The scope of web hosting services varies greatly. The most basic is web page and small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web “as is” or with little processing.^[1] Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer this service free to their subscribers. People can also obtain Web page hosting from other, alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or inexpensive. Business web site hosting often has a higher expense.

Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for personal web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and content management. For e-commerce, SSL is also highly recommended.

The host may also provide an interface or control panel for managing the Web server and installing scripts as well as other modules and service applications like e-mail. Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). They are commonly used by larger companies to outsource network infrastructure to a hosting company.

The availability of a website is measured by the percentage of a year in which the website is publically accessible and reachable via the internet. This is different than measuring the uptime of a system, as uptime refers to the system itself being online, however does not take into account being able to reach it – as in the event of a network outage.

The formula to determine a system’s availability is relatively easy: Total time = 365 days per year * 24 hours per day * 60 minutes per hour = 525,600 minutes per year. To calculate how many minutes of downtime your system may experience per year, you can take your uptime guarantee and multiply it by total time in a year.

In this example I’ll use 99.99%: (1 – .9999) * 525,600 = allowable minutes down per year.

The following table shows the translation from a given availability percentage to the corresponding amount of time a system would be unavailable per year, month, or week.

A hosting provider’s SLAs may include a certain amount of scheduled downtime per year so that they can perform maintenance on the systems. This scheduled downtime is often excluded from the SLA timeframe, and needs to be subtracted from the Total Time when availability is calculated. Depending on the verbiage of an SLA, if the availability of a system drops below that in the signed SLA, a hosting provider often will provide a partial refund for time lost.

The percent uptime advertised by a web host is often a bad metric for determining a hosts quality. With this metric, a scheduled downtime from 2AM-3AM will be counted as just as bad as an unplanned downtime from 5PM-6PM.

A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System (DNS).

Domain names are used in various networking contexts and application-specific naming and addressing purposes. In general, a domain name represents an Internet Protocol (IP) resource, such as a personal computer used to access the Internet, a server computer hosting a web site, or the web site itself or any other service communicated via the Internet.

Domain names are organized in subordinate levels (subdomains) of the DNS root domain, which is nameless. The first-level set of domain names are the top-level domains (TLDs), including the generic top-level domains (gTLDs), such as the prominent domains com, net and org, and the country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Below these top-level domains in the DNS hierarchy are the second-level and third-level domain names that are typically open for reservation by end-users that wish to connect local area networks to the Internet, create other publicly accessible Internet resources or run web sites. The registration of these domain names is usually administered by domain name registrars who sell their services to the public.

Domain names serve as humanly-memorable names for Internet participants, like computers, networks, and services. A domain name represents an Internet Protocol (IP) resource. Individual Internet host computers use domain names as host identifiers, or hostnames. Hostnames are the leaf labels in the domain name system usually without further subordinate domain name space. Hostnames appear as a component in Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for Internet resources such as web sites (e.g., en.wikipedia.org).

Domain names are also used as simple identification labels to indicate ownership or control of a resource. Such examples are the realm identifiers used in the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), theDomainKeys used to verify DNS domains in e-mail systems, and in many other Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).

An important function of domain names is to provide easily recognizable and memorizable names to numerically addressed Internet resources. This abstraction allows any resource to be moved to a different physical location in the address topology of the network, globally or locally in an intranet. Such a move usually requires changing the IP address of a resource and the corresponding translation of this IP address to and from its domain name.

Domain names are often referred to simply as domains and domain name registrants are frequently referred to as domain owners, although domain name registration with a registrar does not confer any legal ownership of the domain name, only an exclusive right of use.

The use of domain names in commerce may subject them to trademark law. In 2010, the number of active domains reached 196 million.

The software allows online shopping customers to accumulate a list of items for purchase, described metaphorically as “placing items in the shopping cart”. Upon checkout, the software typically calculates a total for the order, including shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) charges and the associated taxes, as applicable.

The development of web shop systems took place directly after the Internet or the World Wide Web had become a mass medium. This was a result of the launch of the browser Mosaic in 1993 and Netscape in 1994. It created an environment in which web shops were possible. The Internet and WWW therefore acted as the key infrastructure developments that contributed to the rapid diffusion of the e-commerce. E-commerce (as a subset of e-business) describes all computer-aided business transactions. In 1998 a total of 11 e-business models were observed, one of which was the e-shop business model for a B2C business – also called the ‘’online shop‘’. The two terms ‘’online shop‘’ and “electronic‘’ or ‘’e-shop‘’ are used synonymously. The term ‘’online shopping‘’ was invented much earlier in 1984; in example for TV based systems. In these days, the term already referred to the B2C transactional business model. In order to enable ‘’online shopping‘’ a software system is needed. Since ‘’online shopping‘’, in the context of the B2C business model, became broadly available to the end consumer, WWW-based ‘’online shops‘’ evolved. For online shopping systems in this context the narrower term ‘’web shop‘’ is used. No term has become solidly established for a B2C e-commerce software system. Whereas in the German-speaking region terms such as ‘’web shop software‘’ or ‘’online shop software‘’ are used, the term ‘’shopping cart software‘’ has become established in the USA.

• Allow for a large number of people to contribute to and share stored data
• Control access to data, based on user roles (defining which information users or user groups can view, edit, publish, etc.)
• Aid in easy storage and retrieval of data
• Control of data validity and compliance
• Reduce repetitive duplicate input
• Improve the ease of report writing
• Improve communication between users

In a CMS, data can be defined as nearly anything: documents, movies, text, pictures, phone numbers, scientific data, and so forth. CMSs are frequently used for storing, controlling, revising, semantically enriching, and publishing documentation. Serving as a central repository, the CMS increases the version level of new updates to an already existing file. Version control is one of the primary advantages of a CMS.

This single sentence is the basis of the worlds quest for better search engine placement within the major search engines. (Google, Yahoo, MSN) How do you optimize a web page for search engine placement? What mystical incantations must be performed to place a web page at the top of the search engine results listings? The process of optimizing your web page for search engine placement success is common sense.

I’ll explain the basic process of web page optimization for search engine placement in a simple, easy to understand way. The following web page optimization techniques are provided as a starting point for your web pages.

This web page optimization process is the basis for all search engine placement performed by our professional web design company. There are additional web page optimization techniques that are not listed here for obvious reasons.

• Web Page Title Optimization
The web page title is 20% or more, of your search engine placement and web page optimization. It’s nice to place your business name in the page title, however, unless you have a well known brand name stick to using your keywords in the web page title area. Keep the total web page title character limit below 70 characters. Place your most important keywords towards the beginning of the web page title. Every page of your web site needs to have it’s title optimized for it’s own particular content. Examine each and every web page, each web page title has to reflect the web page content, or it is of little relevance to the search engine listing.

• Web Page Content Optimization
Web Page content is the single most important search engine optimization and web page optimization issue. If you expect people to find you within the search engine listings for the word “widgets”, you had better make sure that your web page content is all about “widgets”. You can NOT get off topic with your web page content and expect to be found in the search engine listings. Examine your web page, how much of the web page is actually about “widgets”? A blurb, or a couple of sentences is not enough to tip search engine placement in your favor. Think about the big picture, the search engine is delivering search engine results about web pages based on a specific keyword or key phrase. The search engine results page ( SERP ) shows web pages that are “all” about widgets, not… here are web pages with “something” about widgets. The more your web page is about your target keyword or phrase the better you will do with search engine placement.

If you intend to drive search engine traffic to your website with search engine listings, your web page must be about your keyword or key search phrase. If your web page content is thinned out by other information on the web page, this dilutes the overall pertinence of the key search term.

Sometimes less is more when it comes to optimizing a web page for search engine placement. A web page with a small amount of content sometimes comes out on top of the search engine listings. Due to the small amount of content, there would be no thinning out of the web page content by other off-topic information. Stay focused on your keywords when optimizing your web page for search engine placement. Keep your web page keyword strategy to 1 or 2 keywords or key phrases per page at most. Herein lies one of the major keys to search engine placement, the balancing act that is performed. Use your keyword too much or too often and you stand a chance of getting banned from the search engines for “Keyword Stuffing”. If you don’t use your keyword enough then you drop like a rock in the search engine results.

• Web Page Content Position, HTML and Web Page Layout
When you pick up a newspaper or an advertisement, the major point is usually placed at the top of the item. Search engines consider this fact when ranking your web site in the search engine listings. The search engine considers information placed at the top of the web page is probably more on target with what the web page is about. Place your keywords or search phrases as close to the top of your web page as possible when optimizing your website for search engine placement.

• Web Page Graphics and Alt Text Optimization
Web page graphics inserted into a web page can provide alternate text that is beneficial to search engine optimization. This alternate text can usually be revealed by holding your cursor over an image on a web page. This text is called “ALT Text”, if the image cannot load, this text should enable the user to figure out what was supposed to be there. This text can be used to an advantage for search engine optimization. Use your current keyword strategy here, the product is a widget, the picture is named widgets.jpg, the ALT text should also contain the word widgets in order to optimize your web page for search engine placement. This text is something that the search engine can read from your web page and has an effect on search engine results listings.

• Web Page Anchor Text
Anchor text is nothing more than a fancy Search Engine Optimization term referring to a link constructed of text only. Sometimes a web page will use a graphic for linking purposes. (a graphic being a picture of a button, or some other image used to link to another web page). The search engines prefer a text link over a graphic link when considering search engine placement. If you have a website that uses an image of a button for navigation, several other optimization factors are considered. First, the name of the graphic that is being used for the button (do not use the name “button1.jpg” or some similar naming arrangement when optimizing your graphics for search engine placement) If that button links to a page about “widgets” a better web page optimization strategy would be to name the graphic something like “widgets.jpg” or even better, “buy_blue_widgets.jpg”) Remember to keep focused on your keyword strategy when naming ANY element of your web page. Search engines do not see a web page exactly like humans do, the only information they have to consider for search engine placement is the raw HTML within the web page. Search engines cannot view pictures! Even though you may have a nice picture of a widget with the text “click here” across it, the search engine can only see the image name, the alt text associated with that graphic, and the name of the web page that image links to, nothing more! A search engine will give greater placement to a web page that uses a text link over a web page that uses a graphic link. A text link cannot be used to fool a search engine, the search engine can read the text in the web page, and read the linking web page. The search engine knows “for sure” if this is a link to widgets or not. When considering a graphic link, you can name the image “widgets”, it can link to a web page about widgets, however the graphic picture can actually be an image of a toaster. Since the search engine can possibly be fooled by this, it will place a text link higher in the search engine results than graphic links. Always use text links whenever possible when optimizing your web page for search engine placement.

• Web Page Naming and Website Subdirectory Naming
Usually your main web page HAS to be named something similar to index.html (default.htm, index.htm, default.cfm, index.asp, etc.) you cannot change this. However, the rest of the website is open to web page optimization techniques. If you have a web page that is about “widgets”, that web page name should also follow the same keyword strategy when optimizing your web page for search engine placement. (Example: name your web page “widgets.htm”). If you are attempting to optimize your web page for a specific key phrase, use that key phrase as a naming convention for your web pages. (Example: buy_widgets_online.htm). Separate your title words with underscores, or hyphens.

There is some controversy over the usage of the hyphen or the underscore when separating words in web page names relating to search engine optimization. Naming of the directory structure within your web site should follow the same keyword strategy as web pages when optimizing your web pages for search engine placement.

• Keyword comments Within The Web Page
Several discussions have evolved on the topic of web page optimization and Keyword Comments. Our web design company utilizes keyword comments placed within the web page to enhance web page optimization and search engine placement. An HTML comment syntax example could be placed in the web page in an attempt at better search engine placement.

• Web Page Linking
Web page linking is only one aspect of search engine optimization. Large companies spend huge amounts of money on their inbound website links to increase search engine placement. A link is a reference on a webpage that includes your website address. It can be a standard www text link, a web banner or a graphic.

It’s getting harder and harder be “Top 10″ in the search engine listings, most search engines base a portion of your website position by the amount of times you appear on other websites.

There are basically two types of web page links, a reciprocal link and a non-reciprocal link.

Reciprocal links are links based upon an informal agreement between website owners to display each other’s links on their websites. The web page link agreement will only last as long as each website continues to reciprocate or return the favor of the web page link. It may be a week, a month, or a year.

Non-reciprocal links are basically a one-way link between 2 websites, only one website provides a link to another website, with the the other website providing no link back. Inbound non-reciprocal links can provide a large lift to your search engine placement. It’s harder to get a free inbound website link if you don’t give a link back.

A reciprocal web page link
Web Rings – small groups of websites that revolve around a certain type of theme will display a link to other participating websites within the ring. Each website takes turns randomly displaying a link from a different website.

Banner Links – Normally a web banner of a predetermined size ( 468×60 web banner, 125×125 web banner, 120×600 vertical web banner ). There are several websites that offer banner exchange programs for increasing inbound web site links.

Text Links – Probably the best way to link a web page is with a text link. The search engine seems to like web page links that are text only over other forms of web page linking.

Web Ad Swapping – It’s a mutual agreement, one website displays a website link for free as long as the other website displays their website link.

Non-reciprocal web page links
A non-reciprocal web page links refers to one way linking. Writing good web page content is a great way to get other websites to link to your site for free.

How to get non-reciprocal web page links
You will need to actively help your visitors to link to your website, usually by giving them instructions on how to link to your website. On your site, provide “How to Link to my website” instructions. Create web banners, and instructions that will make linking to your website easy. If your website has good design, is useful, and updated regularly people will link to your website.

The search engine placement and search engine optimization techniques listed here are only a sample of the basic requirements needed for search engine placement. JS Web Media utilizes these web page optimization procedures along with a several other search engine placement techniques to ensure our customers a long lasting placement in the major search engine listings.