_____________________________________________________
DEVELOPING A WEBSITE                                                        

A useful component of your business identity is your website. Not only does a website lend credibility to your enterprise, it gives you a way to connect with your audience 24/7, around the globe. For that very reason a solid plan for your site is needed so that your business' reputation is enhanced, not undermined, by your site.

A web designer will ask for certain basic information from you in order to get the process started. A questionnaire such as this one shows the type of information you will need to discuss.

Although the look of your site is very important, the structure of the site must be addressed first. Sites which are simple and easy to navigate create much better user experiences than a site that has too many visual bells and whistles.

_____________________________________________________
WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW MUCH                                          

To help you make decisions as to what should be included where, think of each page as a chance to tell your audience in a few seconds about the most important features and benefits of that aspect of your business. Use your home page to give a 1-shot overview in case they don't go any further. Simple and direct is best, and photos and illustrations can enhance the written content.

If you aren't sure how much text to include, think of your own attention span when you surf the Internet. Keep that in mind and if you have a lot to say on a subject include links for further reading.

In all cases, your site should reflect the personality of your business and help you achieve your business goals. Help your customers find what they need quickly and keep your content up to date. This will reinforce their trust in your business and enhance your branding efforts.

_____________________________________________________
DRIVING TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE                    

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, means using various tactics to get your website as highly ranked as possible within search engines such as Google and Yahoo. This helps new customers find you. The trouble is, everyone can't be number one.

It's important to create marketing campaigns that drive traffic to your site from other sources (advertising, promotions, your business card, etc.) so that you aren't relying on the search engines to attract customers to your site.

When it comes to the search engines, one of the best ways to enhance your ranking is to know what words your potential customers might be using to search for you.

If you are a plumber with a local business you don't need to come first in a global search for plumbers. Your web designer can include keywords within the code of your website such as "plumber, Raleigh, new construction, plumbing, HVAC" and your chances of coming up high in a search on some of those criteria are very good.

Your web designer can include those words in the titles of the web pages (see mine above) and use descriptive text throughout your site that repeats those words as well. However you don't want to overdo it -- some search engines will penalize you for trying to trick the system!

Another way to enhance your SEO is to have your link appear on reputable business sites that already have a good ranking. As you come across sites for companies with whom you do business it is fine to ask if you can be included as a link on their site.

You can also have your site URL submitted to the major search engines just so they know to look for you. This is quite simple to do but once again you can be penalized for doing this too often. And beware of email solicitations offering SEO services such as URL submission; many of these companies are not reputable.

If you want to improve your ranking ask a web designer to look at your site and employ the tactics described here. But to really drive traffic to your website, use all your advertising and promotional efforts as a chance to tell your customers about your site. When they get there, have something engaging for them to read and see. It's a great opportunity for you to convince people already interested in your range of services why you are the one they should choose.

For some great reading on the subject for those who are a bit more familiar with web design, I highly recommend the informative pages provided on the site of web designer Heather Goff. She is particularly adept at content management systems and has made many wonderful websites. Here's a link to her article on SEO.