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Your Website Should Be Easy to Edit


Online Strategies

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Different Types Of Websites
You've probably heard it enough by now: A website will be really good for your business. You'll tap into a wellspring of clients. It will be easy and profitable. And, other businesses have websites so you need one too...or do you?

It all depends. A website is like a delivery truck. It's a serious investment, an image of your business, and something that requires maintenance. If you choose wisely, it will open new markets and reduce expense. Choose poorly, and you'll end up with a clunker that guzzles gas.

Principle One - Budget for gas, regular cleaning, and maintenance.
A website runs on content so make sure there is something new to see if you want people to come back. If it's not shiny and well cared for, it will reflect poorly on your business. Finally, plan to call an expert when it needs work. Maybe your nephew can fix the fuel pump in your truck but this is business. An expert mechanic will get you on the road faster, and help keep you there.

Principle Two - Make sure you can drive it.
A delivery truck is no good if you can't shift into first gear. It's important to start out knowing how to maintain your website. Most will require you to buy and learn FrontPage or Dream Weaver. There are also new technologies (such as Invisible Gold) that allow you to edit your website using a web browser.

Principle Three - Choose the right vehicle.
The bigger the site is, the more it will cost to maintain. On the other hand, make sure it has enough capacity to cover your needs. See the list below for some common website types. A conversation with an expert will help you determine where to start and where you want to go.

A good website can be exciting and profitable for your business. Until next month, happy surfing...

- John Waiveris
www.invisiblegold.com


Single Page Website - (1 page) $

Single Page Website - (1 page) $
A single page website is often overlooked – but it is extremely simple and inexpensive. Include hours, directions, and contact information. A skilled writer can make it look very professional.

Company Brochure Website (3-8 pages) $-$$

Company Brochure Website (3-8 pages) $-$$
This is another basic website. You’ll want to include standard pages such as: about us, contact or travel information, products and services, and general information. Keep it simple, and don’t expect people to read it more than once. Also, don’t expect much traffic besides people you hand business cards to.

Online Marketing Website (5-20 pages) $-$$$

Online Marketing Website (5-20 pages) $-$$$
This website is an integral part of a marketing campaign. Research search engine optimization (if your market is national) and analyze traffic over time. Special offers, e-Books, and useful tools can bring people back. An email newsletter can dramatically increase traffic. This type of website requires frequent content changes so make sure you can update it yourself.

Customer Service Website (10-50 pages) $-$$$

Customer Service Website (10-50 pages) $-$$$
You may get more benefit by providing useful information to existing clients such as scheduling, policies, downloadable files and forms, private client pages, etc. Certain businesses can save a great deal of time by publishing information on a website rather than taking phone calls.

Club or Community Website (10-100+ pages) $-$$$

Club or Community Website (10-100+ pages) $-$$$
A club or community website has some concept of a “member”. You may want to have a directory, an online calendar, photos from past events, etc. You may also want to include private member areas and discussion boards. It can be useful to automate new member registrations.

Simple eCommerce Website (3-20 pages) $$-$$$

Simple eCommerce Website (3-20 pages) $$-$$$
This is similar to an online marketing site. You still need to bring in visitors - but here, the goal is to complete the sale. Start by handling inventory and processing orders by hand. When it gets really busy, upgrade to a catalog website. Ecommerce websites are tricky. 1 in 20 hits “the mark” to get more than a few orders per month. (The ones that do, enjoy huge profits)

Online Catalog Website (10-500+ pages) $$-$$$$

Online Catalog Website (10-500+ pages) $$-$$$$
Once you outgrow a simple eCommerce website, you’ll need features such as automatic inventory control, better order fulfillment and complex tracking. There are commercially available catalog systems that allow you to focus on selling rather than system maintenance.