If you are new to all of this, I can help you understand the basics of what you need to get a website up and online. To have a website requires 3 things:

1. A Domain Name, also known as a URL, this is often your business name followed by "dot com". My domain name is ricecreativeservices.com. I didn't want it to be that long, but everything else with Rice in it was taken! The shorter the domain name, the better. Domain names are not case sensitive, and can't contain most puncuation. Domain names are registered annually or in multiple years.
2. A Hosting Plan. A website is just a folder of files and images that are programmed to display content. So every website needs file space on a server somewhere, and that file space is provided by a hosting company. And they charge money for that file space on the server. Fortunately, I manage all that for you through a company that has been in business since 1998 and hosts over 80 websites for me. Your website is in good hands.
3. A Web Design. You have your domain name and a hosting plan and now I will create the files and images to make your website. I start with your logo, or create one for you if you don't have one, and we work together to organize your thoughts into content that best describes and promotes your business. The cost of that part of the service is determined by the size of your site, and what will go into your content. See my packages for more information.

Why should I have a website?

A website is a cheaper and more flexible way to advertise than print. It's accessible for a longer period of time and the content can be easily and quickly changed and you can reach a wider audience. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't use other types of advertising as well- you can use newspaper, radio and other forms of media to entice people to visit your website.

The Internet is accessible all over the world, which means your website can be viewed by anyone in the world. This is the perfect tool for Walker's tourism industry- the web is the first place people shop for their vacation. And with a website, there's no closing time for your business. No need to turn away customers at the end of the day. And since customers can view your website anytime, they can do it when it is convenient for them, in the privacy and comfort of their home.

Along with that convenience, you can use your website to offer customized customer service. If you are offering tips, advice, and suggestions, you are entertaining your customers and they are going to be able to make a connection with you, and will be more likely to use your services. It's important to create that comfort level with the customer- you want to be approachable.

What should I put on my website?

Your website should reflect and enhance your business type. If you have a serious professional business, or a creative fun product you are selling, then your site should reflect that. Use your website as your salesperson by carefully constructing the content of your website. Less is more- the average person only has an attention span of 8-10 seconds. As a consumer myself, the most important things I want to know are: How can I contact you and how much does it cost?

You can use your website to build confidence in your customers. Share customer testimonials, examples of projects you have done to give your business credibility. Many business types require certifications and licenses which can be displayed on your website. If your company is often in the news, you can offer links to articles that will help your customers get to know and trust you.

Do you offer web statistics?

Yes, website statistics can show how many people are visiting your site, where they are from, and what pages are most visited. You can offer polls and surveys- give them a place to offer suggestions to help improve your company. And since I offer these statistics free with your hosting package, that's some pretty cheap market research!

Why is the word Internet capitalized?

Because it is considered a proper noun.

I already have a domain name and hosting plan, and actually a website. Can you help me manage it?

Yes, I certainly can. Often times clients come to me because they want to improve the look of their site, have me manage the content for them, or boost their ranking in search results. My recommendation is often that I transfer their domain name and hosting plan to my services to better assist them. I also can manage your renewals for you- so that you never have to worry about losing a domain name or having downtime in your hosting plan.

How do search engines work?

When someone is searching for information on the web, they will usually visit a search engine and type in some words describing what they are looking for. The search engine then checks its database and returns the results listing pages that meet the words submitted.

These words used by people searching can be called keywords or search terms. If you have done a search using the search engines, you will know that a single word will generate results that are very broad and frequently irrelevant. To fine-tune your search, you need to use a number of words or a phrase. This often gives you a more relevant search result. Here is an example:

Think about the number of businesses that offer web design. You type "web design" into Google and you get over 324 million results. But that's because those results contain every aspect of web design from the definition of web design, to who does it, how they do it, what software they are using to do it, forums about how they are doing it, the list goes on and on.

So if I narrow my search to "web design services", I'm down to about 300 million websites but that is because I am still looking at the entire world for web designers. Imagine the number of people in the world that offer some sort of web design service. What about "web design services minnesota"? Well, there are about 18 milllion sites out there. And since Minneapolis is the largest city, all the top hits are going to them.

So finally I try to find myself with "web design walker minnesota" and I'm number one on the list! Some of the other listings on that page are some of my clients That is because at the bottom of all my websites, I put "Site Design by Rice Creative Services, LLC", and search engines will categorize any content it finds on sites, including little taglines like that.

So you always have to consider how specifc you are with your search, because it will directly affect your results. That is why it is hard for me to make any guarantees to my clients about where they will appear in search results. But with good content and well-chosen keywords embedded into the code of your website, you can greatly improve your search engine rankings.