subject: Starting An Online Business - 5 Tips For Creating Your Own Website Or Blog [print this page] One of the key things that you will need to do when you are starting an online business is to have a web presence and there's no better way to do that than to set up your own website or blog. In case you are wondering why you need one, it's where you will send visitors to and provide them with valuable information they will benefit from.
Below are 5 tips for creating a website or blog so you can get started fast.
Tip 1: Choose a Domain Name - Before you can have a web presence, you need a domain name and it's worth spending some time choosing one that is easy to remember and possibly even something that is going to brand your business over time. Write down a list of keywords that are relevant to your target niche and see if it is available as a '.com'. Ideally you want the dot com version so if that's not available try to come up with something else. If it's available then register it immediately. You can register a domain name for around 10 dollars.
Tip 2: Check Out Your Competitors - When starting an online business, have a look at the websites and blogs in your chosen niche. Make a note of what you do and don't like about their design, what draws your attention and how the content is connecting with you as their reader. Chances are if you like something about a website, others are going to have a similar connection. Try to use the common denominators in the best websites and apply them to your own where possible.
Tip 3: Don't Be Frightened By Technical Requirements - One of the big 'perceived' barriers when starting an online business are the technical factors involved with setting it all up. If you don't know how to do something, look towards outsourcing the work to freelance designers that will set everything up for you at a much cheaper cost than you probably think. While it's important to learn some simple technical things and maybe some HTML, don't let any technical factors stop you from getting your website or blog live on the internet.
Tip 4: Post Useful Content - Don't just add any old content to your blog, make sure that it's useful and relevant information that your visitors will appreciate and benefit from. Remember, you want your visitors to return to your website and even recommend it to others as a valuable resource. You can only achieve that by providing useful, unique information on your site.
Tip 5: Make It Search Engine Friendly - The top search engines are capable of driving significant organic traffic to your website or blog. Be sure to keep up to date with what is working and what is not when it comes to ranking competitively in the major search engines and also pay attention to on-site and off page factors that may influence your position in the search engines. Higher rankings mean more qualified traffic visiting your site.
