Setting up a website

The internet has transformed the way many small enterprises do business, and setting up a website for your venture can put a vast domestic, and even international, market on your doorstep for relatively little cost.

Register an address

The starting point for building a business website is registering a web address - or domain name. If your business is based in Australia, the web address will typically feature the venture’s name followed by “.com.au”, for example, www.freshfruit.com.au.

Before registering your preferred domain name, check that it isn’t already in use. You can do this by visiting the AusRegistry site - www.ausregistry.com.au. It’s also important to make sure your domain name doesn’t infringe any existing trademarks either here or overseas. If it does, you or your business could be sued. The government body, IP Australia, maintains a list of trademarks at www.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks.

While plenty of organisations offer a domain name registration service, many people choose to go through their existing internet service provider (ISP). It’s worth noting you will not own your domain name, rather it is licensed to you for a specific period. So instead of paying a single lump, you will be asked to pay an annual fee, usually about $30 each year.

Select a web host

The next step is to organise a web host. This is the server that will store your website information. Again, most ISP’s offer this service, often for around $200 to $300 annually, though you may prefer to use a separate web-hosting service.

Create your site

All that is needed now is for your web page to be created. It is possible to do this yourself, or alternately, use the services of an independent web designer, or your ISP, which may offer a template. Remember, a website is like a calling card for your business, so it should be professional, easy to navigate, enticing and informative.

Business owner Anthony O‘Brien believes having a web presence has proven a plus for his public relations company Summer Hill Communications. However, he cautions, “It’s important to make sure the website information can be easily amended. A good business website needs to be kept fresh, and it can get very expensive if you have to keep going back to your web designer for ongoing changes to the site. You want to have the ability to do this yourself”.

For more on getting your business online, visit the website of the Commonwealth Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts at www.dcita.gov.au.