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VP & GM of Yahoo! Small Business announces free business website service

What is the new service (or product) being provided by Yahoo! Small Business?

Yahoo! is providing free websites to small businesses, so that they can quickly and easily establish an online presence and connect with the increasing number of consumers using the Internet to find products and services.

Who is it for primarily? What’s the profile of the targeted user?

This new feature is for every small business and entrepreneur in America that doesn’t yet have a website and wants to take that first step in bringing their business online. More than 50 percent of the 26 million small businesses in the U.S. don’t have websites. That’s quite a few businesses – whether a restaurant, drycleaner, local dentist, or a “mom and pop shop” – that could benefit from this free service. As more consumers come to rely on the Web to find local products and services in their neighborhood, having a website will become even more important to reaching customers and achieving business success.

Walk us through how it works—the process. Is it all totally automated or do you talk with people who help you bring it together?

It’s a simple automated process that allows you to create a website in minutes. The first step is to visit http://local.yahoo.com/freesite. A person is then prompted to add or update their listing in Yahoo! Local, which is an online resource that allows consumers to use the internet to search for products and services in their geographical, or local, area. It’s a lot like the yellow pages, but a far more comprehensive online version that allows a person to find what they’re looking for very quickly and easily with a few keystrokes. Once a small business owner has completed their listing, they are then presented with the option to create a free, five-page website using our simple interface and website template. It’s just a matter of typing in the information you’d like to appear. For example, a plumbing business could list the types of services provided, rates and hours of operation, in addition to contact information and a link with a map to the address. Once the information has been entered and submitted, the website will go live within 1-2 business days.

Is it still smart to have a web designer/strategist or does this negate the need for that?

Our intention was to make this very simple and easy for any small business to use, so there really is no need to pay for the expense of hiring a web designer or strategist. The website templates we provide with this free feature are very simple and clean in design, and appeal to any small company regardless of industry.

Who is this NOT for? (entrepreneurs or businesses of a certain variety, size, niche, etc.)

Companies who already have a website and who are already using the Internet to transact with customers may not have a need for this type of service. With our free websites feature, we’re really aiming to help every entrepreneur and small business in the U.S. establish a website and get online quickly and easily.

How many people (entrepreneurs) do you expect to utilize this offer?

By our estimates, there are more than 10 million businesses without websites that could benefit from establishing an online presence with our free website feature. We just announced the service this past week, and the sign-up rate has been significant.

Are there tertiary benefits to the offer? Anything people get or can do with other Yahoo! functionality?

These new websites are automatically integrated into Yahoo! Local, extending businesses’ reach to consumers who use search engines to find information about local products and services.

What role does Yahoo! Small Business want to play in the future for entrepreneurs?

Yahoo wants to be the partner for small businesses to provide essential online services to help them be successful. Over time, a successful small business may extend its Internet presence by purchasing a custom business domain and web-hosted service, or perhaps selling products or services through our e-commerce platform, all of which are just a click away. Some businesses go even further with sponsored search and interactive advertising and marketing.

Bonus Question: What’s the smartest strategic decision Yahoo! Small Business has made so far?

Our strategy is to create and offer a portfolio of services that deliver great value for small businesses at every stage of growth. From those businesses just starting out, to those generating millions of dollars, we can help small businesses be successful with services ranging from custom domain names and business e-mail, to website hosting and e-commerce solutions. Yahoo! is the most visited online network by small businesses and we are the only company that brings both a strong consumer reach, and a history of small business expertise to truly serve the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses.