So, now that you have your home business up and going, do you have a Web site? It can be a bit confusing trying to decide if you need a Web site to promote your business, and, if you do, how will you design it, who will host it, and how will you keep the site managed and up-to-date. While there is no law that says you absolutely have to have a Web site in order to be successful with your business, in the present day, Web sites are becoming more and more “the norm.”
In evaluating whether or not you need and want a Web site to promote your business, you need to think over just exactly what you would use the site for. Is it going to be a marketing or advertising tool to let people know who you are and what you are up to? Do you want to use your Web site to take orders (a shopping cart?) Do you want to create an environment where individuals can connect and network on your site (a blog or forum?) Do you want to use your site to disseminate information and education? As you think through just what you envision and what you think would be a help to your business, you’ll start to create an idea of what kind of a Web site, if any, you actually need.
Next, you’ll need to come up with a budget for the design, hosting and maintenance of your site. You may find that it is just too expensive for a start-up and put plans for your site on the backburner until finances are more stable. Or, you may be able to start with a basic site and build on as you can afford (say add the shopping cart section at a later date.) Part of your information-gathering phase should involve investigating designers, host companies, and finding out as much as you can about the logistics of creating the site you want. Be sure to look for “hidden” costs such as fees for making changes and updating, accessing information such as page views and click counts and other services that may not be included in a monthly or up-front fee. You may be able to work out some special deals, trading goods and services, or other options for getting a Web site up and running without having to make a large initial cash outlay. The more complicated your site and the more “bells and whistles,” generally the more expensive it will be to design and maintain. Having a long-term plan can help you budget and design a site that can change as your business does.
Take some time and shop around. You may want to start off with something really simple as you do research to discover exactly what you want, as well as what will be the best fit for your home business.