Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is a domain name?
A domain name is your address on the internet. All internet services such as mail, web and ftp make use of your domain so you can be found on the internet. Domain names usually look like mybusiness.com.au. The domain name also denotes the type of organisation and the geographical location. .gov means government agencies, .org non-profit organisations, .net for network services, and .com for companies and businesses. The .au means that the company is probably in Australia, other examples are .nz for New Zealand, .uk for the United Kingdom, and .cn for China. If there is no country code then the site is probably global or in the United States.
Can I have any domain name?
When selecting a domain name for your business you need to choose carefully as this is how people will find you on the internet. There are some restrictions on the types of domain names which are available depending on the type of business you operate. You can choose any .com domain name, provided that it is still available. With .com.au domain names, these need to match or be derived from a registered trading name.
Will my domain name last forever?
No, all domain names will expire if they are not regularly renewed. Depending on the type of domain name, the registration period will be for different. .com.au domain names typically need to be renewed every two years. It is important you are aware of when your domain name is due to expire and that it is renewed before this date. If a domain name expires it can become available for someone else to register, and if this happens, it can be impossible to retrieve! Also be aware of various registries selling you domain renewal, there are numerous scams which pretend to be from your internet registrar and want you to renew through them. Remember who you registered your domain with and how long for.
Can I use my domain name for more than just a website?
A domain can be used for any internet service. The two most common ones are websites and email. Websites are generally prefixed by www before the domain. E.g. www.mybusiness.com.au. Email addresses also use your domain. name@mybusiness.com.au is an example of an email address. The same domain can and SHOULD be used for your website and email addresses.
I have more than one employee, can they each have their own email address?
Definitely! Giving each employee their own email address gives them the ability of communicating directly with your customers without having to use a shared email address. This adds a professional touch to your business. Theoretically you can have as many email addresses on your domain. Some domains have millions! In practice you want to assign an email address to every employee who needs one. If you have more than about 20 employees you should consider having your own email server. Talk to us about how to set this up.
Web Applications
What is a web application?
A typical website is made up of text and photos, static information is presented and no ability for any interaction. A web application allows the user of your website to interact with it. Different applications perform different tasks. An example of a web application may ask a user to provide details for later use. Some provide total business solutions. Today, web applications can be as powerful as any other computer software just that they integrate into your website.
Do I need to know how to program to use a web application?
Using a web application should be as simple as using any well designed piece of computer software like a word processor. Your web designer will help you integrate a web application into your website so your customers can get the full benefit of your new service while still experiencing the same look and feel of your site.
I bought a web application, where is my disk?
There is no disk, there is nothing to install on your computer. Web applications are online services where the program is stored on a web server. To use a web application, you simply use your web browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox. Generally web applications give you a management console to control back end operations like changing products and pricing and viewing bookings.
I want more then one web application; do my customers need to log into both separately?
It depends! If different web applications come from different companies then it is likely that your customers will need to remember a username and password for each one. All web applications from WebVantage are integrated and thus your customers only need to remember one. Extra services can be added later when needed and they too will be integrated into the one system. We call this advantage the WebVantage Matrix.
Hosting
What is a web server?
A web server is a computer designed especially to host web sites. A web server is designed so that many people can access your website at the same time. A web server is always on so that your site is accessible 24 hours a day via a very fast internet connection.
What is hosting and why do I need it?
Website hosting provides a "home" for your website. Hosting costs provide for the maintenance of the web server where your website is housed.
I have an internet connection; can't I use that for hosting?
A typical internet connection is not designed to allow you to run an effective web server. It is not fast enough to allow multiple people to access your resources. Your router or firewall will typically hide the real addresses of your computers so no one can hack them, this would also stop your website from being accessible.
Search Engines
I have a new website, why can't I find it in Google?
Google, and other search engines, will eventually find your site. This process is called indexing. Different search engines will index your site at different times. After a couple of weeks you site should be visible on the search engines.
Why aren't I at the top of the search results?
The order in which pages are displayed in search engines is based on your pages ranking. The search engine will assign your pages ranking based on a number of factors like how long your site has been online and unique content, so don't worry if you don't see your page at the top of the list right away. Getting to the top of the search results is extremely competitive so talk to us about how you can improve your page ranking.
What are sponsored links? How do I use them?
These are links where you can pay to get the top spot. Generally you can nominate the keywords which you want your pages link to appear for. This means that if anyone searches for any of these keywords your link will be displayed. You can then 'pledge' an amount of money per click. The company who pledges the most per click appears at the top of the list. Talk to us about managing your cost per click campaigns. These can be lucrative if managed correctly but costly if you select poorly.
What is "Search engine friendly"?
Search engines use computer programs to analyse the content of your site. Making your page search engine friendly means anticipating how these search engines operate and designing your site so its entire content can be read and analysed. The more search engine friendly your site is, the greater your page ranking. WebVantage has a range of search engine optimisation services which can help you maximise your sites exposure on the search engines.