Equipment, Supplies and Services for Your Business 11

What do you need to set up a web site?

A web site, technically, is nothing more than some files on a computer that serves (makes available) the files to web users. Although you could set up a personal computer to serve files to the Internet, doing so is impractical because personal computers aren't likely to be as powerful as computers used to serve up Internet pages. Thus, most people use Internet hosting services to host their web site and make it available to web users.

In addition to a hosting service, you will need a means to create web pages, a way to digitize (convert to computer format) images if you plan to use any on the site, a way to optimize those digitized images for web use, and a way to transfer your web pages to the host site.

If you have the patience to learn how to write the HTML code used in web pages, you could create them with a text editor like notepad. Another option is to use the HTML conversion features in Microsoft Word or Publisher to create web pages. But if you are going to create your own web pages, you will probably get better results if you purchase a web page layout program such as Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia's Dreamweaver, or some other program specifically created to make web sites.

You could bring images to a store like Kinko's or to one of the big office supply stores to have them digitized. Or you might want to use purchased computer clip art to add color to your web pages. Transferring all the files to the web can be done using a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program. You can download shareware versions of FTP programs from web sites that feature shareware such as Paulspicks.com. (Shareware is software you can try before you buy it.)

Or, you can hire a web page developer to create a site for you. If you have little time and less patience to play with computer programs, finding someone to create your site is probably the best way to go.

In addition to the software and hardware that will be needed to produce the web pages, you will need content to put on the site. This will include general information about the name of the business, individuals to contact, phone and fax numbers, and it will also include information you want your visitors to see such as your catalog or articles you've written.

Where can I find a web hosting service?

You can find hosting services advertised in your local newspaper and advertised in various places on the web or in Internet magazines. You can also get some hosting services (but not hosting of your own domain name) free on Yahoo's GeoCities. AOL offers free websites as part of its features for subscribers, too. These free services generally won't let you use your own domain name, but they are useful for practicing basic web building skills and determining if you have the interest and skills to build a professional-looking site for your own company.

How can you sell products on the Internet?

To sell products on the Internet you'll need a merchant account (so you can accept credit card transactions) and a secure server (an encrypted area that makes it safer to send credit card information) and an order form or shopping cart software. (Shopping cart software lets you buy multiple things at one time.) Your hosting service can either provide the secure server and shopping cart software or suggest ways to get them. Once you have all those elements in place, you need to get living, breathing customers to find your web site and look through your offerings.

How do you get your web site found?

You will have to make an ongoing effort to let people know about your web site so they come visit. One way to do that is to tell everyone you know about the site and how to reach it. Another is to get the site registered in the key portal directories and search engines. In addition you'll want to include your web site on your business card, on your letterhead, and in your sales literature.
Another good way to get your web site found is to look for communities on the Internet and online services that match the demographic profile of the people you want to find your web site. Look for discussion areas and chats to participate in and places to send articles. Participate in these areas, join in discussions, and become a trusted resource. Whenever you sign your name, include your web site URL along with your signature.

How do you find a reliable hosting service?

The best way to find a reliable host site is to ask other businesspeople for recommendations. Make a point of asking people who have bought hosting services for themselves. You want to find someone who knows from experience what kind of service the company provides. What you don't want is to get a referral to a hosting company just because someone is a friend of the owner or owes him or her a favor.

Ask the people you talk to how often the site is down and for how long at any time. Find out about customer support, too. How quickly does the host company respond to routine questions? How soon to emergency situations? Is there anyone there in the middle of the night in case a server goes down?

If you are having someone create your web pages for you and they are also providing hosting, ask if they own the equipment on which the site will be hosted or if they outsource that to a hosting company themselves. If so, get the name of the company. Call the company and ask questions, such as how long they've been in business and how big they are. The last thing you want is your business web site hosted on someone's old PC in a damp basement. If you don't want your web site to suddenly disappear, be sure it's hosted on servers at a company that's not likely to go belly up in the night.

In choosing your web host, consider, too, how the site will be used. If you are having databases or other work programmed for you ask your programmer if you will need any special server or capabilities on the server.

Other considerations are how many Internet lines the server has coming in and whether they are redundant (if one route is down, will traffic be routed through another connection?). If your usage will be high, look for a place that has experience with other high traffic sites. Better, if you have someone designing the site, find out who his or her customers are and where they were placed and what their experiences were.

How do you get advertisers for a web site?

To get advertisers you generally need to have a lot of good content and have enough traffic to generate 50,000 or more page views a month at the very minimum. If you have fewer visitors than that, consider swapping ads with noncompeting web sites that sell to the same audience. Or

Do companies that claim to get you good position in the search engines really work?

Some do, but others do more harm than good for their clients. There have been a number of instances where companies that promoted themselves as helping with search engine optimization did things that got their clients websites penalized or removed from the search engine indices. Usually the best search engine optimization companies charge high prices – higher than most startups can afford.

Fortunately, though, there is a lot a business can do to optimize itself to optimize its website. To get started, take an hour or two to learn the basics of site promotion. You can find out what the search engines and directory services look for in sites by browsing through web sites such as searchenginewatch.com, highrankings.com Clickz.com and webmasterworld.com.

In addition, you may also want to consider a paid listing for your business name or keywords on Yahoo!, Lycos, and LookSmart. Using pay per click advertising through Google AdWords and Overture is also a good way to get traffic to your web site provided you learn how to manage those campaigns effectively.

Can I send unsolicited email to get customers for my business?

Unsolicited email (called "junk email" or spam) has become a major problem for online services, ISPs, and for Internet users. The ease and low cost of email made unsolicited mailings popular among people promoting X-rated web sites and questionable business opportunities, as well as people promoting legitimate business opportunities and products for sale. However, the volume of junk mail (along with the distasteful nature of some of it) clogs Internet gateways and wastes the time of recipients.

As a result several states have passed laws prohibiting junk email, and most online services and ISPs forbid account holders from sending any unsolicited bulk mail. If you try to send it and get caught, you could have your email account suspended. If you have a web site and send junk mail from your own web site, the hosting company may remove your web site and all records of it from their servers. Bottom line: don't send bulk unsolicited email.

Can I post ads for my product or service on message boards on online services or the web?

Many online forums and web sites have specific areas set up to post classified ads. Restrict your postings to those areas and follow any rules or guidelines posted in such areas.

How else can I promote my business on the Internet and online services?

One way to promote your business on a budget is by finding appropriate communities and participating in them the way you would in your local business networks. Be a regular contributor to the group, and when you post messages on boards be sure to include your email address (if allowed) along with your name in a signature line. If the board or mailing list allows, include your phone number, but observe for a few days first. Many services such as BusinessKnowHow.com do not allow advertising messages, phone numbers or addresses to be posted as part of the Internet signature.

Is there any way to locate web sites that let me post free classified ads?

You can go to any of the major portals and search for the term "free classified ads" and you'll be shown a list of web sites to visit. One to start with is http://www.freeclassifiedlinks.com, which contains links to hundreds of web sites that allow visitors to post free classified ads.

How can I find someone to create my web site?

The best way is to ask other small businesses for referrals to people they have used and liked. Find out what experience the web site developer has and ask for references. Ask to see sites they have created for other people. Consider whether you like the designs and how easy or difficult they make it to find information on the pages. Look for phone numbers of the companies the sites were created for (there is usually contact information somewhere on the site) and call and ask if the company was satisfied with the work.

What will it cost me to have someone develop my web site for me?

That depends on what you are doing with it, and whether you know yourself what you want on it. The more complex you want the site, and the more you change your mind once the developer starts, the higher your costs will be. Most web site developers who are experienced charge $50 to $75 an hour or more for their work, so indecision and changing priorities can get expensive.

If ongoing costs will be a concern, ask the developers you are considering if they can set up the web site so you can maintain it yourself without additional fees for programming. There are ways to set up sites so routine changes can be made in pages and standardized new pages can be added without knowing any HTML. Adding that capability may be a bit costly up front, but if you expect to make frequent changes it's advisable. Be sure you find out in advance from the developer who will own the designs and layouts. If you want to own them, get it in writing and make sure the developer delivers all the files to you before making the final payment.

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