Website 101 - What do I need to get online?

With the rise in consumers taking their search for goods and services online, the importance for businesses to have a good website is heightened. But where do you start? What are the key elements to getting online? Here are the basics.

What’s involved?

From conversations with customers, I have realised many small to medium business owners place little or no importance on having an effective web presence. This really surprised me. My business is online all day, everyday, and if we need a service, guess where the first place we look is? When I actually come to think of it, in the past five years we have not once opened a telephone directory to source a service or product. So it seems to me that while consumers are going online more and more to source products and services, many businesses have not really responded.

It is important to have a website. But where do you start? What are the key elements to getting online? Here are the basics.

Where to start?

What do you want your website to do for you?
Not all small business websites have the same goal. Think about whether you simply want to promote the product, or build an active community. Think about what you want to accomplish before you consider anything else.

Domain Name Registration

Next you will need to register a domain name. A domain name is basically your address on the World Wide Web that enables people to find you amongst the enormous multitude of sites. Like an address, it directs people to you. Your domain should have a similar name to your business so as to reinforce your business to people. Keep it short. If your business name is really long try something shorter that will resonate with consumers. For example, my business name is Sass Design, so my web address is www.sassdesign.com.au.

Hosting

As your domain is like an address for people to find you, hosting is like the block of land where your website sits. This is where I see my clients getting confused – I know they’re thinking “not another charge!”. The problem is that you will need reliable and professional hosting for your site, period. They will do the stuff you don’t have the time or skills to – find that reliable space for your site to sit, gather client information, traffic information, run scripts and ensure your website is running smoothly. Hosting also, in most instances will manage your emails so make sure you choose wisely.

Writing Content

You will need to supply your designer/ developer with content. This does not have to be pages and pages of text. As a basis, start with main pages such as home page, about us, products/ services and a contact page. This will give someone visiting your site an overview as to who you are, what you are about and how to contact you. If you require additional pages later the one great thing about a a website is that you or your designer can always add to it!

Hire Someone to Design it

Whilst you may not have the need or budget for a huge, complex site, you should still hire a professional to ensure your website looks good and is easy to navigate. If you do put a sub-standard or unprofessional looking site online it will reflect poorly on your business as being a trustworthy and professional organisation. You may want to have the option of editing your own site. For this you will need a template designed into a CMS (Content Management System). Ask you designer if they can design a template for you.

Claim any Free Online Listing

There are tonnes of free listings to be claimed online to help boost your website’s chances of being found. Just type into Google – Free website listings and get your web address on as many as possible.

Promoting your Site

So you have a great website but now what? You will need to market your site. Your web address should be included on all Point of Sale, advertising and press material. Once again, it is again best to hire a professional to target your audience through print and online advertising when you launch your website to ensure you get noticed. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is also very important. SEO will help get your page to the top (or as close to it as it can be) of Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. So when a potential client or customer is searching words relevant to your business – for example – graphic designer gold coast you will come up on the first page of results.

So there you have it – the basic information you need to get online. Of course there are many more aspects I could go into further, but this is a solid start and it can be built on in future. So get to work on what could become your most important marketing tool – your website!

By Danielle Butler

Danielle Butler is a Graphic Artist with over ten years experience. She has owned Sass Design, a small studio based on the Gold Cost, for over five years. Sass Design are a team of advanced graphic artists and creative management providing a full creative service. These range from total branding, packaging, graphic design, marketing, print and print brokering to signage and web design.

Article provided by the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, which provides online training and mentoring, resources and advocacy for women in business. Read more articles at their website abn.org.au .