Website

[rockyracoon]

I need a bit of help. I need to arrange the setting up of a website for our family business. We don't want an elaborate one, just some contact info and a bit about what we do. We do however need to have an email address linked to it. I'm really unsure about how to go about this and am getting a bit confused with the different companies.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[Hypognosis]

You will be getting your money's worth with whatever company you go with on a number of counts:-

1. It will be professional in appearance and operation.

2. You avoid the learning curves of web design and webpage file uploading software when your end goal is just a simple contact details page.

I have dabbled with these. The results are amusingly amateurish but it's not a page trying to sell anything; the styling is as old as the web publishing sofware (a mag cover freebie, probably) and I am not inclined to pretend to you how much of a doddle it is.

The crucial part is that my web storage space (its physical residence on the 'net) is a free addon from my internet service provider but that creates a restriction against commercial use. If a site generates "excess bandwidth" (ie gets too many visitors per month) then they either block all visitors until the following month or contact you to change it to a professional service, where they charge you to host your page.

So, as well as web designers, you need to price up a web hosting service. Low usage will do until customers report difficulties accessing the page or a news story about you increases site traffic.

Any help?

[Retrochic]

rocky -if you fancy trying yourself vista is a really easy website provider for a 'brochure' type site -ie you don't require to sell anything on there so don't need a check out facility (although vista does provide this if you need one) We use it for a family business. The package costs around £10 per month and for that you get up to three dedicated email addresses so you could have "info @rockyracoon.co.uk" [email protected] etc.
They also give you a free months trial so you can fiddle around and see if its right for you
http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/websites.aspx

[Mosaic]

There are lots of firms providing webhosting packages that include email addresses, domain name acquisition and easy off-the-peg design templates.
The latest thing to look for in a package is whether your site will automatically scale for mobile users - this really is a plus for commercial sites as it seems more people ar browsing using their mobiles or small tablets rather than laptops or desktops.
I think from what you describe, you need to go for an easy to handle package that isn't going to give you grief.
The one that I've found easiest for beginners is weebly (www.weebly.com), and as with most of these forms you can try before you buy. So you could have a go at the ease (or otherwise) of building a web page, before committing yourself to any costs. However certain features aren't available for free, so you'll only experience the full delights after buying in.
It will be easier for you to have go for a single company to host the website and purchase the domain name.
The ones I had less of a brilliant experience with were hostpappa and 1&1, but I'm sure others can speak better of them.

[Tuvok]

I use CMS Made Simple

The name is bought through 123 reg and I use a free hosting company.

The free hosting gives 1 email address - but I found that hotmail actually blocks emails from any website on the free hosting servers, so bear that in mind.

[Gromit]

I would recomend One.com

Very easy to set up a basic website. They have templates to help. Very cheap and the first year is free. You can try it out before you pay anything.

[Scarlett]

I use weebly.com- very easy. You choose your domain name (www)via 123reg.com and then that links to your website. You buy the domain address for a year or something- I paid £15 I think.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks for all you're help. I'll have a look at the links and suggestions.

Do you sort of 'lease' the domain name?

[Mosaic]

When you buy a domain name it's yours for 2 years. Then if you don't want it, it can be recycled.
You usually get a two-yearly reminder about renewing your domain name, while you pay your web hosting monthly.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks Mosaic.