Very Interesting

The internet is a fascinating, wild, and phenomenal creation, and is undoubtedly the most marvelous of modern marvels. Back in the 1960’s, the internet was a military-funded experiment that sought to connect computers to one another.

That need to connect, that deep need to join forces, share information, and learn all that we can about one another has taken root in humanity and is expressed via the internet. Today, billions of us share our thoughts, feelings, data, and resources with the world online, and it is hard, even for those of us who came before Generation Z, to imagine life without it.

We Secure your website

Most customers will expect to be able to find your secure business on the internet. Whether you are selling your products online, or simply want to provide some information about your business and your contact details, having a website is almost essential.

It’s a good idea to think about what you hope to achieve with your website before you start creating one. Researching your competitors’ websites can help you get a clear idea of what may work best for you.

To create a website, you need to follow 4 basic steps.

1. We Register your domain name

Your domain name should reflect your products or services so that your customers can easily find your business through a search engine. Your customers may also expect your domain name to be similar to your business name.

Your domain name will also be used for your email address. While you can use a free email address such as hotmail, sending emails from a business address looks more professional.

To register your domain name, you will need to find an accredited registrar and pay a fee. Accredited registrars are organisations who are authorised by auDA, the Australian domain name administrator, to provide services to people who want to register a new domain name, renew their existing domain name, or make changes to their domain name record.

Remember to note when your domain name will need renewing so it doesn’t expire. Letting your domain name expire could leave your business vulnerable to cybercriminals.

2. We find a web hosting company

We can Securely host your Domain for you but in this ever changing world some companies like to take ownership of the entire Website. If you do that’s fine, we are here if you ever need advice.

You will need to find a Secure web hosting company to get your domain name on the internet. Most of the major internet service providers offer web hosting services. They can also provide you with multiple email addresses.

Monthly fees for web hosting vary depending on how large your website is and how many visits you get.

3. We Prepare your content

Think about what you want your customers to be able to do via your website. This will help you work out what sections or pages you want to include. Consider what information or transactions your customers will want and make sure the site is structured to make it easy for them to find and do the things they need.

Just as you might hire a professional to design your site, you might also want to consider hiring a professional to write and structure your content.

A website that is well designed and easy for customers to use will help your business stand out. Having relevant and appropriate content and images will help customers understand your products and services and will make them feel comfortable with buying from your business.

4. We build your website

It makes more sense to have a professional web developer Securely build your site. Websites need to be kept up to date, so we make sure to plan for ongoing maintenance.

You can use a website publishing package to build your own website. These are similar to word processors, but also have inbuilt features to convert your text and images to web content and send it to your website.

Having someone else build a website for you is a good idea if you’re new to online business. A professional web developer can build your site quickly and provide guidance on successful web design. Hiring a professional can be particularly useful if you are looking at having an online shop or offering other services through your website.

You will need to design your website so it can be easily used on smartphones and other mobile devices. Optimising your website for mobile use means that the growing number of people using phones and tablets to access the internet can use your site while they are out and about.

Useful tips for creating a website

Security, security, security. Yes I cannot be more specific.
Think about what your customers want to know, not just what you want to tell them
Use professionals to help you. An unprofessional website can potentially put customers off.
Update your website regularly, especially if you include information about your prices.
Make sure your contact details are correct and easy for your customers to find.
Promote your website in your marketing material and include it on your business cards.
Find out how we can make your website easy for search engines, such as Google, to find. This is called search engine optimisation (SEO). A great web developer can help you with SEO for your website.

Also consider…

Access low-cost advice from Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) Digital Solutions to grow your digital capability.
Learn more about increasing website traffic and improving your search ranking (search engine optimisation).
Find out how to optimise your website for mobile users.
Watch recorded webinars to learn about maximising your website potential and search engine optimisation.
Find out how to create a digital strategy for your business.

Selling online

Setting up a Secure online shop to sell your products can be a useful and profitable way of doing business. It allows you to operate without necessarily needing a traditional shopfront and gives your customers more flexibility because they can buy your products at any time of the day. Online selling can also broaden your customer base, as you can sell to people who are interstate or overseas.

Online shopping doesn’t appeal to everyone, so make sure your target market is comfortable with buying online before you start. You might find you can reach more customers by offering online shopping alongside a traditional shop.

Setting up your own online shop

Look at other examples of online shops and think about how you want to display your products. You can buy web hosting packages and set up your shop yourself, but it’s usually best to discuss your options with a web developer. You will also need to set up methods to receive online payments.

A typical online shop should include:

a product list or catalogue
a tool for selecting products (often called a shopping cart or basket)
an ordering and payment tool.

You need to give your customers clear information on ordering, shipping and prices. They will also be interested in refunds, warranties and returns policies.

Customers may be concerned with the safety of online shopping, so you will need to provide them with clear information about your privacy and security policies.

The same laws apply to online selling as they do to traditional selling methods. Make sure you are familiar with the laws outlined in the Fair Trading Act 1989 (incorporating Australian Consumer Law) before you begin selling online.

Useful tips for selling your products online

Display your registered business name, company name, and Australian business number (ABN) prominently to make your customers confident that you are a legitimate business.
Have your website designed by a professional. They can help you make sure that it’s easy for customers to find your online shop from search engines and from your home page.
Keep the information (especially prices) up-to-date on your website.
Use accurate images to represent your products.
Treat customer service with the same importance as you would for a traditional shop.
Confirm orders immediately by email. You should be able to automate this process.
Advise customers if there are any delays with their orders.
Provide contact details for customers and respond quickly to enquiries and complaints.

Legal obligations for online business

You must meet legal obligations when conducting business online. These are designed to protect you and your customers.

Privacy

There is big money to be made collecting and selling Data bases, WE DO NOT SELL INFORMATION. We find it quite annoying that this practice occurs and go to many lengths to expose such Companies or Individuals. Whilst the fine print may say they can do it we find it unethical.

If you save contact and personal information from your customers, you are required, under the Privacy Act 1988, to make your customers aware of what you are collecting. You must also clearly explain how you will use their information.

Find out more about protecting privacy and information.

Intellectual property

You may encounter intellectual property (IP) issues when running your online business, such as potential copyright and trademark infringements.

IP Australia grants patents, registers designs and trademarks and provides protection for intellectual property. When setting up your online business, it may be useful to consult IP Australia to help you work out your IP rights and obligations.

Spam

Spam is electronic junk mail. It’s used to send bulk unsolicited promotional emails indiscriminately to a large volume of email accounts or mobile phone numbers. It can be a costly and inconvenient nuisance to your business.

Under the Spam Act 2003, it’s illegal to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages. To ensure your business keeps within the law, make sure you adhere to these 3 points:

consent – you must have consent to send messages to your contacts
identify – you must include clear and accurate information about your business, including who is sending the message and how they can be contacted
unsubscribe – you must include an ‘unsubscribe’ facility to allow recipients to opt out of receiving your messages.

Learn more about spam laws in Australia.

Electronic transactions

There is no legal difference between electronic and other transactions (e.g. paying for something with cash). This means the same laws apply to the transactions made on your website as the ones you might make at the supermarket. Before you start trading online, make sure you are familiar with the laws outlined in the Fair Trading Act 1989 (incorporating Australian Consumer Law).

Locations Yardley Secure Website Services on the Central Coast