This step-by-step guide is provided to assist you in maximizing your web presence. Please remember that if you don't find the answers you are looking for here you may contact us via email by creating a helpdesk ticket in the HyperConX Customer Care Center. That way we can answer your email and track the progress of your problems to get them resolved quickly and efficiently.

1. Purpose - What do I want my web site to do?

Web sites are used for a variety of reasons. Some are simply a directory listing for those looking for their service or product. Some use their web site as a marketing tool. Others may actually conduct all their business through their web site. Therefore it is important to determine what your needs are. HyperConX is a full fledged web service provider in that we can register your domain, provide hosting, create or enhance your web site and submit your site to search engines. If you want all of your services centralized just contact us and we can handle it all from here.

2. Domain Name - What will best identify me and be remembered?

A domain name is an address given to an organization or other entity on the Internet. An example of this is "www.yahoo.com". When choosing your domain it is best to use the name of your business or a name that directly connects you to the service or product you provide. This is how the public will find you on the internet. And last but most important make sure you choose something people will remember.

3. Hosting - What are my web hosting needs?

Hosting is a service that provides you with a space on a web server for your web site to reside, bandwidth to allow users to connect, download and upload information, as well as utilities necessary to maintain your website. Packages typically vary in size, bandwidth and utilities depending on the company you choose. HyperConX has a variety of full featured plans ranging from basic service to dedicated servers available at competitive prices (see Hosting section of this site).

4. Setting up email - How will I receive feedback from those visiting my site?

HyperConX's hosting packages include a number of POP email accounts based on the which package you choose. POP stands for "Post Office Protocol" (or sometimes "Point Of Presence" but not regarding mail). This is a mail server protocol that accepts mail, and stores it in individual mailboxes called POP accounts.

5. Web Site - How do I want to represent myself?

HyperConX can create a complete web site with all the features you want or update your existing one. If you already have a web site that you are happy with you can move the HTML files via File Transfer Protocol. FTP is the simplest way to transfer files between computers across the Internet. . If your site is exciting, this concept works to your benefit, and you move people to action. It is important to remember to keep a balance between connection speed and graphics. Your customers may have a slower connection to the internet than yours. Fewer graphics on your site will increase the speed at which your site will load.

6. Scripting - How do I make my site interesting?

Adding interactive features through CGI scripts can make your web site more useful and fun for your visitors. CGI programs written in Perl or C are able to run through a cgi directory. As long as the script is not malicious to the machine, bandwidth, users, or other as determined by our administrators your "cgi is available to run most scripts..

7. E-commerce - How can I sell my product or service online?

Many of our clients use their web site as an option for customers to buy product or service. This type of account is setup with either Miva Merchant or Miva Orders. Miva is the leading e-commerce software with a whole list of features to fit your needs.

HyperConX requires all of our e-commerce hosting sites to have Secure Sockets Layer. SSL is a security protocol that encrypts all of your connections with a web server. SSL prevents outsiders from accessing sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers. SSL will enable a visitor's browser to transparently connect negotiate a secure communication channel where information can be exchanged with theoretically no chance of any unauthorized third party interpreting the data. .

8. Submission - How can web marketing work for you?

Web based marketing is concidered the most effective and inexpensive way to advertise today. A good web site and strong customer relations are important for a successful site, but keep in mind that the Internet is a different ballpark when it comes to marketing. Just as quickly as you attract a visitor to your web site, you can lose a potential customer. Proper submission to search engines is imparative. HyperConX knows the ins and outs of optimizing your site for submittion to search engines. This is a complicated process and improper submission can actually get your site banned by some search engines.