Small Business Website Help

Small Business Website Help: Subscription Based Website

2012-01-24T03:45:00.000-08:00

Subscription based websites have grown in popularity, but is a subscription based website right for you? The alternative would be to pay for your whole website upfront with a lump sum payment as opposed to monthly payments. I tend to favor subscription based websites, but let's take a look at what's involved to get the whole picture.

The Short Run of The Subscription Based Website vs. The Lump Sum Payment
If a website designer quotes you a flat fee to build a website for $1,000 you will need to cut a check for the lump sum. If he quotes you subscription based website build for $99.99 a month, you'll owe a more manageable payment every month.

In the short run, it makes more sense to pay the $1,000 upfront because the $100 payments for a subscription based website will continue to put you beyond that price after month ten. But that's the short run. If you have a small business website, you're probably in it for the long haul. Saving money right now may cost you more later.

The Long Haul of Subscription Based Websites vs. A Lump Sum Payment
A small business website is different. Large companies have an IT department maintaing their websites. You can't necessarily afford that, but you'll still need affordable small business website help. Why? Because as your business changes your website will need to change.

Did that $1,000 lump sum payment include updates? What about maintenance or hosting? Probably not. The grand just covered your design and build. When you call your designer, you realize that updates and changes will cost you about $30-60/hr if not more. You then start putting out Craigslist ads hoping to find a cheaper web designer that can update your site, but they start complaining about how your original designer didn't make it easy for someone to edit your site. Now you've wasted time and money, and you're still looking for small business website help.

Why Choose a Subscription Based Website Over A Lump Sum Site?
Subscription based websites usually include hosting, maintenance, updates, and support. You're not left hanging once the website is up. If you're having trouble with the idea of paying a monthly price instead of a flat fee, think about it this way: It's still probably more affordable than hiring one IT guy, let alone an IT department.

Also, from the standpoint of financial analysis, a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow. Why would you want to spend more of something that is worth more today ($1,000) when you can spend less of something that continues to be worth less ($10 - $100/mo)? That frees up money that you can use to buy more product or invest and earn interest. It frees up your cash flow.

Subscription Based Website & Lump Sum Suggestions
Not only is it more affordable in the short run as well as the long haul, but a subscription based website is smarter because you get the ongoing support as well. Some affordable subcription based website companies include Homestead.com, SetMySite.com, and Web.com.

If you're still stuck on tying up your cash flow by paying a big lump sum as opposed to going with a subscription based website, be my guest. Check out companies like 123Triad.com, Affordablewebdesign.com, and AngelsAffordableWebDesign.com

What is a Good Domain Name for Your Small Business?

2012-01-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

What is a Good Domain Name?
What is a good domain name for your business?It all depends on how you're going to market it. Picking a domain name is one thing. But picking a good domain name is a whole other ball game. What are you purchasing a domain name for, and how you're planning to use it? What IS a good domain name for one marketing technique is not so great for another. Before you buy a domain name, figure out how you'll be using it.

What is a Good Domain Name for Traditional Marketing?
If you plan to advertise around town, what is a good domain name? Do you plan to promote your website on business cards, fliers, newspaper ads, radio spots, or local TV commercials? Pick a domain name that is simple. The shorter and more clever, the better. You want people to remember it easily while spurring curiosity.

For example, if Fred owns an auto shop, "FixItFred.com" or "FreddyFixIt.com" is a good domain name for traditional marketing campaigns. Be creative and see what's available when purchasing a domain name.

And guess what, traditional approaches still work (fliers, newspaper ads, etc). Advertise where your potential customers are looking or hanging out. Buy a domain name that they'll remember. People do it for their 800 numbers - do it for your website.

What is a Good Domain Name for Online Marketing?
If you're looking for an online marketing campaign, what is a good domain name? You want your website found in search engines. If Fred is looking to market more online than in-person, a good domain name would be "www.DowntownSeattleAutoRepair.com."

You're probably saying, "That's not short, clever, or memorable." Online marketing is different. It may not be a pretty domain name, but that's what people are typing into Google when they are looking for auto repair in downtown Seattle. You also want to use the same language in the content of your website to be better optimized for search queries. For example, you may want your home page to say, "Looking for downtown Seattle auto repair? We offer the best downtown Seattle auto repair in the area," and so on.

Consider other possible search terms when picking a domain name for online marketing. Pick a domain name that matches what people are searching for so you pop up in the Google results.

What is a Good Domain Name for Both Marketing Styles?
If you plan to market online while using traditional tactics as well, what is a good domain name? My suggestion is to buy both. Use "DowntownSeattleAutoRepair.com" as your primary domain name, but use "FreddyFixIt.com" on your print material and advertisements. Have your webmaster setup "FreddyFixIt.com" as your forwarding address so when people type that in your "DowntownSeattleAutoRepair.com" website pops up.

I hope this blog helps you decide not what is a good domain name, but what is a good domain name for you. If you want some recommendations on where to buy a domain name, I've included them below. I've also added some affordable web design companies that can turn your domain name into a website.

Where to Buy A Domain Name:
GoDaddy.com, NameCheap.com, NetworkSolutions.com
-- NameCheap is my favorite. It's simple, straight forward, and cheap. It's easy and quick.

Affordable Web Design Companies:
Homestead.com, SetMySite.com, 123Triad.com, Web.com
-- Set My Site is great. Affordable, friendly, and super talented. Lots of small business experience.

Curious about hosting? Check out my post on hosting companies by clicking here.

The Best Hosting Companies

2012-01-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

So you're thinking about building a website or you'd like to redesign your current site. There are certainly a lot of things you need to think about when it comes to website design. There are a ton of other things to think about when it comes to web hosting. So where do you start.

First, you need to understand what hosting is. Hosting is essentially where your website lives. You pay for hosting for your website just like you would pay rent for your apartment. Nobody gets to stay for free. But just like you wouldn't shell out your hard-earned money on just any apartment in any neighborhood, you want to be smart about where you invest your hosting dollars. And just like renting, there are different prices for different hosting plans. It all depends on your needs. Do you need 3 bedrooms? Do you need a pool? You have to define these requirements before you jump right in.

Here's some food for thought. A lot of hosting companies offer an option for shared hosting. This means that you share your apartment with roommates. Other people use the same space to host their website. This option can help you cut your hosting costs down significantly. But, just like living with roommates, there are several downfalls to this approach to web hosting. This kind of hosting option offers limited storage and space. So if you're running a website that deals with a lot of traffic, or you're running an online store that has to deal with complicated processes like transactions, you might not get what you need from this option.

Alternatively, services like Hostgator offer starter plans that are still very affordable and you get your own hosting location (like renting your own flat). That's a great option for sites with a heavy load. What's more, if you have a mega site, most hosting companies offer enterprise level hosting solutions that handle a lot of action.

Finally, you'll want some recommendations as to which hosting companies to go with. My recommendations would be Hostgator.com and Bluehost.com.

Good luck with your hosting needs!

Beginner Tips for Small Business Website Help

2012-01-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

So you need some small business website help? If you're thinking about starting a small business website, don't fall into the "affordable trap" without thinking things through all the way. Here's an example...

"You shoved out $800 and you like your website. That's a pretty affordable rate. The designer even gives you two or three revisions so you can make tweaks to it. Great! You're done! But there's one thing you forgot... updates."

What happens when you need to change pictures, update people on specials, or add brand new content? You find yourself in need of small business website help. That all comes at a cost, and it's a cost you may have forgot to figure into the $800 price that you negotiated. Alterations to your site can cost anywhere from $20 - $60 an hour!

When you're budgeting for a website and screening potential designers, make sure you consider the "total cost" of your small business website. Questions to ask include...

Does the price of building my website include the down payment, or is that separate?
Who pays for the domain name? Me or you? (Always own your domain name)
Who handles my updates? Me, you, or someone else?
If you're updating my website, how much does that cost?
Will you be paying for hosting ("online website rent"), or do I need to pay for that?

These are all important questions that you need answers to before you start the process of building your small business website. Before you fall into the "affordable web design" trap, make sure you know the total cost. I hope this small business website help post gives your bottom line a better picture.

For a little more small business website help, I've listed a couple web design companies that cover all your costs, and can assist you with anything I forgot. These designers are a good starting point in your search for a small business website.

Good luck with your small business website quest. Remember to ask all the right questions, and you'll make both your budget and life a lot easier.

Small Business Website Help Is Just A Click Away

2012-01-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

I think we all know that today, more than ever before, having a real and prominent web presence is not a maybe, it's a must. I've following web design and marketing for a long long time now and I think it's time for me to give back. When it comes to small business website help it seems like most resources out there are either not very helpful or are only trying to make a buck off you. Well I hope you know that there is now a resource in between both of those: MY BLOG! Come by often or subscribe to keep up with my hints, tips and tricks to managing and maintaining your own small business website.

Here's what you can look forward to when reading my blog:

Web designer reviews
General small business website help
Links to other helpful resources

And probably a ton more. Thanks again for stopping by and I will have some great info regarding small business website help posted this week!