Website - How To & Why

[Michael]

I know this thread is old, but has anyone recently set up their daycare's website or Facebook page?

It may be older but this thread will be relevant for many years. Having a website will be even more in the future for many people.

I bought my domain name (I think that is what it is called) back in July although I have yet to do anything with it. Actually I guess I rented it because it seems I have to renew it again next July. I have never set up a webpage and can not afford a designer. I am going to try to do what Mike suggested and point my page to my webpage. If I ever find the time that is.

When you set up a page on someone else's website like Facebook.com, you must follow their rules and they get to use your data for whatever they want. It's their "walled garden". When you set up your own website on a domain name you "own*", you get to do whatever you want with your content and data.

There are differing levels of maintaining a website.

Hillary had her own server (computer) which allowed her to host anything she wanted including a website and/or email. Her server was at home but most people or businesses use a co-location. Something like an AT&T NOC which has huge facility that someone can put their computer/server and ATT monitors and keeps the light on, so to speak.

The next level would be a linode or cloud services, whereas your virtual server is, one of many, hosted on one or many servers. Some of those are what's called turn-key systems, whereas the hosting company sets up the virtual server for your needs and will administrate your system’s needs. You can likewise administrate your server but that would be like doing engine work on your car. You better know what you’re doing.

Next level would be along what you need, which is a website that is on a platform like www.WIX.com or www.weebly.com. They have templates that are ready-made that you can insert content, photos and contact forms that are ready to use. They are initially free but will come with advertising from the company that serves you. You can get rid of the ads by paying a monthly fee. Your web address will be something like BettysDaycare.Weebly.com, which is not a good looking or memorable address to market. It that case a domain name comes in handy. You can point your domain name BettysDaycare.com to BettysDaycare.Weebly.com. That way you can market BettysDaycare.com and it will direct clients to your content that you created at Weebly. The service is called "domain forwarding" and it's an option at your registrar (where you registered your domain name like GoDaddy.com)

Speaking of GoDaddy, they also offer you website services for your domain name that is located there. I would first try WIX or Weebly for free just to try it out. Remember, your domain name gives you all the power. Whether you use it as FaceBook does or a simplified YourDaycare.com, it all comes down to the domain name first.

Domain names are actually rented or leased with the agreement that it's yours for as long as you pay for it. You can pay yearly, or for most domains, you can prepay for up to 10 years.

* While we don't necessarily own a domain name we have rights that as long as we pay our registration fee, it is ours to use a long as we like. Very similar to our property. We pay property taxes but if we don't, we lose our home. Domain names have been referred to as being both property and not being property by differing courts. I am a longtime member at ICANN on the Business Constituency and there are those of us that would like domain names to be property that has rights. After all, it is about the only virtual thing that we can own. We are putting our businesses, personal lives and many of us, our future. We should have more control over that.

[cassiesue]

Thanks for the advice thus far.

Mike I am going to try your advice and attempt to use one of those free template sites. Do you have a preference over WIX or Weebly? Is one better suited for a beginner? I think my domain name (if that is what it is called) is easy to remember. It is: cassiesueschildcare.com As I get about 75% of my clients from Facebook I set my FB business page up first. I understand that limits me as I have to follow their rules.

I created a temporary work around for the FB review issue. What I did to eliminate the unfair review from the family that I terminated was to just screenshot all of the reviews. Then I disabled the review option. So now no one can leave a review. I created an album titled reviews and uploaded the screenshots of the valid reviews in to it. If someone asks to leave a review in the future I will just temporarily enable this feature. I'd like to leave it enabled, but I can't if it will not allow us to remove a clearly slanderous review. It even will let someone leave a review if they have never even used your center.

Time for me is such an issue. I love this forum, but in a way wish I had not found it. I love reading the threads and getting ideas etc. from others. Plus it is nice to find a community that gets what I go through on a daily basis. But when I get a bit of free time I find myself here rather than being productive elsewhere. I do legal petitions on the side and have a debriefing scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow and I haven't even started her divorce. I justify this by claiming I work best under pressure.

One day I'll get organized and then I'll be dangerous! I haven't even finished setting up my kids with the Brightwheel app. I am the Queen of procrastination.

Thanks again Mike for all you do here and I appreciate getting to read everyone's posts that take the time to contribute to this great site!!! happyface

[ellen211]

I don't have a website but I do have a page on facebook. I include pictures of crafts the children have done, list books I have read to the children, share recipes I have used in program. I also share learning websites I find helpful, daycare issues going on that I find important. It is still a small page and only a handful of people have liked it but its a start.

Hi! would you mind sharing the link of your page here? I would like to visit it.

[Unregistered]

This is what I have done:
*FB page
*FB has a pinned post and in the website spot has my PDF "flier" which is like a website. I made my flier in publisher, with picture links to my Google Drive. Flier includes all my relevant marketing info. I have the menu, curriculum, forms, pictures of my setup, my contract, policies (not full pages--can't just have a parent print it, or someone steal it, I want them to come in person for my papers) etc. It also links my Interest Sheet, has a map of my approx location, rates, etc.

However--everytime I make a change I have to get a new link and change my link on FB.

How to:
*Make a publisher page | save
*Save as PDF
* File --> Share --> Get Link

Not as nice of a link as FB or ones own website, but it does the job.

In the future for parents I may have my husband build an app, he can do that from scratch/free.

I understand websites need payment, but as a small business with little traffic, I'm not sure spending $$ on a website is worth it, especially with FB. But I think I would like to have one for things like having photo galleries only viewable by existing families.

[Jo123ABC]

I just use jimdo

[Olechka]

When you go to my center's website there is a slideshow of the daycare. Those include pictures of the room, kids (we have a form for parents to fill out). On the bottom is our contact information and on top is a bar menu with topics like hours of operation and closing policy, rates and fees, our philosophy and to contact us.