Ten Business Tips for Your Web Project

Web tools and security products are not the only things you need to successfully integrate your business into the Internet. Here are some other issues you should consider.

1. Think of your site as an investment rather than an expense. Make sure it is scaleable and is more than a publication where you simply add or delete pages. Commit yourself to creating a database driven information source. Develop your ideas as a strategic content development plan that is phased in over a regularly scheduled period of time.

2. Make your search engine and database structure flexible and intuitive enough to hold all of your content and still give quick access to what your audience wants. Publish your organization's intellectual property as a collection of databases that will efficiently use existing data and remember to exploit reusable objects and archiving.

3. Content Is King! Some people say in politics that "it's the economy stupid". On the Internet it's "valuable information". Graphics may be attractive to the eye but to add real value to your customers' online experience deliver to them useful, quality and timely content. Product information, news updates and reference materials and documentation are good places to start.

4. Update often. Give both customers and browsers additional reasons to keep coming back. Such ideas include special sales offers, premiums, games, contests and news updates.

5. Think about your site and customers in broader terms than just selling a product or service. The Web as more than a place to advertise or promote your company. It is an excellent medium to emphasize and expand on your brand, corporate identity and customer service. Concentrate on interactive relationship management and provide valuable information and resources so your prospects and customers will have reason to keep coming back.

6. Target your content to the specific needs of your audience. Find out what people want by giving them an incentive to register on your site and tell you what they want. Add detail to their names and addresses by encouraging them to provide you with information about themselves, their jobs, interests, needs and desires.

7. Make your interface intuitive and readable by all browsers, browser versions and screen resolutions. Your Web site should be user friendly, easily read and fast for all who come. It is bad news if your visitor has to needlessly wait for your site to download or you have to create a section explaining how to navigate your site. Ease of use and cross browser compatibility is what the Net is about and is one of the most overlooked aspects of site development.

8. Location, Location, Location. Traffic drives sales. Do proper meta tagging and link marketing by registering your site with major search engines and index sites. Do this at least every two to three months since search engine criteria is constantly changing and evolving. Don't expect success overnight and ignore the spam emailers that promise hundreds, thousands or millions of links or mass emailings to unsuspecting recipients for $39.95. You can be permanently dropped from search engines if your link marketing is done irresponsibly by trying to "trick" your way to the top. What you do to get to the top of one search engine can also get you kicked out of another search engine. If your site is not generating enough traffic, consider linking it with those of trade associations, standards committees or other places people have already discovered. Exchange links with clients, suppliers and anyone else who may have an interest in generating traffic.

9. Create a sense of community. Give users a stake in your site. Provide a venue where they can express their ideas to you and the rest of the world. Interactive aspects of your Web site can help keep bringing them back as well as telling you what to put on your site and what products and services they desire from you.

10. Get help if all this security, browser, and agent technology is not your cup tea. Don't be afraid to stick to your core competencies and off-load the Web work to service bureaus or consultants who specialize not just in Web development but also in your specific business.

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	1. Think of your site as an investment rather than an expense. Make sure it is scaleable and is more than a publication where you simply add or delete pages. Commit yourself to creating a database driven information source. Develop your ideas as a strategic content development plan that is phased in over a regularly scheduled period of time.
	2. Make your search engine and database structure flexible and intuitive enough to hold all of your content and still give quick access to what your audience wants. Publish your organization's intellectual property as a collection of databases that will efficiently use existing data and remember to exploit reusable objects and archiving.
	3. Content Is King! Some people say in politics that "it's the economy stupid". On the Internet it's "valuable information". Graphics may be attractive to the eye but to add real value to your customers' online experience deliver to them useful, quality and timely content. Product information, news updates and reference materials and documentation are good places to start.
	4. Update often. Give both customers and browsers additional reasons to keep coming back. Such ideas include special sales offers, premiums, games, contests and news updates.
	5. Think about your site and customers in broader terms than just selling a product or service. The Web as more than a place to advertise or promote your company. It is an excellent medium to emphasize and expand on your brand, corporate identity and customer service. Concentrate on interactive relationship management and provide valuable information and resources so your prospects and customers will have reason to keep coming back.
	6. Target your content to the specific needs of your audience. Find out what people want by giving them an incentive to register on your site and tell you what they want. Add detail to their names and addresses by encouraging them to provide you with information about themselves, their jobs, interests, needs and desires.
	7. Make your interface intuitive and readable by all browsers, browser versions and screen resolutions. Your Web site should be user friendly, easily read and fast for all who come. It is bad news if your visitor has to needlessly wait for your site to download or you have to create a section explaining how to navigate your site. Ease of use and cross browser compatibility is what the Net is about and is one of the most overlooked aspects of site development.
	8. Location, Location, Location. Traffic drives sales. Do proper meta tagging and link marketing by registering your site with major search engines and index sites. Do this at least every two to three months since search engine criteria is constantly changing and evolving. Don't expect success overnight and ignore the spam emailers that promise hundreds, thousands or millions of links or mass emailings to unsuspecting recipients for $39.95. You can be permanently dropped from search engines if your link marketing is done irresponsibly by trying to "trick" your way to the top. What you do to get to the top of one search engine can also get you kicked out of another search engine. If your site is not generating enough traffic, consider linking it with those of trade associations, standards committees or other places people have already discovered. Exchange links with clients, suppliers and anyone else who may have an interest in generating traffic.
	9. Create a sense of community. Give users a stake in your site. Provide a venue where they can express their ideas to you and the rest of the world. Interactive aspects of your Web site can help keep bringing them back as well as telling you what to put on your site and what products and services they desire from you.
	10. Get help if all this security, browser, and agent technology is not your cup tea. Don't be afraid to stick to your core competencies and off-load the Web work to service bureaus or consultants who specialize not just in Web development but also in your specific business.