How to set up a website for your small business

In today's world, it almost as necessary for a business, no matter what size or industry, to have a website as it is to have a phone number. More and more, people are learning more about companies and doing business with them via the Internet. Business owners who recognize the power and necessity of a company website definitely have the advantage over those who don't. The key is to know how to set up a website for your small business, which can be done by following these basic guidelines.

The name of your site and its address is worth some extra consideration. These two things are not only the way you'll identify yourself on the Internet, but it's also how people will find you. You want to find a domain name that will lead customers or anyone that's interested to your site.Usually, a shorter domain name is easier to remember, but the key is to find something that sums up your website in a word or two.

The domain of your site has two parts: the name and the extension. The name is the part described above - it's the thing that describes your business. For example, flowers.com is an effective domain name for a few reasons: it's short, to the point, easy to remember, and very clearly states what the site is all about. In this example, flowers is the name and .com is the extension. There are a variety of extensions - they represent what category the domain falls into. Some of the most common are .com (commercial), .net (network), .org (organization), and .biz (business).

Once you've figured out what to call your site, find a registrar on the Internet. You can find one pretty easily just by entering "domain name registration" in any search engine. Registering your domain name only gets you the name. To get a site attached to it, you need to find a web host. You can also find one of these with a simple search engine.Be sure to find a registrar and host that will work with the type of site and extension you want to have. There are many options and types of web hosts - do your homework and the results will be worth the extra work.

Depending on the size of your business or how much you want to devote to your website, you may want to consider using some popular, easy to use sites like Blogger, Freewebs, or Yahoo! GeoCities.These sites are geared toward the everyday computer user - they are very user-friendly, easy to update, and have lots of options for customization.

These sites offer a variety of templates, special features, widgets, and networking options. These sites also take out some the extra work of finding a registrar, registering a site, and find a web host. However, your site will be affiliated with these sites (usually their company's name is somewhere in the domain name) so it may not seem as professional or independent to some users. Weigh your options and decide what works best for you, what you will be able to maintain the best, and what kind of image you want to convey through your website.

Once you've set up your website, get the word out! Tell family, friends, business partners, employees, and anyone else about the launch of your site. Consider sending out an email to customers, telling them all about the new website and its features.Also print the website on any brochures, business cards, contracts, or any other type of print communication.Word will spread about your site and traffic will definitely build.

Setting up a website is not a one-time job. While you only have to decide on a name and get the site up and working, the site must be maintained regularly. A website that is not regularly updated sends a message to customers that you don't pay attention to detail or that your site is an indicator of the productivity of your business. A regularly maintained and updated site will do just the opposite. It is totally up to you.