Operations

Here we talk about what running your site after you launch your page.

Introduction

Many prospective webmsters have this idea that once their site launches that they can just sit back and just enjoy the success but this is of the biggest misconceptions about being a webmaster. Operating a site takes a lot of work and sometimes can be the most stressful part of being a webmaster. This is because part of operations is dealing with emergencies that catch you off guard that need to be fixed right away and end up stressing you out. It is also because operations is the tasks that beginners underestimate the most when planning to start a web site.

As a webmaster, you'll constantly be dealing with issues while running your site - issues that have to do with technology, legality, design, coding, business, organization, and other things. Every web site will have operational issues but as long as you have good judgement, the right tools, and the ability to solve problems then you will get through pretty much anything. The key is managing your resources - knowing what resources are available to you and to plan ahead.

Types of Operational Issues

  • Administrative - Managing your domain and hosting, checking web stats, monitoring marketing performance, managing your email, processing cash, doing your taxes, and other stuff.

  • Organization - Record keeping (like organizing your usernames, password, and hosting information), writing down your ideas (for new domains and new web sites), and tracking your financials.

  • Maintanence - Backing up your data, security issues, re-designs, scanning for copies of your site, etc.

  • Business - Rebranding your site, monitoring industry trends, monitoring competition, exploring marketing channels for current and future sites, creating business plans for new sites, etc.

How do you manage it all?

Some of the following recommendations may seem insultingly obvious but they need to be pointed out because they are so easy to overlook. The first thing you will need to manage your operations is good time management. You will need to budget time into operating your sites after they launch. If you look at SitePoint's forum where webmasters sell their sites the number one reason they site is the lack of time needed to run the site. This is especially important if you are planning multiple sites one after the other. This is a mistake many intermediate webmasters make. Anytime you create a site you need to set aside a certain number of hours per week towards running it - you can't simply say "Well, after that site is done I can completely focus on making my new site". It won't happen. If you don't have the time or recources to manage the site after it is launched then don't create it at all - especially if it is going to hold up more important projects. There is no point in creating a great site just to list it on SitePoint for $5,000 a year later.

The second tool to help you is Google. Google is the single most useful tool you will use to create and run web pages. The thing you need to rememeber is that if you are having a problem then it is certain that someone has had that same problem before - and the answers lies somewhere randomly on the web.

Third, know what your resources are. For example, if you need some custom coding then you need to know where to post that job. One of the biggest webmaster resources is the webmaster forums all over the web where you can get free answers to your questions about anything web site related. You need to have specific forums bookmarked so that when you have a specific problem you will know where to go to get your question answered. It can be a USENET group or a subforum of a larger forum like SitePoint.com.

A fourth tool you need is to have a problem-solving mindset. This sounds like a real vague and intangible skill but it is important. Many webmasters believe the "webmaster life" is like a never-ending vacation and they end up getting annoying at the various problems that arise. You need to be the kind of person that enjoys solving problems and doesn't look at them as headaches.

Operations Links

not ratedNetcraft - hosting history
not ratedDomain Tools - IP & Whois History
not ratedNetcraft - other sites on same server.
not ratedAlexa - other sites owned by someone. Look on the left to see the list of other sites.
not ratedLive.com - other sites on same IP address.


 
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