Checklist for Taking Your Business Online

Note: Information for this section provided by DBTECH, INTERNET SERVICES.

Selecting your Domain Name - www.yourcompany.com

Choosing an Internet Service Provider

What is the track record of the ISP?
Do they offer personalized support when you need it?
Choose between a local and national provider. If you are considering a national provider, make sure they have a local access telephone number so you will not have to pay a long-distance call for service. While a local provider should be easier to contact if service difficulties arise, check with other users of the local service to verify the quality and speed of service when needed.
How many email accounts do they provide?
Will software be provided?
Can the Provider offer a complete package to meet your needs?
- Office Network
- Web Hosting & Design
- FTP Services
- Email
Can you get an itemized quote with no hidden charges?
Do they have multiple backbone connections into the Internet? (Ask how much downtime they have had.) Your Provider should have multiple, redundant lines.
What are the setup fees?
How much disk space/bandwidth will you receive? (the more the better)
Will you get reports that tell how many visitors you have, and where they came from, and which pages they came to?
What kind of security do they provide to keep your information safe from hackers?
How fast is their network? A good Provider should keep approximately 50 percent of their lines free in order to handle peak times smoothly.

The minimum pages needed

What "look" should it have?

Clean, uncluttered and easy to navigate throughout the Site
Fast downloading time (which means that you should not have large photos)
Keep the "look" consistent on each page, so that the visitor will know thaj they are still on your site

Promoting your Website

In addition to reliable tech support, does the provider offer marketing support in order to help drive traffic to your Site?
After all, a website is the beginning, not the end of your Internet journey. A professional Provider should be as interested in your success as they are in designing and/or hosting your Site.