A step by step guide to getting started

Getting started

Before you can design and construct a website, you need to put the infrastructure in place. These are the foundations your online business will be built on.

Select all of the following statements that apply. You will receive an explanation as well as recommendations of the specific products or services you will need. These will be added to your online to-do list located in the sidebar.

• I don't have a domain name

  Before you get started, you will need a domain name. This is the URL or web address typed into the address bar to locate a website on the internet; eg. www.yourbusiness.com.au. For most businesses, the domain name reflects their unique business name.

  You can use the domain name search bar in the centre of every page of the Netregistry website to find out if your ideal domain name is available. Once you have decided on a domain name that hasn't already been registered by someone else, you can add it to your order and complete the necessary details for registration.

  For more information on domain names, how they work and how to choose the right one – read The Beginner's Guide to Domain Names.

• I need to get web hosting

  I want a simple website that won't need regular updates or changes

  A basic package, such as Netregistry's Economy Hosting, may meet your needs. This will host what is called a static site, as the content is unchanging. It works simply as an online catalogue and is sometimes referred to as a brochureware website. This package will require customers to contact you by email, phone or fax to order and purchase through traditional means. It is not usually advisable for websites that require updates to products or regularly changes or adds content.

  For more information on web hosting, how it works and how to choose the right package – read The Beginner's Guide to Web Hosting.

  I need a complex website that makes regular updates easy

  You will need a dynamic hosting package such as our Business Hosting service. This type of hosting account uses database and scripting technology on the host server to process the fragments of stored information needed to generate dynamic web pages that can be adapted, changed and allow visitors to interact with them.

  Also, if you wish to update content regularly or need to manage a large number of web pages by yourself, a content management system (CMS) is essential. A CMS provides a simple interface so you can easily edit and create new pages and content with ease.

  For more information on web hosting, how it works and how to choose the right package – read The Beginner's Guide to Web Hosting.

  I want my website to sell products and process payments

  An e-commerce package such as StoreXpress may be the easiest and best value solution. This online store package includes rock-solid web hosting as well as a popular website builder capable of running a professional internet shop. Used by many recognised brands, StoreXpress brings the best of e-commerce technology within reach of everyone.

  You can read more about the website builder elements of StoreXpress in the Design section of this guide.

  For more information on e-commerce web hosting, how it works and how to choose the right package – read The Beginner's Guide to Web Hosting and The Beginner's Guide to E-Commerce.

Building the website

When it comes to building your website or online store, the complexity can seem daunting. Thankfully, technology has developed many cheap and easy ways to get a professional website online in a short space of time and for far less than you think. However, if you would prefer a professional to build your website from your choice of a range of quality templates, Netregistry can do the hard work for you.

• I want to build a website myself

  I want to build a simple website

  If you only need a simple static site, then Netregistry's SiteBuilder can help you to build your own professional website quickly and cheaply by following a simple online wizard. Provided free with Netregistry's Economy and Business web hosting packages, SiteBuilder uses high quality templates and allows you to add, move and edit the content and /images of your website easily.

  For a closer look and to experience how simple SiteBuilder is to use, try out our handy demo.

  I want to build an online store

  Netregistry's StoreXpress service gives you all the tools you need to build a fully featured and professional e-commerce store. Using simple wizards and a detailed interface, you can work with your choice of templates to create exactly the online presence your business needs. With four levels of StoreXpress to suit any size of business, it is easy to find the package right for you. StoreXpress is a fully hosted service.

  Before building an online store, you need to choose a system that allows you to accept credit card payments and process those funds into your bank account. Paypal is a low-cost online payments system that anyone can set up. Alternatively, payment gateways are supported by Australian banks and allow greater flexibility and professionalism. Adding a Netregistry Payment Gateway to your website also provides fee free transactions.

  StoreXpress comes with a shared SSL certificate to ensure the security of all online transactions. However, a dedicated SSL provides this service specific to your domain. Instead of transactions being taken to https://www.4tknox.au.com/yourbusiness.com.au/, everything happens on https://yourbusiness.com.au/ instead, reinforcing your brand.

  For more information on how to build a winning online store, read The Beginner's Guide to E-Commerce.

• I want a professional to build my website

  I want a professionally built simple website

  Many people are happy to build their own sites, but you may not have the time, confidence or resources to do it all yourself. That is why Netregistry offers a complete website service allowing you to relax and feel sure that the final result will meet your expectations.

  Netregistry's Basic Website service can produce professional websites within ten days of receiving your content. You can choose from thousands of different templates and then leave the hard work to us of turning those designs into reality with your own /images and content.

  See the wide range of templates available.

  I want a professionally built complex website with CMS

  Adding a content management system (CMS) to your website can automate many of the processes of administering the web pages and simplify many others. If you want a complex website that allows visitors to interact – adding comments or creating customer profiles, for example – a CMS is essential.

  Netregistry's CMS Website service can build and populate a complete website powered by WordPress, one of the world's most popular and widely used content management systems. Once you have provided your content and chosen a template from the hundreds available, your new website will be built for you by our experienced team.

  For more information and advice – read The Beginner's Guide to Web Design and The Beginner's Guide to Content Management Systems.

  I want a professionally built online store

  You may not have the time to build your online store with StoreXpress or maybe you would prefer outsourcing to the professionals. Netregistry's E-commerce Website service uses the OS Commerce shopping cart system to power your website. Once you have provided your content and chosen a template from the hundreds available, your new website will be built for you by our experienced team. E-commerce Website requires a dynamic hosting service, such as our Business Hosting package.

  Before building an online store, you need to choose a system that allows you to accept credit card payments and process those funds into your bank account. Paypal is a low-cost online payments system that anyone can set up. Alternatively, payment gateways are supported by Australian banks and allow greater flexibility and professionalism. Adding a Netregistry Payment Gateway to your website also provides fee free transactions.

  StoreXpress comes with a shared SSL certificate to ensure the security of all online transactions. However, a dedicated SSL provides this service specific to your domain. Instead of transactions being taken to https://www.4tknox.au.com/yourbusiness.com.au/, everything happens on https://yourbusiness.com.au/ instead, reinforcing your brand.

  For more information on how to build a winning online store, read The Beginner's Guide to E-Commerce.

Attract visitors to your site

Search engines are the Yellow Pages of the web which is why more people are turning to them to find the products and services they need. This is why it is so important to ensure your website appears prominently in these search engines for the most relevant keyword searches, thereby attracting larger amounts of website traffic looking for what you have to offer and ready to buy!

• I want my website to appear in the search engines

  Letting the search engines know you exist is the first step. You can ensure your site is indexed with the major search engines by using our GoLive service.

  Once you can be found in the search engines, the Optimiser Report can identify the most effective keyword phrases used by your target audience and provide recommendations of improvements you can make to your website to appear closer to the top of those search results.

  For more information on search engine marketing, how it works and how you can improve your website's ranking – read The Beginner's Guide to Acquiring Customers.

• I want to multiply my search engine traffic

  Netregistry can guide you through the complex world of search engine optimisation (SEO), with the experience, the tools and the strategies to lift your results higher.

  If you've ever used Google or Yahoo Search, you know that some keyword searches can produce thousands, if not millions of natural results. For your website to get noticed when users search for keywords relevant to you, you need to be one of the first results on page one. A normal user will often find someone offering what they want or an answer to their query within the first page of links, so if your website isn't represented well here, a lot of traffic will never discover your wonderful new website.

  For more information on search engine marketing, how it works and how you can improve your website's ranking – read The Beginner's Guide to Acquiring Customers and The Beginner's Guide to Relevance.

• I want to get search engine visitors quickly

  It is possible to use the sponsored search engine results to achieve an increase in targeted traffic immediately. Sponsored results are the highlighted adverts across the top and down the right column of the natural results.

  These mini-adverts are controlled via Google's AdWords service and respond to keyword phrases, just as natural results do. However, their appearance is governed by how much you are willing to pay for each click. With AdManager, Netregistry has partnered with Google AdWords specialists Hot Goanna. Your consultant can manage a detailed campaign on your behalf, placing adverts where your customers are looking whilst providing cost effective and immediate results. AdManager seeks to extract the maximum number of clicks for your budget.

  For more information on search engine marketing, how it works and how you can improve your website's ranking – read The Beginner's Guide to Acquiring Customers and The Beginner's Guide to Relevance.

Building on your success

Once you have a regular flow of sales, it is time to focus on customer retention for repeat business and honing your existing campaigns to maximise results. By continually working on improvement and exceptional service, you'll acquire more customers who will keep coming back!

• I want to build repeat business and loyal customers

  Email marketing has become the number one method of cultivating ongoing customer relationships and repeat business. By staying in regular contact with interesting content and special offers, you keep your brand at the front of their considerations for the next time they may need to make a purchase.

  Netregistry's Mailroom service has four packages to suit any budget or size of customer base. With simple templates and exceptional administrative tools, you can develop effective email campaigns and monitor the results with pinpoint accuracy.

  To learn more about how to produce a winning email marketing strategy, read our free e-book, The Beginner's Guide to Email Marketing.

• I want to improve my marketing campaigns to convert more customers

  Adverts will generate traffic, but your site needs to convert those visitors into sales. Every time a customer hits the back button, it is a lost sale and a marketing expense. Therefore, if customers are clicking on your adverts, it is essential to bring them to a page that is tailored to their specific enquiry that can help them make a purchase with the minimum of fuss. Netregistry's partnership with Hot Goanna allows us to provide a professional landing page service. We will design specific landing pages for each of your adverts, every one optimised to close more sales on your products by focusing on the specific offer, devoid of distractions.

  You can read more about increasing customer conversions through relevant landing pages in our free e-book, The Beginner's Guide to Relevance.

Let us do the rest!

Simply complete the following form and submit to send your details – including your selections ( view a summary ) – to our online consultants. We will be able to assess your needs and contact you to discuss specific details before producing a detailed no-obligation quote. No fuss, just accurate advice and digital services designed with you in mind.