So you want a website for your business? Some people would have you believe that venturing into the online market is as simple as signing up to a website template service and PRESTO - you have a money making website. However, making the decision to jump from traditional sales to online sales is a big one.
In the day and age of mass consumerism and market saturation, there are many things to consider and research prior to starting up your online business venture. E-commerce and business related websites do not just generate new customers and move products simply by existing. The following is a short list of crucial points to think about, prior to signing up for your commercial space on the World Wide Web:
- Online market research - how saturated is the existing market? Just how hard will it be to get your website noticed once it is live?
- Does your business have an "identity"? It's easy to sign up to the cheapest template website service and hope for the best. However, if your business has a uniform design theme or identity, then you want this to be consistently shown throughout your online representation.
- E-commerce solutions - which one suits you best? Do you need the maximum, most expensive package? Or can you find a customised E-commerce solution to suit your needs and budget? Weigh up budget limitations vs. design requirements.
- Web host providers - there are A LOT of them. RESEARCH which is best for you in service and price. JustHost is a good all rounder for price and service. Click here to learn more about JustHost web hosts.
- Your domain name is crucial to your potential online success. Maybe register 2 domains; one with your business name and another related to your services or products. For example - Roy's Auto Mechanics in Adelaide may register 'roysautomechanics.com' as well as 'car-mechanics-adelaide.com'. Just in case you didn't know, yes, you can have 2 domains for ONE website.
- Choose the right web designer! We often get a lot of clients coming to us after receiving cheap, unsatisfactory service from a competitor. Your web designer should be as passionate about representing your business the right way as you are.
Remember, if you don't feel overly confident in making any of these decisions, then get informed and research your competitors, service prices and come up with a plan. It will only make venturing into the world of online business easier in the long run.