What is Web Presence?

Web Presence is a place for your business on the Web.  Whether you use that place to share information on your business or choose to sell online, a Web presence is a key asset for many businesses.

Getting your business online is about reaching out to and connecting with millions of potential customers, buyers and partners.  Simply put, a Web presence expands your market significantly and instantaneously.  Increasing numbers of consumers are using the Web to find everything.  It is their first step to locating a business around the corner as well as around the globe. 

How Do I Get Started?

Establishing a Web presence can be broken down into three simple steps:

1) Find a domain name: The first thing you will need to do is to choose and register a Web site name (commonly known as a domain name or URL). The Web site domain name is the address of your business Web page. For example, the domain name or Web address for Network Solutions® is networksolutions.com.  A domain name is how people find your site online and is one of the most valuable aspects of your business's online presence. In short, your business domain name is an important key to your business's online identity.

2) Design and build a Web site: Once you've committed to creating an online presence for your business - a Web site - and registered your business's domain name, the time has come to design and build the site itself. As with so many aspects of the Web, site design and construction offers many options.  You can choose to design the site yourself.  Web site creation software makes building a Web site for your business almost as easy as creating and sending an e-mail. Using professional design templates, Web site software lets you accomplish building a Web site quickly, efficiently, and for a very small price. 

Another option is to hire someone to design a site for you.  You can hire the services of a professional Web site designer. By checking references and examining samples of their work, you can be assured that your designer is competent, efficient, and provides work in a timely and professional manner. Above all, you should be assured that the design service you select possess the proven technical expertise to create a Web site that reflects well on your business, delivers your message effectively, and takes advantage of the Web's special ability to market your products or services. 

If your goal is to sell your products or services online, make sure you pick a designer that can demonstrate successful e-commerce Web design and can provide the specific features that you need for your business, such as; integration with accounting software, ability to offer discounts and special promotions, product quantity limitations that match your inventory, technical support and security compliance.

3) Get Found Online: You've worked hard to create a fully functioning, professional Web site, the challenge now is how to get consumers to find your site.  Through a combination of online marketing techniques, you can increase Web site traffic to your site.

By deciding that getting online is right for your business and following the simple steps above, you will learn what so many businesses today know-that a Web presence can be an asset to any business.