Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

All of these opinions are great - and I do have to say that when I want to add links to my website to help my SEO it is a little frustrating to have to go through my webmaster - however I have to say that the company that built my website is fantastic.  They work with a lot of small clients so they understand the need to make simple adjustments and they are really reasonably priced for a really professional looking site (you certainly don't need all the bells and whistles to look great and attract business).

If you want to check them out go to www.web-wis-dom.com

I agree with you Emptypockets!

I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who have hired people to build their website and three years later are hopping mad that the site makes no money despite having invested 10s of thousands of dollars in it and the designer.

I haven't read every single post in this thread, so forgive me. But I want to add what I know from personal experience.

1. As long as it does not repel visitors, the look and feel of a site has little or nothing to do with how much traffic it gets.

2. Abundant traffic is the most important factor in developing a site that earns income.

3. Content is King and imperative to visitor retention, search engine affinity and is the basis for a successful online business that gets lots and lots of free search engine traffic.

4. Nobody knows your business like you do. As you say, Emptypockets, passion is very important. In fact, it can give a small site a competitive edge over leading sites on the Web, because passion shines. (Designers tend to make sites read like encyclopedias.) A site written in a friendly, personal, insightful "voice" is very appealing.  And who would most people prefer to buy from? The guy down the street that they know, like and trust or a big, faceless corporation?

5. Once you learn how to do it, you become self-reliant and never again have to be at mercy of anyone else when it comes to your business.

The last thing I want to say is: selling online is different than selling offline. In fact, many people try to slap up a store and drive traffic to it using Adwords (which, by the way, can be very expensive), only to have the traffic bounce back out. It can be very discouraging, but people are turned off by in-your-face sales techniques online. They're probably turned off by it offline as well, but online they have an easy escape. It's called the back arrow!

To learn more about how to sell online, I recommend a free download called Make Your Site Sell which can be found here: http://myss.sitesell.com/

I have started a new online magazine using open software sources. It's basically WordPress with plugins. I am satisfied with the results of doing it myself but I need help in knowing what to do next.

I have built many sites with free site builders like webs.com and many others. The trouble is most do not have the flexibility of a professionally designed custom built website.

Sometimes we tend to go for freebies too much.We lose site of benefits that some little extra money can actually give.

Forget about the control that a web designer can hold on you. Let them build the website and maintain it for you -at least initially. If you are smart and learn fast, you will soon figure out how to do the basic site maintenance tasks. Once you have the basics, you will only need the web designer once in a very long time.

The issue is quality versus cost. If you want a real website, you must use a pro and pay for it. If you look at it from the point of view of a doctor, would you rather treat yourself than use one again and again?

Must say great information!

I agree with both parties. While it is more appropriate to farm out the designing of your website to a professional while you concentrate on your core business, at the start up stage you may not have the funds to do this. At this stage you may have to resort to doing it yourself and once you generate enough revenue to afford a web designer then i will certainly recommend hiring one. Almost every biography i have read encouraged bootstrapping at the early stage. Even google designed there own logo using an opensource programme called gimp. But designing a website will require some time on your part. As a minimum you might need to understand the basics of HTML and CSS.

For instance i am working on setting up a subscription site selling learning activities based on real life business case studies. While i would love to pay someone to do it for me i can't afford that right now. I have two options, either i build the first website myself or i walk away from the business which at this stage in my life is not an option. I have put quite a lot of time into learning how to set up a drupal site and will be building my first site. Hopefully if i start generating enough revenue i will then hire a web designer to build a much better site.

Thanks for the info!

Great artickle,   I totally agree that when it comes to your own business  no one is going to handle it with as much love or pride as yourself.   I have taken my website from a single drop down bar to a better established one.   Now, I'm not saying it happened overnight and it has not reached if full potentional but I created it!!  

I agree with you. I create my own website. Though it is not too much professional like website. But I am satisfied with my site. Because, I have done this. Full credit goes to me.

I agree that you need to be able to edit and post content to your website on your own. However, you may need a professional to get things going, because it's a job, and like any job, it requires something not all of us do have. However, the main point is to be able to post content and upload your online shop once the site is made.