The ABCs of a Successful Small-Business Web Site

Hi Folks,

This is a quick and dirty overview of websites, and what they should do for you. Sometimes I think of articles like these "check-list" articles. If I'm doing everything listed and mentioned, then it serves to check that my business foundation is solid and fundatmentally up-to-date. I'm free to pursue interests, or as I call them: tangents. See Below:

(NewsUSA) - In today's Internet-saturated culture, the World
Wide Web can make a world of difference for the success of a small business.

But according to an article published in Bank of America's Business 24/7 magazine,
some small-business owners remain hesitant to create an online presence because they fear the technical issues involved.

The article assures, however, that no matter what the size or aim of a business,
the use of a Web site as a marketing tool far outweighs the cost of creating and maintaining it.

"Bank of America understands that having an online presence is important to the success of small businesses and wants to share best practices on how business owners can take advantage of the convenience and value of the Internet," said Joe Helweg, senior vice president and small business e-commerce executive at Bank of America.


Here are some things to consider when building a company Web site:

-Selecting a Web-Hosting Company

++ When shopping for an outside host to build and maintain a Web site, small businesses should always choose one that's reliable and financially stable. After all, if the host's servers crash or the company goes bankrupt, the sites of the company's clients will go down as well.

++ A Web host's e-mail package is another vital point of consideration. Most hosts offer a certain number of e-mail accounts at the Web site's domain name. The more accounts the better.

++ It's also important to know how much bandwidth the Web site will possess. Small businesses should be wary of hosts that offer "unlimited bandwidth" and should ask for specific numbers instead.

-Considering Content

++ A small business should use its Web site to clearly convey whatever it is that the company does.

++ An "About Us" section should be included that details some history of thecompany's founding and mission as well as what service or product the company provides. Company contact information is equally important to feature.


-Updating the Site

++ It's a good idea for small businesses to keep their Web sites as current as
possible. Even if a company isn't a whirlwind of change, it's still important to alter a Web site's appearance every so often, or add company news and information that can be updated weekly or monthly.


-Questions to Ask

++ If it's decided that a Web-hosting company will be used, here are some additional
questions to ask:

• How much storage space will be provided?

• What is the cost for bandwidth in excess of the allotted amount?

• What level of security will the Web site have?

• Do the provided e-mail accounts have spam filtering?

• What is the guaranteed uptime for the Web site?


The Web-Hosting Industry is fast-growing and very competitive. Make a list of ALL the features you want in a hosting company, such as customer service 24/7. More than likely, you will find ALL features you want. Above mentions the non-negotiable basics. For myself, eventhough it isn't necessary for my sites operation, I just gotta have live chat.

With articles and reviews, Hosting Review (http://www.hosting-review.com) is one place to start your web-hosting research. Nevermind the old-fashioned Google way.

Naturally, I would highly recommend my hosting company, IX Web Hosting. I really did do some looking around before I settled on this company, and then only signed up for a minimum amount of time. At the time, I thought the smallest of problems from these folks, and I would be unplugging. Good thing they don't have that attitude about me! What I have put those poor customer service folks through! This company has a customer service rating of 8.5/10, and I still can't believe it. My experience, as you may guess, would be rated 10/10.

Best of options in finding your best host.

MarginsXs