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Business Website Basics:
Overview
Having a website has become almost a requirement for small businesses. However, when it comes to setting up a website, there are so many options, choosing what to do is often confusing for a non-technical small or independent business owner. This guide is designed to take some of the mystery out of that decision process.
Why do you need a website?
Today, most small businesses need an online presence as much as they need a phone or mailbox. Customers and clients -- current and potential -- expect you to have one. For some small businesses, a website has become the primary selling tool -- a means to access inventory or collaborate on client projects. For other small businesses, a website is little more than a directory listing with static contact information. Other small businesses have launched constantly updated weblogs or detailed service-oriented resources. From simple to complex, websites have become a requirement for doing business in many industries.
In addition, most people begin their search for a product online using a search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN. Having a website, especially a web site that is designed to be an effective Internet marketing tool, can be very valuable for small businesses. Without the right web site, people will not be able to find your business.
Should you hire a developer or do it yourself?
Do it yourself:
PROS: You'll save money by doing it yourself, not to mention have complete control over the look and feel of the site. If you make yourself the administrator, you have the freedom to update and make changes whenever you feel it's necessary. If you have a working knowledge of basic web design there are free tools that will allow you to create a professional looking website on your own.
CONS: If you don't know much about computers and/or web design it could take a while to learn everything and get your site up and running. Also, if you choose to become an administrator, you will have to spend even more time dedicated to making any updates and changes to the site.
Hire a developer:
PROS: You will get a clean well designed web page in a short amount of time if you hire a web developer. Also, they will take care of any changes and updates in the future. A professional designer also will have the ability to create a completely unique site that is beyond the scope of what you could do yourself. Plus, it will give you more time to devote to the other responsibilities you have running your business.
How to determine what type of website you need
One way to begin considering the options is to decide if your needs are simple or complex:
SIMPLE: If your business is not web-based and you merely want a place on the web, there are many off-the-shelf, even free, products and services that may be all you need.
LESS SIMPLE: If you are going to be selling products online and need to set up an e-commerce site, there are inexpensive and easy-to-set up products and services.
COMPLEX: If your site is going to the basis of an online business, then developing it may involve a great deal of time and resources to create and launch.
VERY COMPLEX: If your site is going to contain vast amounts of content and data used in a specialized way, it will also require custom development to create and launch.
Choosing a web hosting service
A simple website will only require a simple web-hosting solution. We recommend using a different company than your ISP for your webhosting Service. As your needs become more complex, your hosting needs may also become more complex. The need for increased bandwidth (the capacity for sending and receiving data) and increased data storage may require a customized web-hosting arrangement. In other cases, you may want to purchase certain equipment and host the website at your location. For this guide, we assume you will only need a simple (perhaps even free) solution for hosting your website.
Contact us now to discuss your web development needs.
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