This page of Frequently Asked Questions
(and answers) should help you get started if you have
a question. If you would like to discus anything here
further, or if your question is not answered here, please
feel free to contact us! Most support requests are answered
withing a few hours. We're here to help - so just let
us know how we can!
Hosting
Why do I need a host?
Aren't there "free
hosts"?
How much does a host cost?
Does it matter what kind
of host I use?
Can you host my web site
for me?
Search Engines
Will you register my new
web site with the search engines?
Once my web site is registered
with the search engines, will
everybody be able to find it?
Do you have to keep reregistering
with search engines?
What are "meta tags"
and "keywords"?
Domain Names
How do I get www.MyOwnName.com?
Will you register my domain
name for me?
Do I have to have my own
domain name?
How much does it cost
to register a domain name?
Miscellaneous
How do I get one of those
little icons next to the URL in the address bar?
Your web site consists of a set
of computer files. In order for people to view those files,
from anywhere in the world, at any time of day, they must
be placed on a computer that is on 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. This computer is called the "host".
Hosting companies rent space on
their computers for you to store your web site files,
so that they may be viewed at any time.
| Aren't
there "free hosts"?? |
|
There are free hosts. For
some types of sites, these free hosts are a workable solution.
The largest drawback to using a "free host"
is that they generally place advertising on your website,
in exchange for the free hosting. If you don't mind advertisements
and pop-up ads on your web site, a free host may work
well for you. Other considerations when using a free host
are:
- You probably won't
be able to use your own Domain name (www.YourName.com).
- Free hosts usually don't support advanced web
development applications.
If you aren't sure if your web site
will require specific server/host technology, just ask
us!
| How
much does a host cost? |
|
Fees
for hosting vary widely, depending on how much space you
need, and what technology you need the host to be capable
of. In general, most hosting plans cost about $240/year.
If Kaleidoscope Webs develops or maintains your
website, we will host your site for as little as $149/year,
including registration of your domain name. For more details,
please see our Hosting Packages.
| Does
it matter what kind of host I use? |
|
If your web site is developed
with advanced technologies, it may require certain features
be installed on the host computer. If the web site we
develop for you has such features, we will be sure to
let you know of any special hosting requirements that
you should consider.
| What
if I don't host with Kaleidoscope Webs? |
|
No problem! We would still be
happy to set up a host for your new site. We will discuss
all of the requirements that your host should have, and
propose a solution to you. We will get your full approval
before we contract any hosting service on your behalf.
We will usually pay the initial setup fees to the host,
to complete the setup, and will bill you for the exact
cost directly. After that, the hosting company will bill
you directly for further installments.
| How
do I get one of those little icons next to the URL
in the address bar? |
|
Those little icon are called Favicons.
Favicons are special graphic image files that display
ONLY on computers using Internet Explorer. Favicons are
a great way to brand your logo, but they can be unpredictable.
Here are a few things to know:
- The Favicon will only display
once the page has been bookmarked.
- If the page has already been bookmarked
on your computer, it can be tricky to get the Favicon
to display.
- Even if *you* don’t see the
Favicon, there is a good chance that many of your
visitors who bookmark the page will.
- We will design and install a
custom Favicon on any site that we develop at no additional
charge.
| Will
you register my new web site with the search engines? |
|
Yes. We will register your web
site with the top 25 search engines as part of our standard
web development package.
| Once
my web site is registered with the search engines,
will everybody be able to find it? |
|
Not necessarily. Search engines
are tricky. Simply submitting your site to the search
engines does not guarantee that they will be added. Beyond
that, once your site is added, it will not necessarily
come up on a search for that product name right away -
or (worst case) ever! Most search engines look for sites
based on popularity. Until your site is a popular choice
from a search, it will not usually be "found"
often by search engine. It's a *great* idea to list your
site with the search engines, and to include keywords
in the code for your page. However, you should not rely
solely on search engines to publicize your site.
| Do
I have to keep re-registering my web site with search
engines? |
|
Not necessarily. Search engines
are tricky. Simply submitting your site to the search
engines does not guarantee that they will be added. Beyond
that, once your site is added, it will not necessarily
come up on a search for that product name right away -
or (worst case) ever! Most search engines look for sites
based on popularity. Until your site is a popular choice
from a search, it will not usually be "found"
often by search engine. It's a *great* idea to list your
site with the search engines, and to include keywords
in the code for your page. However, you should not rely
solely on search engines to publicize your site.
| What
are "meta tags" and "keywords"? |
|
"Meta tags" and "keywords"
are hidden text that should be programmed into all of
your web page that search engines use to find your web
site. When the search engine "robot" looks at
your page, it checks your meta tags and key words against
the search criteria that the "searcher" requested,
to see if your site matches a search. If it does, it will
show your web site on the searcher's results page.
| How
do I get www.MyOwnName.com? |
|
Domain names (www.YourName.com)
must be registered with Internic, the governing body for
Domain name registration. There are many companies that
provide Domain name registration services. All you need
to do is provide the registration company with some basic
information, and pay the appropriate fees, and they will
register your domain name.
| Will
you register my domain name for me? |
|
Absolutely. If you prefer that
we hand all of the details, we will register your domain
name for you at no additional charge. Also remember that
if you host your site with Kaleidoscope Webs, we will
register your domain name for free!
Otherwise, you should provide us
with the exact name that you would like to register,
and the length of time that you want to register the
name for (i.e. 2 years, 5 years, etc.). We will find
the least expensive registration service for your name
choice, and bill you only the exact fees charged by
the company for registering your domain name.
| Do
I have to have my own domain name? |
|
No. If you use a free host, your
domain name is often a combination of the service name
and your user name. For example, a site hosted at GeoCities
might be "www.geocities.com/username/".
For most business and professional
web sites, it is highly recommended to obtain your own
domain name. Using your own domain name lends a professional
touch to your web site, and makes your business appear
more organized and official to your visitors.
| How
much does it cost to register a domain name? |
|
Domain name registration fees
are payable on an annual basis. The yearly fee for keeping
your name registered is from $10-32.00, depending on
the name you select and the company that you use to
register it. These fees are paid to Internic, the governing
body of domain name registrations.
Also remember that if you host
your site with Kaleidoscope Webs, we will register your
domain name for free!
|
