Monthly Archives: September 2011
What Is E-Commerce?
Electronic commerce or e-commerce implies buying or availing products/services over the Internet. Using a credit card is one way of buying products or services over the Internet and the working of this process is illustrated below.
Items are bought by a consumer from an online web store. Then, the transaction details are carried over to the web host’s server through a secure connection (SSL). The transaction is managed through the Payment Processing Gateway which also handles the encrypted credit card details. The merchant account processes the movement of funds, which are debited from the buyers’ credit card account. This is followed by the deposition of funds in the seller’s bank account.
So much for the introduction on e-commerce, let us move further as to how to manage an e-commerce transaction on a website. Although, there are different methods of managing e-commerce transactions, the best way is of a third-party arrangement which can deal with all the e-commerce processing. Another method is to incorporate everything onto your website pages. Designing the site for showing your merchandise in the best way is a good idea, if you intend to handle everything through your website. Handling everything through the website can be done in two important ways like:
- Utilizing the shopping cart system
- As an option, with a customized website and database, you can create your own system
It is imperative that you have a fully functioning Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, if you are going to accept credit card transactions through your website. This reduces the risk of fraud to a great extent as all the transaction details are encoded when they pass through the buyers’ computer and the server.
Two ways of integrating SSL onto your website are:
- Sharing SSL area with the hosts
- Purchasing your own SSL certificate which is a more professional way to go and requires a hosting account and a unique IP address
Rather than allowing a third party to manage all e-commerce transactions, if you decide to do that yourself via your website, a Merchant account and a processor account would be needed to be set up. It is simple and easy and everything would fall into place in a matter of minutes.
How To Choose A Web Designing Company?
Creating a website is an uphill task for many people as most of us do not have any clue about doing the job which includes the necessary skills or knowledge of websites. So, under such circumstances a web designer is the most sought after unless somebody in one’s friends circle or peer group knows how to design one. Selecting the best person for creating the website requires a little effort but is worth every penny and the time spent on it because the final product can help in establishing a distinct online identity for any individual or business. Some steps for creating a business website in a nutshell are the following:
- Setting objectives
- Budget calculation
- Web designer selection
- Web hosting company selection
Setting objectives: Before you begin the search for a web designer, you should be clear regarding what you want to achieve through your website which is vital information for any web designer who needs it before starting to work on your site.
Budget calculation: Prior to the selection of the web designer, you should decide on the amount that you are willing to shell out for the website.
Web designer selection: This is the most important part of creating a website and so some time needs to be spent in order to find and zero in on the right web designer. For the selection of the right one, some points need to be taken into consideration like:
- Build & Design of the site
- Experience
- Portfolio examination
- Costs comparison(Per hour costs, Fixed price, Component pricing)
Complete work estimation needs to be done before going ahead with the conceptualization and formation of the website. Whatever prices are being quoted should be understood by both parties before signing any sort of agreement.
With innumerable web designers out there, you can pick and choose at the drop of a hat. You should select only that company which provides customized solutions for website designing suited to your specific needs.
Learn About SEO Friendly Domain Names
Earlier, an entrepreneur‘s success was determined by his sheer hard work, perseverance and a firm resolve to succeed. These were the essential ingredients for the recipe of success but with the increasing market competition, there was a need to have a breakthrough to get ahead. This was brought about with the dawn of the ‘Internet Age’ and now it has become mandatory to have an online presence for a globally successful venture. But to get your company noticed on the Internet, the presence of visually stimulating, rich in information and well-designed website would just not do. Proper marketing with keyword rich content is the order of the day, which can be significantly indexed by search engines.
People, who are a bit familiar with the term SEO, are well-aware of the importance of search engine rankings for any online business. Selecting a SEO friendly domain name implies that you have hit the nail on the head and are ready for a great start in the virtual world. A pivotal role is played by keyword related domain names which go a long way in attracting target audiences and generating business.
When starting a website, a domain name is important and the right one should be chosen after careful deliberations, evaluating all the pros and cons. And this becomes all the more important if the main tool is to be SEO for directing traffic towards your website. So, what are the different factors that can be adopted to make a SEO friendly domain name? Let us take a quick glance.
- Using keywords in the Domain Name: These keywords have a catalytic action in a domain name
- The Extension: Allowing a credibility boost, the .com is definitely the most popular extension for a domain name
- Short & Catchy: Visitors to a site can easily remember and recall a short and catchy domain name. So, make sure that the domain name is a short and catchy one otherwise you can lose out on traffic.
By attracting a lot of visitors to your website, an SEO friendly domain name can work miracles for your business as heavy influx of traffic drives sales, paving the way for a successful business.
Redesign Your Website In Accordance To Latest Web Standards
Before going on to website redesigning, one question which needs to be answered is, “Why is a website made?” The answer can be provided by almost anyone accessing the Internet on a daily, weekly or fortnightly basis. A website is a marketing tool designed and uploaded online for the sheer purpose of promotion. Taken as the first step by any business entering the web space, a website gives a boost to a company’s identity only if it is designed accurately as per the Web standards.
So, maintaining a website that is in sync with the Web standards is the need of the hour. If your site is a static one without any recent up gradation then it might prove to be a disadvantage for your business, redesigning of the website should immediately be considered.
So, when is the time to redesign your site?
- The site has age old designs like old format tables, frames, fonts, backgrounds etc.
- It has content that is irrelevant to the present scenario
Before going any further, let us understand what is meant by web standards. Web standards are the guidelines provided by the W3C. Following these guidelines makes the websites more accessible to the users. Creating a site in compliance with these standards will earn a sea of benefits for the business which are as follows.
- Easy maintenance: The structure and the presentation of the websites can be easily separated. So any changes that have to be made can be done with ease.
- Accessibility increases: The new redesigned websites will be compatible with all the browsers that assure wider accessibility.
- Improved quality: Websites designed in compliance to the Web standards are of finer quality with excellent graphics and various functional advantages.
- Ideas are better reflected: Your website is the mirror to your business. Your growth should be highlighted in your website. So, redesigning it with advanced features and new content will provide you an edge.
- Compatibility with Search Engines: Without the higher search engine rankings, a site cannot be successful. So, SEO techniques should be strictly adhered to.
If the website becomes stale and is not performing well as expected, you should seriously consider redesigning your website. For effectively redesigning your website, it should be done as per the latest web standards.
How To Change A Web Host
Every webmaster is going to experience this problem at least once. You either get tired of your web hosting company, they d
on’t support a new feature that you need, or they will stop responding to your queries. So you set out to find a company that would provide a ‘new home’ for your web site. But, how a smooth transition to the new server can be ensured? The following steps would help you to seamlessly undergo the transition.
- Set up a new account and upload: Obtain a login name and password for your new account from the webhost company. Do not transfer your domain name immediately rather, wait till everything is working properly. Replicate your current directory structure on the new server and upload everything except for your CGI/PERL scripts. You’ll have to ask the new hosting company where PERL is located on the server and the directory where your site resides. If it is different, the scripts need to be edited manually for the changes to reflect on the site.
- Transfer the Domain Name: Once everything is on the new server and working properly, email your hosting company and tell them to transfer your domain name. Once the transfer has been completed, you’ll have to wait up to two weeks for the DNS servers around the world to be updated.
- Test a few pages: Make sure that everything is working after the domain name transfer takes place by testing a few key pages. This will require you to manually type in a few URLs. This is also a good opportunity to test your scripts, although you’ll have to change any domain name references in the script to the IP address of your site on the new host.
- Cancelling the previous account: Before cancelling the previous account, wait for some time, say, like two weeks and then cancel the account. A good way to determine when it’s time to pull the plug on your old account is when the email stops coming into the account on your old server.
Once you have moved everything to your new site, be sure to test everything-find out the bugs before the users do. Make this absolutely certain that you don’t lose users from your move.
Some Steps For Registering A Domain Name
Registering a proper domain name is essential for creating the right online identity. Although there will be many names and combinations of phrases coming into your mind for the same, it is essential to follow certain guidelines and steps to register one that works for your website. Listed below are the steps to be followed for registering a domain name.
- Choosing a domain name: Think of several domain names which you would like to use. It is no use thinking of only one as it might be already taken.
- Paying for the domain name: Domain names can be either free or paid. You will need either a credit card or a PayPal account to pay for the domain. This is a requirement of most registrars. It will allow you to claim and get the domain name immediately after applying.
- Web hosting: It is a type of Internet hosting service allowing individuals and organizations to upload their own website on the World Wide Web. If you already have a web host, obtain from them the names of their primary and secondary name servers. This information is needed to point your domain name to your website after you buy it. In case, you do not have a web host, you can always ask the registrar to park your domain name at a temporary website specially set up for you. In this way, you can quickly secure your domain name and still take your time in setting up the other aspects of your site.
There are numerous domain name registrars. In addition, a number of commercial web hosts will give you a free domain name if you are hosting with them, as will many (if not all) of the registrars above. Once you decide on a domain name, do not procrastinate as there is a chance of losing a perfectly good one.
Top Rankings In Google: How To Do It
Google is the most popular search engine worldwide. So, getting a high rank on it is a significant thing. As many of us probably know, Google ranks a page according to the number and quality of links leading to that page.
According to Google, quality links come from pages that are important. The ranking algorithm is published on their website detailing the parameters that are considered and you can go through them to know how to increase the ranking by ethical means. Given below are some Google search engine promotion tips which are extended with Google search engine positioning tips.
- Inbound Links: The ranking of the pages is done as per the number of links that point at your page. Therefore, you should point as many links as possible at the pages.
- Title Tag: The title tag of your page is given weight by Google so a Web Editor that is used insert a “New Page” title automatically should be checked to see if meaningful text is being used with keywords to increase the ranking.
- Keyword Density: This is a major aspect as the web crawlers of search engines look out the most for it. the pages should not have too much keyword but a healthy density in order to be ranked higher.
Some Other Google Ranking Tips
- Cache Disabling: It would not affect a page’s ranking as claimed by Google
- The Google Toolbar: It can be obtained free of cost and gives an idea how important Google thinks your site is by showing the Page Rank of any page that you visit
Probability of a high ranking increases if these guidelines are implemented properly and if given the best treatment, chances are your page may just get the coveted top slot by Google.
How to make an E-Commerce Website Design a Success
E-Commerce websites have gained immense importance in the recent years. E-commerce websites are used to at
tract the potential buyers and help them in making immediate purchases. A successful E-Commerce web design incorporates all the essential features like easy navigability, user friendliness and attractive look. However, while designing an E-Commerce website a designer must keep in mind some basic points that can make the E-Commerce Website Design a Success.
Professional Look & Easy Navigability
To start with the website should have a professional look because it is meant for the purpose of business and trade. The website design should therefore be extremely professional and use of informal graphics, animations or gaudy pictures should be avoided. The website design should facilitate easy navigability from one page to another as users prefer the websites in which transition from one page to another is easy and quick.
Design v/s Content
Always remember that the design should not be so heavy and flashy that it undermines the content. Visitors of an E-Commerce website are there to know about the offerings of the particular company and need detailed information on that rather than an over flashy design to amuse themselves. You should incorporate points to build the trust of the customer by providing information on the owners of website and why they should be relied upon.
Simplicity Is The Key
Try to keep the design clean and free of complexities. Unnecessary heavy designed elements should be avoided altogether. Light colors, minimal boxes, and fewer advertisements sell more. Having too much clutter can make your website look cheap so select the design elements carefully. A technique of constantly monitoring the traffic on the website proves to be very effective for analyzing current position as well as plan future strategies.
Personalization Techniques
Personalization Techniques also prove to be quite effective in an E-commerce website design wherein you can put forth products which are most demanded by the clients. Having components like blogs, articles etc. in the Web Design also prove to be quite helpful as they help in establishing contact with the buyers and attract more visitors.
Therefore, if you are planning to get an E-Commerce website designed the above discussed issues need to be kept in mind. If your websites have all the essential design elements then it is sure to attract more visitors and become popular.
WeblinkIndia.Net – Blogs Release August 2011
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Top 15 Usability Factors For Your Website
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Organize Blog Categories: 5 Practical Tips
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Mobile Website Design Best Practices
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Tips on Being a Web Design Graduate
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Useful Productivity Tips for Designers
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Top 5 Ecommerce Website Design Tips
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Mobile Web Design Tips for Web Designers
The role of Web Designers has expanded from, just designing websites to designing websites that are compatible with mobile phones and other devices. Mobile Web Design has gained prominence with the increasing popularity of mobile phones that have emerged as convergence devices for all technologies.[...]
Business Website Design: Tips to Design a Business Website
Almost all businesses nowadays prefer to have a website of their own as these provide a lot of visibility and accessibility to the business. However, the design of the website plays a crucial role in determining how effectively it meets the purpose. If you go wrong in choosing a design which is incapable of catching[...]
