_________________________________________________ Buyer Beware: Web Hosting, Registration, and Site Building "All in One" Package Nightmares Vishal P. Rao _________________________________________________ Note: If this shows in your browser, simply click "File" in your browser and select "Save As" and make sure that file type is text (.txt) Links in this article do not show as active because this is a text file. Why text (.txt) format? Text files are much easier to download, don't require much disk space, and easier to print. ======================================================== THE CENTER FOR INTERNET MARKETING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION http://bizinfo.manila.ph ======================================================== Hi, This is Ave Ramel, the Coach of the Center for Internet Marketing Research and Education, exponent of internet marketing since 1999. This article was evaluated by your Coach and made available for The Center's archive for new subscribers. After mastering this article, proceed to our Internet Marketing Knowledge Base at http://bizinfo.manila.ph/knowledge-base As a favor, please forward this article to all your friends you want to help and who would like to earn income from the Net. Cheers, Ave Ramel, Coach P.S. Start your home business online with this global opportunity - the world's first instant powdered green iced tea P.P.S. You can do your business in 32 countries using the internet. Proceed now to http://freeonlineschool.manila.ph/resensa ================ YOUR NEXT STEPS: ================ Internet Marketing Services: 1. Get Coached - personalized coaching, at your most convenient time and place Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/coaching 2. Hire A Retainer-Consultant for your corporation or marketing campaigns Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/consultancy 3. Add one profit center to your company minus the overhead costs - your own internet marketing arm. Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/outsourcing Available on the Web: 1. Internet Marketing Knowledge Base - the archive contains selected and annotated articles, lessons, and ebooks, including secrets, tips and tricks, categorized into the following general subjects: - Advertising - Affiliate Programs - Beginner and Web Design - Customer Relations Management - E-mail Marketing - Sales Conversion - Search Engine Marketing - Search Engine Optimization - Strategy and Tactics - Web Promotions This includes The Net Marketing Review (newsletter) containing researches, latest updates, and strategies that are analyzed and tested by The Center. Proceed now and download free stuffs like this article at http://bizinfo.manila.ph/knowledge-base 2. Do-It-Yourself for ... Beginners or Newbies Intermediate Students Advanced Students Professionals Proceed now to http://bizinfo.manila.ph/school 3. Proceed to your Coach's Weblog located at http://aredconsult.blogspot.com and discover secrets, tips, and tricks _________________________________________________ Buyer Beware: Web Hosting, Registration, and Site Building "All in One" Package Nightmares By Vishal P. Rao _________________________________________________ Starting out in any type of online marketing or Internet business can be confusing and overwhelming. There are so many different aspects of a start-up: domain name registration and purchase, Web site host purchasing, and of course, the "building" of the Web site itself. This leaves many consumers looking for an easier way to purchase everything in one place, both to save monëy and to save time. This has led to the rise of "total packages" by many hostīng and Internet development companies, where everything is included: domain-name registration, software for design of a site or an online method of building a site, professional design of the site, and of course, the hostīng. This is quite popular as it whittles down the process of getting a site up and running for many new to the Internet and online marketing. However, with the convenience of Web-hosting packages of this sort, there also can be inconveniences. No road is paved "with gold" and this type of registration, hostīng and design package deal is no exception. There can be problems that surface later on when purchasing a Web design and hostīng package that also includes registration. These problems usually present themselves in the following forms: 1. Once a Web site becomes popular, the hostīng charges may rise exorbitantly, as the "special" that was presented initially can become inapplicable once a certain amount of traffīc or the size of the site changes. This is more of a problem for largër business sites than for smaller business sites or "personal" or "theme" sites. 2. Some "specials" only exist for a limited amount of time, and the charges can rise steadily after that period. 3. A Web site owner may have different needs as time goes on, and the "package" no longer suits the needs of the owner. This can include the inability to change the pages on one's own, or the inability to effectively track traffīc, as some come with traffīc statistics packages. 4. Downtime (when a site is down and can't be viewed) can be significant enough to warrant a change of hosts or domain name registrars. 5. A Web site, registration, and web hostīng package company may go out of business, leaving a client with no way to contact them, and three services to quickly replace. This also leaves a site open to loss of the registered domain name, as well as loss of revenues while the site is "down". 6. A contract may exist which states that the "special" prices are only offered contingent on remaining with a certain company for a specified amount of time (which may be years). 7. The actual "name" of your site may not even be registered to "you" the perceived "owner", but to the hostīng and registrar company that initiated the purchase through the package deal. This how the Web site hostīng, design and registrar packages "save" monëy many times for consumers, as they "buy in bulk", registering hundreds of sites per month. All the above seem simple enough to rectify. Simply "switch" the Web site, hostīng, and domain name registrar to that of other companies. This is the point, however, in which "trouble" can rear its ugly head. Some hostīng and domain name registrars seem reluctant to "hand over" a site to any other company, as it does mean the loss of a customer and therefore, revenue, for themselves. The current hostīng company and registrar may likewise delay a transfer, or refuse to provide sufficient information to a new host or registrar to effectively conclude a transfer. It becomes even more tangled, if the name of a site has been registered to them. This is where it is possible for a "nightmare" of subterfuge regarding a site to begin. Sometimes, after numerous contacts, with no reply, a Web site owner will realize that the switching of the site has become a real battle. Some possible methods of avoiding the "trap" of packages such as this: 1. Read all paperwork and contracts thoroughly. The fine print is indeed, very "fine" sometimes, for a reason, and reading everything thoroughly will save frustration and misunderstandings later. Above all, make sure that the registration will be done in "your name", as the loss of a popular name, with a large amount of traffīc, is a HUGE loss. Or better still, register your domain name yourself. With so many online domain registrars, it's very simple to register a domain name online. The only thing you need to do once you have bought a hostīng package is change the "name servers" through the control panel provided by your domain registrar. If at all you are not satisfied with your hostīng company and would like to shift to a different company, simply change the name servers to point to the new company. That's it! 2. Make sure there is a contact telephone number and physical address for correspondence with the companies if the need should arise. As in the case of Example Number 1, the lack of a telephone number and physical address was detrimental to effective correspondence and resolution. 3. Take the time to research different plans and different companies. If at all possible, ask to speak to some of their other clients to ensure that they are indeed sensitive to the needs of their own customers and are flexible enough to adapt to changes in a site over time. 4. Take the time to correctly ascertain your own needs and the needs of any site you'll be building. The package needs to "fit your needs" explicitly. 5. If at all possible, use different providers for each stage of a Web site: hostīng, domain-name registrar, site building. It does take longer to get a site up and running with this method, but the overall control that you will have over the site is well worth the extra effort, usually. If one provider proves to be a disappointment, it is easier to replace one service, rather than try to replace everything at once. As you can easily see, sometimes "time saving" strategies are not really that, and can lead to heartbreak and headaches. As with everything else, "slow but steady" wins the race, and it does pay to take the time to initiate each stage of a Web site individually. ================ About The Author ================ Vishal P. Rao is the editor of Home Based Business Opportunities - A website dedicated to opportunities, ideas and resources for starting a home based business. Visit him at: Home-Based-Business-Opportunities.com ============================== Let Me Help You Get Customers: ============================== AREDCONSULT SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS I. EXECUTIVE COACHING - for busy entrepreneurs, decision-makers and marketing executives who can't spare much time away from their office operations but must immediately grasp and harness internet marketing to contribute to the company's profitability. I will come to you instead. I offer you customized lessons, varied delivery, and at your own time, place and pacing. II. WEBSITE CRITIQUE - for those who already have a website but the results didn't satisfy your expectations, especially your bottomline - profit. I offer you immediate and in-depth assessment. III. RETAINER CONSULTANCY - for those who prefer to consult an internet marketing expert anytime, similar to a retainer legal counsel, especially for those who are launching regular internet marketing campaigns. IV. INITIAL EXPERT ASSESSMENT & STRATEGY FORMULATION - for those with no website yet but seriously planning to publish one on the Web, it is better to hear from an expert first before plunging to unfamiliar field. This might save you huge sums of money. Also, from the axiom "always start with a strategy in mind" - this shall cover your strategy and tactics. V. PROJECT CONSULTANCY - includes website design, installation of website functions, and search engine optimization (SEO); database design, programming, and development; installation of ecommerce functions. VI. STAFF TRAINING - for those who intend to maintain an internet marketing team or have already an existing one, I will analyze and improve your process, update your staff's skills, and provide them with continuous online training. VII. INTERNET MARKETING PROMOTIONS - for those who want to outsource or contract out the whole internet marketing promotion processes. We will become one of your profit centers with a very cost-efficient operation. Business processes that can be outsourced include submission of your website to search engines, email campaigns, mailing list management, product upsell and cross-sell, website content build-up, weblog content, link exchange with other websites, customer relations management, etc. http://bizinfo.manila.ph/coaching http://bizinfo.manila.ph/consultancy http://bizinfo.manila.ph/outsourcing ======== CONTACT: ======== Ask Aredconsult online for any internet marketing questions: http://www.aredconsult.com/ask-aredconsult.htm E-mail: mastermind@ask-the-expert.com Production Office: Tel. # 728-9613 or leave voice mail Corporate Address: Rm. 404 Parchouse II EDSA, Guadalupe Nuevo, beside Sogo Hotel 1200 Makati City, The Philippines ***Trust in the Lord with all your heart***