First major cock up alert.
U.M. will be so pleased with me as i cocked up ALL on my own without help or guidance from ANYONE!
After much deliberation and late night trawling and comparing of diy web site sites, I finally decided to use a UK based company.
Purchased my .net domain off them, and applied for what i thought was the diy package and hosting.
Tried to gain access to the web building programme, but couldn't find it.
After an hour of struggling through pages of options and stuff, I finally resorted to ringing their help desk.
I'd only gone and purchased one of the host only packages.
Too much choice and options blinded me I suspect, 'kin duffer.
I've now cancelled this, and will get all my money back when their accounts dept opens up again on monday morning, and will then be able to purchase the pack i need.
Well impressed with the help desk though. Dead sympathetic and helpful, AND they answered the phone quickly.
Growlers very simple and basic web site will be up and running on monday evening.
A host only site is not so much of a problem as you think.
You can shop around for free (unlikey for a business site) or cut priced web servers anywhere in the world.
Once space is secured, you can 'point' your web address to the new host site and display it there. People will not even know it has been diverted.
Cost is usually minimal for the first page and then rises as your business demands more details and crucially more bandwidth to cope with more demand, but as that is a sign of increasing company earnings it shouldn't bother you.
Keep a small simple web page to start with and let demand point the way to expansion and improvements, Much more sensible than an expensive and complicated site that has the potential to confound customers.
The essential stuff on a basic page is, a brief description of what you are offering, how to find you, an indication of how much it will cost them, and contact details - name and address, phone, fax and e-mail address.
A picture or two to illustrate the essence of it all to those that can't cope with text is good but everything else is optional.
Your web page is there to open lines of communication and information but not for entertainment. First you need to promote awareness of the existance of your site and then once they have found it, give them the basic facts before they get bored. The average web surfer these days will quit looking for information and move on in less than 30 seconds if the page is too complicated to read or to heavy in graphics to load quickly.
Your home page must load on any browser by any connecting method (remember dial-up still exists) in less that 15 seconds, if lots of pictures prove necessary, then they can be in sub-pages where people will look if they are interested enough, They won't stick around to be interested in the first place if it doesn't open to start with.
Remember the importance of POP/SMTP mailboxes mentioned earlier.