web.
But all of this only works if every website creator does her or his part to keep it that way.
Ways you can help...
- Use valid html. Html is the language of the web.
When you create a webpage, validate it to make sure you are using the language correctly. - Use valid CSS. Cascading Style Sheets allow you to control the appearance of a site.
When you create a page, validate its CSS so you are using CSS correctly. - Use alternative text for images, so your site may be accessed by the visually impaired.
- Remember that not everyone has high speed internet. Keep images modest in size (provide links to larger versions).
- Don't rely on proprietary (trade secret) web features like 'Flash' for your entire website.
- If you must use 'Flash' animations or similar features, provide a simple alternative version of your site which bypasses them.
- Design your sites to work in all major web browsers, not just IE (which happens to be the buggiest browser around).
More information on these topics should be added here in the future, so please check back.
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