Creative Web Design

The domain name is the part of a network address that identifies it as belonging to a particular domain. In plain English, a domain name is what you type into a browser window to reach a particular website. For example, the domain name for Google is "google.com". When your website domain name is typed in, it will lead to your website.

In its simplest form, the website that you create needs a place to "live" - a place that will "host" or keep all the pages of your website along with all the information on those pages such as pictures, videos, and text. If you buy a hosting service from a provider, you will have a portion of their web servers to store your website’s files and data.

As the name implies, web design refers to the design of a website. During the design process your website pages are created. These pages are organized to give visitors to your website all the information they need: what your company is about, what you offer, how to order and other aspects. Some of the most common pages are the "Home", "About" and "Contact" pages. Other pages will be created for your specific needs: an artist might create a portfolio page; a seller will have pages about their products; a service oriented business will have pages about the services they offer, etc. Some websites may only be informational and not offer anything for sale. The design also includes the overall appearance of your website that will reflect your brand. To achieve this, web pages contain a number of visual elements including text, photos, graphics, and video clips. A Web Designer oversees the design and layout, which can mean working on a new website or updating existing pages.

Companies like Wix, GoDaddy and others offer a variety of services. They are able to provide the web servers needed to store your website (host) and the tools to design your website. Additionally, many offer setting up your domain name. All come at a cost of course but many of these companies offer you the chance to design your website for free using their tools. These have limitations; a "Cart" for purchase wouldn't be enabled, for example (accepting payments). Usually, you can "publish" your free web design so as to see how it looks and try out the overall functionality of the process.

You don't! You can design your website yourself using the free tools offered by companies as mentioned above. You may find it frustrating and it may take some time and trial and error to learn how to use the tools of any particular company. If you want to give it a try, I wholeheartedly encourage it. It can be challenging and you may need assistance. Hiring a designer especially can be costly . This is where we come in to help you with your goals.

Officially, Website management is "the processes used to make sure your website is professional, up-to-date, and functioning optimally. It encompasses general maintenance, security, and long-term development of the website, as well as organizing your content delivery and marketing strategy." The company that hosts your website will provide most of these services. However, you may need help accessing your website dash board, retrieving mail; making changes; managing inventory and using all the tools in general. We can help with that. Many times you will learn this over time and will not need on-going help.

"Stock photos are photographs often taken by professional photographers and made available for use for websites, social media, print materials, or advertising. Stock photos are typically generic and can depict a wide range of subjects, including people, nature, technology, and travel, among others" (later for com)