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Setting up a Website
Step 1: Business Name/Company Name
Step 2: ABN (Australian Business Number)
Step 3: Web Address/Domain Name
Step 4: ISP/HOST
Step 5: Code Website
Step 6: Upload
Step 7: Maintenance
Step 8: Advertising & Promoting
Step 1 : Business Name/Company Name
In Australia, to conduct business under any other name than your own, that name must first be registered as a business name (or company).
Secondly, you can conduct business only in the State/Territory you are registered in. To download the appropriate registration form, select the State in which you will be conducting business.
To register your business name, download the form from:
| STATE | Office/Department | Cost New Registration | Cost Renewal |
| NSW | Office of Fair Trading | $137.00 | $104.00 |
| ACT | Registrar General's Office | $128.00 | $107.00 |
| NT | Consumer and Business Affairs | NIL | NIL |
| QLD | Office of Fair Trading | $218.50 | $175 |
| SA | Office of Consumer and Business Affairs | $133.00 | $107.00 |
| TAS | Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading | $125.00 | $125.00 |
| VIC | Consumer Affairs Victoria | $75.30 | $53.80 |
| WA | Department of Consumer and Employment Protection | $90.00 | $75.00 |
| ALL | ASIC | $800.00 | $212.00 + 3rd party costs |
The other option to registering a Business Name is to Register a Company. This can be done at ASIC - Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Registering a company is a Nation wide registration and therefore will only be required once per year.
Though it is not compulsory to have an Australian business number (ABN), there are many good reasons to have one.
In some cases, the ABN can make it easier for you to deal with the Tax Office and other areas of government by using your ABN as your unique identifier.
You can also use your ABN when dealing with other businesses. For example, you generally need to quote your ABN on invoices you give to other businesses to avoid having them withholding tax from payments they make to you. If you are registered for goods and services tax, you will need to put your ABN on your invoices to make them 'tax invoices'.
To apply for an ABN, go to the Australian Business Register.
Cost = NIL
Step 3 : Web Address/Domain Name
There are a number of compliance issues in relation to domain names themselves, registration and purpose of domain names. The Australian Domain Name Administrator site at www.auda.org.au is well presented and informative in respect to Domain Names in Australia.
Some of the compliance requirements are:
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Choose the Domain Name Registrant.
Click here to see a list of .auDA Accredited Registrars.
Online Creations can register your domain name for you.
Prices range from approximately $44.00 - $99.00 per year.
Generally, a reliable service for a ".com.au" domain the cost is around $88.00 for 2 years.
COST = $88.00 (2 years)
NOTE: The full name is your domain name, not just the business name in the middle. This includes the .au at the end of the name. Therefore, you may have www.yourname.com.au and another person may register www.yourname.net.au and yet another person may register www.yourname.com or www.yourname.com.nz. and all are OK because they are different.
People recognise country identifiers within the domain name, for example a domain name ending with .au = Australia, .com = America, .nz = New Zealand etc. This needs to be considered when registering your domain name. If your web address does not have .au at the end (ie. an Australian Registered Domain Name), and people are looking for an Australian website, they will probably notice this and search for another site that is registered in Australia. However, people may also key www.yourname.com into the address bar and expect to get your website which is named www.yourname.com.au. Just be aware; people are getting smarter on the web all the time and becoming aware of these differences.
Most Domain Name registrants will also offer a hosting package as part of the deal of registering with them.
Online Creations will register and host your domain for you.
WARNING
We have received a number of clients that have experienced problems with domain names being registered through businesses that are not established with a physical business address or are selling "door-to-door".
The outcome is the recovery of the domain name for use in the future is very time consuming and the "so called business" that registered the domain name is non-existent or non-responsive. Delays are being experienced in the weeks and even months.
Step 4 : ISP/HOST
As I mentioned above, a lot of Domain Name registrants will also host your site. It is well worth shopping around and looking for what you want.
Generally, if you are happy with your ISP with whom you use to access the internet, then you will most likely be happy with them hosting your website. Just be aware of the offers that are available from different suppliers.
Some good options to look for are:
- Price
- Guaranteed Up time (ie. A host that constantly goes down, means your website is constantly unavailable.)
- Space for website (Make sure your host space is enough to cater for your website space. The more photos you have the more space you need.)
- Number of Email addresses. (ie. Different emails for: sales@yourname.com.au, enquiries@yourname.com.au, technical@yourname.com.au)
- What type of programmes the host will support. (ie. PHP, SSIs, ASP, Fontpage, .NET, Perl, SQL databases, URL forwarding etc)
- Technical Support (ie. personal, 24x7, response times etc)
- Amount of Traffic allowed (probably not an issue for small-med businesses)
- Backup regime (ie. Frequency of data backed up on the host server.)
These issues are probably the most common issues that need to be considered when choosing your Host.
The types of programmes that are supported by the host will determine what program your website can be written in. There's no point choosing a host that doesn't support PHP, if you promptly contract a website designer that ONLY uses PHP in their websites.
COST = $200-$350 per year
Step 5 : Code Website
This is where everything becomes technical and some expertise is required to produce a website that is viable and competitive in todays marketplace.
Of course, you can always code your own website using any 5th generation software package, however, be aware that these packages often cause more headaches than they're worth.
Using a professional website designer produces websites that look professional, feel professional and act professionally. The website can be maintained by the professional or designed and programmed for you to maintain without knowing programming (just like filling out a form!). Photographs are presented crisp, download restrictions catered for, technical issues resolved and of course the job will be done.
Contact: (02) 4455 6666 to speak to a qualified website designer at Online Creations or click here for further contact details.
Step 6 : Upload
Once the website has been completed, upload the site to the host. Your ISP will give you instructions on how to do this (If they don't, perhaps you need to consider a different ISP or go to a website professional.). There are many ways with many FTP programmes to help you. You will have a username and password to give you access to the server. Once the website has been uploaded your site will be live and available to view on the internet.
Step 7 : Maintenance
This is an extremely important step. Sites that are out-of-date are useless and beyond that, they portray the type of business you are about to deal with.
Keep your site UP-TO-DATE. Old prices, old products or old information can become a nightmare both legally and strategically.
Step 8 : Advertising & Promoting
Websites are a great way to provide customers and potential customers with information, a way to communicate to you and a way to sell goods and services. Once a website is uploaded to the internet the website is viewable to the whole world.
There are millions of websites out there, yours is just one, so you need to advertise and promote its existence.
How do you advertise and promote?
- On all documentation include your web address
- Letters
- Business Cards
- Flyers, Pamphlets etc
- Promotional material
- Signage
- Advertisements on TV, Newspapers, magazines etc
- Talking to people tell them your web address
With my experience and knowledge, I can ensure the correct setup and best results, using the internet to its full potential.
DISCLAIMER This guide has been developed by Online Creations as a guide only. Domain name policy and procedures are continually evolving and it is important that users refer to the sources listed throughout the document for detailed and current, information and advice. While due care has been exercised by Online Creations to ensure the accuracy and currency of the material contained in this publication, it strongly recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use and seek professional advice where appropriate.
A Basic Overview
Many people have asked "What do I need to do to create a Website?".
The steps outlined to the left give an overview of the steps involved in creating a website. Some may be obvious, while others are not.
These are the steps involved in Australia. To register a domain name outside Australia you need only follow steps 3-8.
