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 | 5 Things to Consider. Goal: Why are you going to launch a web site? Every communications campaign, internet included, should have a specific objective that is consistent with your brand. Be as specific as you can, while keeping an eye on the future. Depending on your budget, calendar, event, business or objective, your goal could be quite simple, such as to provide contact info, hours of operation, and your logo. Others need to create an online portfolio that outlines their skills, products, announcements, pricing and contact info so that customers and prospects get a sense of their brand before their big Labor Day promotion. What is the competition doing right (and wrong) and how are you different? Design: Before construction begins, you need blueprints. Your target audience and your message will help dictate the layout. Unlike traditional media, your audience decides how long they'll stick around. Instead of an architect, invest some time with a designer so that your site is easy to navigate, enjoyable and informative. Entertainment can be part of the mix, but only if it is consistent with your brand, message and objective. If you expect to add features later, anticipate where they will go. Instantfame provides a free web page building tool, called WebMaker. With WebMaker you can quickly create a professional looking website in four easy steps. No programming background needed; just add your text and your images to complete the web page template. Hosting: Internet real estate costs are surprisingly affordable. You can get a 50-MB site for $10.00 to $25.00 per month depending of the services you will be using on the site, for example, a merchant site taking credit card payments. When choosing a virtual server to host your site, the most important thing to consider is the speed of the line they carry and the limitations on hits (visitors) you may get per month. Sometimes it is better to pay more for faster lines and more hits. But many small sites don't require fast line and will never reach their hits limit. But to decide this, again consider the audience for your site. How often will they visit, how long will they stay, and how many visitors per month do you expect? These will help you decide which site is right for you. Maintenance: Costs can be high if your site changes often. These costs are to update pages, track log information, and update online information. You can do a lot of this just by learning some simple HTML and knowing how to upload and download from you site. If the designer does this expect to pay per hour for the services. Promotion: Advertising, marketing and public relations are alive and well on the Internet. The Internet is an evolving media, where businesses and consumers must adapt to new technology and new regulations. If your designer, host or marketing department handles your promotion, expect to pay more. Site promotion may be the most underrated part of the decision to have a web site, but often the most vital. To pull visitors to your site, they have the know how to find you. Register with as many search engines as possible, starting with the most popular ones. Consider cross-promotional opportunities, exchanging links and banners with sites that offer complimentary products and services. Some promoters offer to register or submit your site to the top 100 search engines for as little as $30. If your web page or online store is targeted to serve a specific audience, advertising and promotion costs can be quite manageable. One of the most important things to remember is that there are many tactics. Experiment with a few that seem appropriate. Think of your Internet site as a branch office or a store in the physical world. Provide that branch with ongoing promotional support and attention. Car-Detail.com example: A small two-man operation performing car detailing.
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