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How To Put Your Business Online

As a small to medium sized business, one of the biggest challenges you face is the need to market yourself. With the many advertising avenues available, deciding on an effective and economical solution can be a daunting task. The internet has provided business owners with a solution that can be both economical and effective. A website can serve as billboard, TV commercial or interactive brochure promoting your business all at once. But once you have decided to use this form of marketing for your business, what comes next? Exactly how do you put your business online? Basically, there are five steps to getting your business on the web:
 

1. Choose and Register Your Domain Name.
   You will have to decide on a name for your website. The domain name (what comes after the “WWW”), is the name people will type in to reach your site. You will want to choose something that will be easy to remember and that will in some way relate to the business or service that you provide. Many businesses use their business name as the domain name. However, with the amount of website name already registered, you may find your first few choices have already been used. Once you discover an available name, you will want to register this name as soon as possible. This will cost approximately $35.00 per year.
    

2. Choose a Hosting Service.
   Once you have registered a name, you will need a location to place (or host) your website. Hosting services are basically computer servers that are always connected to the internet. Once you have created a website, it will be loaded onto a hosting services server. This server is where people will come to view your website. There are many different prices and features available at hosting services. You may want to compare the price and features of several different companies to see which one best meets the need of your website.
    

3. Design and Build Your Website.
   Once the name has been chosen and the hosting service selected you can concentrate on building your site. With the many tools available today, building a website is easier than ever. However building a good, effective website is a different matter. Remember, your website is a reflection of your business. For some people it will be the first and only impression you make with them. It may well be worth the added expense of hiring a web consultant or designer to ensure that you are projecting a professional appearance that reflects positively on your business.
    

4. Upload Your Site To The Web Host Server.
   Once your site has been built, it can now be loaded onto the server space you are renting from the hosting service you chose. In most cases, this will be done by the person that is designing your website. If not, then you will have to check with the hosting company for the correct procedure to accomplish this.
    

5. Maintain Your Website.
   Site maintenance is one area that many businesses fail to stay on top of. An updated site is one way to keep potential customers coming back. As your business changes and grows, your website should change to reflect this. Keeping your site updated is one way to make customers feel as if your business is alive and well. Updates will also allow you to highlight new products, services and developments in your business.