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Why do I need a webmaster?By: John ColascioneArticle Word Count: 782 words [Comments (0)] Total Views: 60 Views |
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Being involved in an Internet business for quite sometime, I have had many instances where I need to explain to a client why exactly it is that they require a webmaster or web maintenance and I'd like to put it into simple terms which are easy to understand. I get this question so often, "Why do I need a webmaster?" If you are running an online business there are a few things you need to understand. Once you begin to add functionality to a website, it becomes more of a responsibility and a worry than your ordinary website in HTML. As soon as you start adding programming to your site in php, asp, etc, you begin to create what I like to call "doors". Once these doors are installed you must always make sure that these doors remain locked. People will try to unlock these doors, or "break in". In most cases they do this to access your server to send spam email. Sometimes they just do it for fun. They are "hackers" and they really just want to break your things. These programming systems which are sometimes classifieds, forums, shopping carts, etc, become a problem only because of hackers.... Each manufacturer must update their versions of software when new hacks or vulnerabilities are discovered.... Sometimes vulnerability requires an upgrade. Sometimes your modifications need to be done over. It's never a put it there and it's there forever deal. Once you add functionality to a website, you must pay more attention to what is happening on the servers and always making sure no-one is opening the doors. Another point that seems to be misunderstood is the fact that data is valuable. One of my clients whom I built a shopping cart for didn't realize that it was important to have a webmaster keeping an eye on things. This particular client thought that a web site was similar to the digital voice recorder he bought at RadioShack a few months back. He thought that whenever he needed his website, that it would be right there where he left it months ago. "Why do I need to watch it?" He thought, "I bought it and put it on the shelf so I can use it next time I need it?" Well this client in particular thought he did not need a webmaster. "I'll just send the orders out when they come in." He said. So one day the orders stop coming. This sparks a phone call to my office. "I'm not getting any orders and I looked for my website and it isn't there." A little checking into things and I discovered that his credit card was expired, he wasn't checking his email, and his entire website including his database was gone! The hosting account was past 60 days and the MySql database was erased. Here is where we begin to understand the value of data. Every order that was placed, email that was saved, and product that was photographed, was gone. Now you may be thinking that surely he had backups, where are the backups? If he had a webmaster, more than likely they would have been saving hard copy backups periodically, just in case, but no, all he had was what was backed up at the hosting company and after 60 days of not paying your bill or answering your emails you can kiss them good-bye. The point that I would really like to make here is that once you decide to go into business on the Internet, it is important to take it seriously. Like anything else, what you put into the business, is what you will get out. I had to explain to him again, why it is that he needs a webmaster. This time he listened with a bit more understanding. Grab this articles
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