|
Article:
Develop a Solid Website Presence by: Michael J Medeiros Starting an internet business can be confusing. The internet is the new world of business and research. It's significantly different then launching a conventional business. Conventional business practices rely on location. If we opened a bookstore on Broadway, New York City, thousands, or millions, would pass the store daily. In contrast, if we opened a bookstore on main street, Williamstown NJ, we would have significantly less customers passing each day. The internet lacks the model of location. There are no roads or attractions forcing customers to pass. Therefore, Internet businesses are forced to find their customers. If a website lacks resources, it would be difficult to develop a good presence. Considering the development of a Website's presence, there are two regions of focus. First, we have, what many refer to as, 'on-site,'¯ development. This region of development ranges from Web Page design to content. Second, we have off-site development. This is required to attract a portion of the internet community. Off-site development is generally considered, 'Link development'¯. If we read discussions among professionals, in Website Forums, its obvious many argue the importance of both. In the middle of the debate, there are those focusing on balance, which produces a solid presence for any Website. Creating the Website There is no guessing between the Chicken and the Egg when it comes to business. A website is required before partaking on off-site development. The beginning stages of Website development are crucial to stability and recognition. Although entrepreneurs could purchase pre-established domains, there are significant advantages to, 'Starting from scratch'¯. If we purchase a domain that utilized unethical practices, we could face repercussions. Starting from the foundation ensures control. Although some may argue, when starting from scratch, anticipate five years before the Website stabilizes. There are surely Websites with impressive success stories, but the developers often utilized pre-established Websites for publicity (Rooted Developers). Starting a new Website is a difficult task. Creating a template is an excellent idea, before producing pages. Templates are base pages with an open area for the Title, Meta Data, and content. A uniform menu is utilized, ensuring clear navigation. The company logo, or header, should be included on the body portion of the template. This ensures uniform pages with functional menus. If the developer has access to a database, it would be wise to create a database table for menus and have them created dynamically from one file across the entire site. As this journey begins, move with caution each step of the way. Set a long-term goal for the final release of the Website. Ensure every link and page functions, as they are built. Place considerable thought on page titles, wording of content, and how visitors will perceive the Website. Anticipate minimal changes, based upon visitor feedback. Once the basic pages are created, begin establishing recognition. Understand the Task-at-hand Researchers at the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) suggested that over seven million Websites exist. Many of these Websites struggle to gain one visitor per day. On the other hand, a few of these websites recognize modest traffic. If developers attempt to over-run a market, it more then likely would fail. We should not seek dominance, but desire to contribute to the Network. This is fundamental to becoming established, regardless of the extent to off-site development. Consider the number of failed E-businesses. These numbers are scary. In '2003
|
