Website - Where to start??

[TNKM]

Hi,

I am totally new to IT, when it comes to do anything except surfing the net and normal office computer use.

I'm thinking of starting a discount website but have absolutley no idea where to start on the IT side.
Can someone please give me a list of things I need to think of/ people I need to contact etc, before I can take my idea further, like e.g. web host, offsite server provider, domain name etc.
What is step 1, 2 etc, on the IT side???

To make it simple, all I basically know is that I need a webdesigner to design and build my website (am looking for one) and a domain name.

Apologise for my ignorance but I guess this is a good place to start gathering information.

Also, I know this is a big question.

Regards
TNKM

 

[Faevilangel]

Web hosting & Domain name links in my Sig (affiliate links).

For your website, depends on what exactly you want the site to do, you're probably looking at a php site to update the site automatically.

Happy to have a chat about your website needs.

 

[Hinakhan]

I think you should visit wordpress and u can get a hansome website in few hours and colourful themes, simple applications and pulgins really help and you can purchase personal domain and decent hosting from wordpress also
hope u get some benefit from this

 

[thetime22]

A discount website like groupon?

 

[CompitSystems]

What kind of Discount website are you looking to build? something like need to be carefully though over as a business case before you would get some one to work on the project, you do need some professionals to help with the design, process flow and advice on the development, if such product is built with your marketing idea in line can be very sucessful.

Grupon is slowing down( my opinion only) !!

If you need any advice reagrds to building a project file and site design and development do give me a shout.

All the best.

Lohith

 

[sjr4x4]

To make it simple, all I basically know is that I need a webdesigner to design and build my website (am looking for one) and a domain name.

Apologise for my ignorance but I guess this is a good place to start gathering information.

I'm afraid you will be now bombarded with a multitude of website design bids.

Take a step back. Did you wake up this morning and decide you were going to set up a discount website from scratch?

Or is this the end stage of your market research, you've analyzed all your likely competition, have an idea of how you will generate traffic, thought about marketing, and worked out and broken down a budget.

If it's at the end of the research, then you will already have an idea of the type of site you want, mainly from the competitors you have been looking at.

It will be mainly down to your budget. If you want a bespoke all singing all dancing, then it will be expensive. Or you can have an off the shelf rent a site with built in shopping cart for peanuts.

Plan it all out, you don't need to know about IT, but you do need to understand exactly what your requirements are, ie ongoing support etc.

When you're happy and you have a plan, then tout on the forums for some recommendations, but don't rush into anything. Online businesses can take years before you get a decent ROI.

The more time you spend now, the more money you will save later

 

[Deleted member 106442]

Whatever you do, do not accept excuses from Software / Website suppliers.

As a Software Engineer / Project Manager for years, I am appauled at some stories I hear from people about their Software solution providers, and how poorly people can work on things, when I know full well how easy it is to do it right.

Some useful website related facts to save getting stung:

If it is designed well, getting cross browser support for at least IE7+, FF, Opera Chrome, Safari and most mobile browsers - is simple!
I would suggest changing designer if it is suggested to the contrary. I would even include Ie6 in that as well, as it's quite simple to accommodate.

Don't believe that it should be designed with one browser in mind, and especially don't believe when you are told that one browser is "perfect".

The same applies to W3C compliance.

Implementing payment processing is not a major job, it is very simple now compared t how it was a year ago, which in-turn was very simple compared to 10 years ago.

Invest wisely in your domain names and manage them carefully, if you lose them through not renewing them - it can harm your and reputation. Many cases of people who left that to third parties and the third party didn't notify them, and the domain was lost to a parking company who wanted lots for it.

Plan things how you want them, advice should be forthcoming from suppliers, and should be taken in by you and considered carefully. Forums such as this can be used to bounce ideas off other people, as well as using your friends and families - people who are detached from the whole situation often hold the key to what you want to hear.

 

[TNKM]

Thank you for all replies it is much appreciated.

Yes, had something like groupon in mind.

I apologise if I don't respond to everyone in private however it does not mean that I am not thankful for your replies.

 

[ibz75]

Discount website?

Unless its going to be a niche site with a memorable/keyword domain, you're already a few years too late.

My advise would be to look at a few 'premium' WordPress themes with a built-in shopping cart. The cost could be anywhere between $50 - $100. I would rather loose $100 on an unproven idea than £1000 on an all singing/dancing website which gets no visitors/conversions.

If you can achieve the traffic with a less expensive site, then you can always invest in a new site.

Hope it works out.

 

[ibz75]

Thank you for all replies it is much appreciated.

Yes, had something like groupon in mind.

I apologise if I don't respond to everyone in private however it does not mean that I am not thankful for your replies.

There are plenty of existing and developing Wordpress 'coupon' themes which might work well (just search on Google). Groupon clones are already being developed.

 

[tony84]

I really wouldnt want to put anyone off their dreams but if you know little about IT then you may well find this a difficult process.
That being said, you will need a designer. There are good and bad ones, i would go off a recomendation or take a look and see who has been active on these forums for a while - that normally shows people are happy to show their faces in the same place for a long time.

I would recommend purchasing a domain off namecheap.com - it is about £2 more expensive than the cheapest but you get support (which you will probably need) and an easy to use control panel.
Webhosting i would recommend webhost.uk.net their service is fantastic ive got hold of people all times of the day and night.

If you have a designer doing the work, read up on SEO (search engine optimasation) your host will know bits about it, this is what you will need to do unless your throwing money at it and pay someone to do it.

As for discounts, promote it on here, im sure you will get people happy to sign up. Take a look at other voucher sites i dont think you will get large companies wanting to sign up until you are getting significant amounts of traffic/hits (i would hazard a guess at about 10,000+ if not a lot more).

Good luck and ask questions on here, there is a wealth of knowledge that people are happy to share.

 

2 words - MARKET RESEARCH.

IMO the discount sites ship has sailed.

 

[cambridgegadgetguru]

i can do blogger or wordpress websites, if you need help contact me im not sure if im allowed to mention my websites name yet as im new here

 

[TNKM]

Big thank you to everyone! All comments, suggestions and advice is very much appreciated.

Apologies for not responding personally to everyone... but that would be a full time job in itself!

 

[eventdomain]

Yup - the discount site thing has been done. It began with Vouchercodes, then MyVouchercodes and ended with Wowvouchercodes.co.uk.

Groupon only succeeded bcos they attacked the 'group discount' theme and specialised rather than copied the others.

Anyone coming into this market now will get their ass handed to them.

 

[Paul Norman]

Based on your opening post, I strongly do not recommend you try to build a website yourself. You will absolutely not get the best outcome.

First, forget about the technical things that you do not know, and write down the specifications your business requires to work. Think of functionality, brand, customer experience, product. Be precise, and think it through very clearly.

Then approach website building companies, and select one who really understands what you are trying to achieve. Get them to cost it precisely, and to set out how they will achieve your aims. When you have confidence they have understood, and that the price is one you can manage, and the timescales are acceptable to you, you can proceed.

 

[samuelarnold]

There's no magic formula. Sites won't automatically move up the ranks. Some stay, and some fail and fall.

The best thing you can do is put the word out. Get your site mentioned everywhere you can, and try and get some interest going.

You might get some benefit putting your ebook on places like amazon as well, if feasible.

 

[TNKM]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all replies they have all been helpful and very much appreciated.

Please note this thread is now closed.

Regards,
TNKM

 

[danieljames123]

I want to know about discount web site.
Please tell me

 

[newwavecreativemedia]

Hey there

Before you even start to think about how to get on the internet or get a website. You need to try an understand a few basics.

Start by looking at whether there is a need for what you are selling - with regards to the propositions your customers are looking for.

Can you identify a niche in the market?

What / who is your competition?

If there are already a thousand companies selling what you do it could be very hard to break into the market (however not impossible).

I would recommend spending a bit of time with someone who can help you defining your business and what you can offer. Then to do some keyword research to understand what people are really searching for. What propositions are they looking for rather than just "discount store".

Once you feel there is adequate scope to make a business of your website then you could start talking about graphic design and content, again you should be looking for someone who can design and write for a site so it will make sales (not just looks good)

There are certain behaviors of web users that should be considered when designing a site, for example people do not read websites they skim read until they find something that interests them so content should be writen to accomodate this. This is to do with understanding usability and the behaviors of web visitors. Something just to bare in mind when selecting who to work with.

If you remember one thing about your website please remember - people will not visit to "look" at your website design, they are looking for the information that is contained within it, that includes pictures images, and the writen content.

The design is just to reinforce your business brand and the getability of the where the visitor is.

Anyway enough from me.

I wish you the very best of luck, and if you open to any advice please drop me a line.