Moonmist

A database is used to collect and organize information in such a way that it can be easily accessed, managed, and updated.

In computing, the most common type of databases is the relational database, this is a table-based database in which data is defined in a way that can be reorganized and accessed in several different ways.

Databases typically contain sales data, such as order details, product catalogs and inventories, and customer profiles.

The 2 most common types of database in use today are Microsoft SQL and MySQL, the difference between these are that the Microsoft database requires an ongoing license and is accessed using the ASP language on a Windows server, whereas the MySql database is an open source system accessed using the PHP language on an Apache server.

What does all that mean for you? It means that the cost of hosting a Windows server is higher due to the licensing costs and also means that most hosting accounts that have databases come with a MySQL database and PHP running on an Apache server.

So, Why would you want a database?

It may surprise you to find out how useful a database can be when used with a website. The mass amount of websites are now run with databases.

With the simplest sort of database on your site you could set up a mailing list to record your visitors names and email address, if you have an e-commerce site you could record all transactions, stock and customers on your site, whilst with a complex database you could record all of that and also control the full structure and appearance of your website and control peoples access to your site.

The most common use of databases on the Internet at the moment is for blogs, these are a type of page that are regularly updated and which usually allow visitors to leave comments and messages on the page.

This interactive element makes blogs different from other static webpage types.

Blogs are often used for commentary on a certain subject or as personal diaries that are open to the public. The ability for visitors to leave comments make them a highly popular page type and they usually rank well within Google due to their interactive nature and their regular updates.

As of February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence.

Creating a website with a database as its basis is not as hard as you might think, most sites can be built using CMS systems that have quick set-up administration built into them and then you simply build them up to what you want using add-on modules.

Paul Grant is the owner of FutureAdCo, a site that helps new marketers to set up their sites, start creating their own mailing lists and look at the possibilities that CMS systems have. Why not join us at http://www.futureadco.com and learn more about Internet Marketing and databases, plus when you join, you can pick up your own copy of our ‘List Building Guide’ that takes you throughout the first steps of creating your own site.