What is
the Internet?
Apart
from the obvious answer that you are using it right now, the Internet,
commonly referred to as "the net", is a massive global network
of computers. Although the concept was developed in the 1960's it
was not until the 1980's that the term "Internet" came into
regular use. The World Wide Web (known as "the web") was
develop in the early 1990's and provides access, through the Internet,
to Web Sites like the one you are looking at now.
Anyone
with access to a computer, a telephone line and a modem to connect
the two together can view Web Sites on computers all over the world,
communicate with other users, send and receive text, pictures, sounds
and video, all for the cost of a local phone call.
Web
Sites can now be viewed through an increasing number of television
networks such as NTL and through special mobile phones called WAP
phones.
Why do
I need a Web Site?
Up until relatively recently the easiest way for people to find products
and services that they wished to purchase was to look in a directory
such as the Yellow Pages. With the explosion of Internet use and the
number of businesses that have Web Sites more and more people are
now looking on the Internet to find what they want.
Businesses
without Web Sites are missing out on the extra sales that come from
these people. In addition, having a Web Site means that you do not
have to send brochures to people. Your Web Site is your online brochure.
The public’s perception of a business is also greatly enhanced if
they display a Web Site address.
Isn’t
the Internet just used by computer geeks?
In the last couple of years Internet use has exploded. About 17% of
British adults had access to the Internet at the end of 1998. By the
end of 1999 this figure had increased to about 40%. Now, over half
of British adults have access and this figure is increasing rapidly.
Now that Internet access is totally free and Internet ready computers
are available for under £400, the number of people with the Internet
in their homes is increasing at a phenomenal rate.
Even people without computers at home can view the Internet on their
televisions and through mobile phones.
The
idea that the Internet is only used by young males is no longer true.
It is estimated that by the end of this year female use of the Internet
will have overtaken male use and the fastest growing sector of Internet
use is the over 50’s.
With so
many Web Sites on the Internet how do I know that people will find
mine?
People use "search engines" to find Web sites that contain details
of the product or service that they wish to purchase. When someone
uses a search engine to find Web Sites containing your product or
service and the search engine then produces a list of Web Sites it
is important that your site is near the top of that list.
Leven Internet use FirstFound
search engine consultants to optimise and promote our clients'
web sites to search engines.
I know
someone who designs Web Sites as a hobby. Could they design a Web
Site for me?
The
basic language used to display Web Sites is relatively simple and
the person you know could probably design a site for you.
Unfortunately
there are many different Web browsers out there that people use to
look at Web Sites, with many different versions of each and people
use many different screen resolutions. Each browser interprets the
program written to display your Web Site differently. Your
Web Site has to be designed so that it works with all browsers and
all screen resolutions.
In
addition the art of gaining a high listing in search engine is something
that is learned over many years.
In short the person you know could probably design a Web Site but
it is unlikely that many people would see it and those that did would
probably be put off purchasing from your business, not encouraged.
The
head of Leven Internet’s Web Site design team studied Computers at
University and started using the Internet in 1988, since when he has
taken various courses in Web Site design.
He
is a member of the following Internet organisations: