Spencer Rowley - frequently-asked questions

Arranging a domain, setting up a website and having it hosted can be a pretty daunting experience for first-timers, and there are bound to be many questions you would like to have answered. 

Browse through these frequently-asked questions, and if you're still confused or concerned, click on the 'contact me' link alongside to submit your own question directly to me!

What do you charge to design and build a website?

The cost will vary depending on the size and complexity of the site, but as a yardstick, a simple informational 1-page site can cost as little as ZAR 900 to create and set up, and as little as ZAR 65 per month to host.  Be sure to discuss your complete requirements with me for a no-obligation quotation.

..........................................................................................................................

If you design a website for me, do I have to host it with you as well?

Absolutely not!  You are free to host your site with whomever you wish, but be sure to shop around first!

..........................................................................................................................

If you design a site for me, must I also pay hosting fees?

Generally speaking, yes.  No matter where your site is hosted, you will be expected to pay a monthly or annual hosting fee.  It is possible that certain packages will include a period of free hosting with the design of the site.

..........................................................................................................................

What do you mean by 'hosting'?

In order for your website to be visible to the world, it needs to be placed on a web-server somewhere.  The server can actually be anywhere in the world.  By-and-large you will need to enter into a hosting contract with a service provider, and the fees associated with that will vary according to what your hosting requirements are.  Please see here for further information on hosting.

..........................................................................................................................

What does hosting cost?

Hosting fees will vary from company to company, and will vary from option to option.  Hosting with me can vary from ZAR 65 per month up to ZAR 165 per month.  Please see here for further information on hosting costs.

..........................................................................................................................

What happens if I require changes to my web-site in the future?  Are these changes made free-of-charge?

No.  Generally speaking any changes made after the site is approved and made live are billed on a negotiated time rate, or on a rate per page.

..........................................................................................................................

What happens if I want to change to a different hosting service?

If you have a hosting contract, then you will probably need to honour the terms of that contract, which may mean that you will need to pay in.  If not, then you are free to move to another hosting service, but be aware that there are usually fees attached to that process.  Only the registered owner of a domain can approve the transfer, a process that is conducted between the two hosting companies.

..........................................................................................................................

How do I obtain and register my own domain name?

I, or any other domain hosting service can do it for you.  They will first check to see if the domain name you want is available.  If so, it is then reserved for you.  There are fees attached to this process, and also a further annual renewal fee applicable on the anniversary of the registration.

..........................................................................................................................

Who will own the rights to the registered domain name?

You, the applicant, will.

..........................................................................................................................

What happens if I fail to pay the annual domain renewal fee?

There is generally a short grace period allowed.  After that the  domain goes into a 'holding' period usually of a couple of weeks.  If the renewal is not made in that period, the domain name is then released to the public, which means that literally anyone could then become the new legal owner.

.........................................................................................................................

To .COM or not to .COM? 

Which is better, a .COM, a .CO.ZA, or perhaps a .NET?  This is mostly a personal choice, there really isn't much reason to choose one over the other.  If you are planning to run a local-flavour South African site, then why not go for a .CO.ZA?  And if your site will be more international in flavour, then go for a .COM - Remember though that there is usually a slight premium paid for a .COM registration and renewal.

..........................................................................................................................

I already have a website hosted elsewhere and would like to transfer my hosting to you. What do I need to do?

Provided that you are the legal owner of the domain, then transfer to me should not be a problem, subject to these caveats; Be aware that there COULD be applicable domain transfer costs, it may take a few days to transfer, and you will need to know whether you want LINUX or Windows hosting.

..........................................................................................................................

What is 'Search Engine Optimisation', and will my site be visible to Google?

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is the process of ensuring that your pages are built in such a way as to be visible to Google and other search engines, and to attain the best possible ranking with those engines when a search is done by a user.  Even now, SEO is something of a dark art - it goes without saying that only ONE out of potentially thousands of similar sites can be placed at the top of a search engine's return.  However, there is a lot that one can do to ensure the best possible placement, and your pages will be optimised to take advantage of all of the search engines' requirements.  Click here to read more on Google, Search Engines, and SEO.

..........................................................................................................................

What is 'Spam', and how can I avoid it?

Spam is simply junk mail, delivered electronically.  Spam is fast becoming a real and present problem because it spreads very easily and has a tendency to 'flood' mailboxes.  As far as avoiding it is concerned, well that's well nigh impossible - as fast as we develop methods of combating spam, the spammers are developing cleverer methods of bypassing our systems.  In reality it means that you will always get spam to one level or another, but there are certainly things you can do to help reduce spam.  One example is the hiding or encrypting of email addresses on web-pages so that spam email harvesters cannot recognise them as email addresses.  Another is the use of spam filters on your mailbox.  If you are uncertain about how to do this, you can speak to your hosting company for help.

..........................................................................................................................