How To Choose A Website Builder Program For Your Small Business
21 Jun 2008Pay for a web designer or do it yourself? Can small business owners really design a site or is it a job for the pro's?
Most consumers look on the internet before going to a store. Sometimes it's their only stop: they research, compare and buy online. It goes without saying then that for a small business to reach its potential market, it should have an internet presence.
Small business operators don't often have a dedicated IT person on staff - in the past this is the person who would be given the job of building a site. It's great news then that there are now beginner-friendly site building packages on the market which are perfect for the small business person's use.
Data is entered into your web pages as one would using a word processor - with modern easy to use web builders, there is no have to know any html whatsoever.
The tutorials provided with almost all software suppliers take the novice through the process of building a site in a non-technical, easy to comprehend way. Having completed the tutorial, one is equipped with more than enough knowledge to launch straight into a site build.
Not every site software programs are easy to use. Small business operators don't need fully blown web design industry solutions due to the steep learning curve. One feature to seek out is a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) editor. This simply means you type on the page as you see it.
There are expenses involved in publishing your own site - you get nothing for nothing. apart from the cost of the software (there are free web builders however they're more difficult to use or too basic in features), a small business (or an individual or a large company) will have to register a domain name (less than $10) and find a web hosting service (around $8 per month).
Businesses should also set up a merchant's account from an organization like Paypal (free). Having a third party handle financial transactions is always reassuring for consumers and takes away an administration burden. When an item has been ordered via your site and paid for, Paypal advises you, with delivery instructions so that you can fulfill the order or if it's an electronic delivery, this part can be automated.
In any small business time is money, and the time spent learning a new skill like site building with easy to use software must be seen as a good investment. it's possible to build multiple websites so that you can have a site network feeding a central business. This is ideal for multi-brand retailers and multi-branch operators. This degree of control will reap rewards as your business grows and you build different websites to cater to changing needs.
Because you've built and are managing your site yourself, you're able to instantly react to changing trends and new opportunities. Avoid delays by not having to wait for your webmaster to make changes. Fresh content on your site is highly desirable.
Some site programs are specifically designed to assist the business person become an internet business marketer, and as your knowledge of web design grows, the more you'll value search engine optimization and site map generation tools. Having a correctly designed site map helps search engines easily match your site to search requests.
If you decide to look at other ways to earn money through your site without doing a thing, you'll no doubt look at including on your site some affiliate marketing and advertisements from non compete companies.
Features to look for:
Ideally you'll have an instructional video, help desk support and forums. seek out testimonials from other business owners to see how they've applied the software.
Getting started is the next step once you arrive at the conclusion that a site is no longer a luxury - it's needed!
Building your business site is only one step away: Check out the Best site Builder.
