Q: I need to build a website for my business where do I start and how do I go about doing this?
Mar 23 2007
Answered by: Chris Lindsay Ask a question
Over three quarters of companies in the UK have a website and 81 per cent of those that do, have increased their customer base as a result. A surprising 16 per cent also now bring in more than a fifth of their sales via the internet.
A website offers companies the opportunity to compete with much larger players on an equal footing, as size doesn’t matter on the Web. And, it doesn’t cost the earth.
You can begin with a site that simply acts as an online company brochure, then add catalogues and even an online shop so that people can actually buy your products and services directly from your site.
The most cost-effective option is to start with a site that you develop yourself. This is easier than you might think and can be done with tools that are available off the shelf, or as part of a broadband package from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The latter provides an extremely simple route to marketing and selling online. It is cost effective, template-based and requires no technical skills or training.
The next option is to use a service where you supply the words and photography to the designers, and they use a series of pre-defined designs and pages to produce the site. This is great if you want added functionality and a more professional feel to the site.
The most flexible option is to have a bespoke site built just for you. This offers you the ability to choose the entire look and feel of the site, and add in advanced functionality to meet your needs.
There are many ways to buy the types of services outlined above, but the simplest and most straightforward way for small businesses is to limit the number of suppliers they deal with. This generally means lower costs, less supplier management, greater levels of support, and can even mean one bill for everything. Service providers have realised this, and some are merging offerings to make it easier for you to buy, manage and support your business communications. People should always consider the potential ongoing costs of having a bespoke site as updates and changes are inherently more expensive.
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