Why should I get a website?

1. A Website can showcase your services, enables customers to self-select those that fit them best, and cuts down the time your staff needs to spend on the phone describing your offerings to prospects.
2. Acquire new clients - A website allows your business to expand beyond the geographic borders of your town, city, or country. Potential clients can easily learn about the products or services that your business offers.
3. Serve your clients better - A website can be a resource to better serve your existing clients. For example, you can offer clients frequently updated news and information, provide documents for download, and even take orders or appointments 24 hours per day.

A domain name is the address at which a web site is located on the Internet and is part of the sites branding. Each web site has a unique domain name - the name that visitors type in to the location window of their browser to get to your homepage. All computers that are connected to the Internet have a numeric IP address such as 654.22.34.897. Since mnemonic addresses like mycoolwebsite.com are much easier to remember, we use the Domain Name System (DNS) to translate from the numeric IP address to a mnemonic domain name.

Hosting means providing space on a computer for files that will be accessed by other computers. For example, DreamHost stores the files that make up your web pages, so that your visitors' computers can request the files and show them to people who want to see your site.

A browser, or web browser, is a program that displays web files on your monitor. When you "surf the net," you start by opening a browser window, then pointing the browser at a website. It interprets electronic information from the Internet, which outlines how web pages should be displayed on the computer screen, and allows you control what pages you view.

The URL of the site currently being viewed is displayed in the bar above the window where the web page is displayed.

Information. The Internet is based on the principle that we should be free to publish information. There can be few subjects on the Net, which are not documented but the challenge is finding the exact information you're looking for.

Communication is an obvious Internet use, but consider the quantities of information which companies, governments and various other organisations can articulate on the Net. From a business perspective you can publish unlimited information about your products and your company, and allow consumers to view it free of charge.

Other practical uses for the Internet:

• Searching for jobs, or recruiting personnel.
• Shopping or scanning online brochures.
• Newsgroups - these are online discussion forums on specific subjects.