Web Site Development
"Thanks for all your help with our website and your
suggestions. We get so many comments on our web site.
Web reservations are going great. Your other marketing
advice is working well too!"
Thanks
-Kathy, Innkeeper
Inn at The Rostay, Bethel, Maine
8 Basic Steps to a Successful Web Site
1) Register your domain name
http://www.yourname.com. If you are simply a
sub-directory of another site your site will not be
taken seriously. Further, with your own name you
have ownership of the name and can move it to
another ISP or even take it "in house" later on if
you choose. And your own name will help with search
engines. Warning: Do not do this yourself unless you
know which of the dozens of companies to register
with. Signing yourself through the wrong company
could lock you into a long-term contract to host
your site (it is in the fine print you did not
read). Besides – a good marketing company will help
you find and select the best name (we know the
tricks), a name that will generate thousands in
extra revenue.
2) Hire a professional web developer
Some may ask; why should I spend the money to have a
professional develop my web site? I have a computer,
why can't I do it myself? You probably have a hammer
and saw in your garage too but would you try to
build your own house or would you hire a
professional contractor. Keeping up with the rapid
changes of Internet marketing is a full time job.
Others wonder why one designer is quoting $2,000 for
a site while others are quoting $20,000. Remember, you
usually (but not always) get what you pay for. Find
an expert and use their expertise. Concentrate your
efforts on running your business or handling your
professional responsibilities.
3) ISP Internet Service Provider
Now that your site is developed, you need to house
your site so people can access it. A word of
caution, not all ISP's are equal. You want an ISP
with quality equipment and back up systems,
excellent phone line access, good service (these are
computers - they are not perfect), and good
reporting capabilities. IMS-21 can and will handle
this for you.
4) Search Engines & Directories
You will want your site to be readily found by the
search engines. This is a job in itself. You must
register with the search engines but first you must
have a site designed that will work well for the
keyword searches you want to be found under. This
involves understanding how the "spiders" of the
search engines work, knowing about html tags
including titles, descriptions, and keywords,
robot.txt files, knowing what search engines like and
what they do not, understanding how search engines use
popularity, links, file names, image tags, your basic text
and a half dozen other tricks IMS-21 will make sure
you get right.
5) Paid and free links
You need people to find your site, so you will want
your site linked from as many places as possible.
Some places, like the local chamber, offer free
links, or for a small fee - you simply have to ask
for it! Other sites sell links in their effective
on-line directories, some are very worthwhile,
others are not. We have been purchasing and tracking
links for years now. We know which ones will work,
and which ones will not.
6) Keep it current
Be sure you have a professional Internet presence
and that all information on the site is always up to
date and current. There is nothing worse than a
dated site.
7) Social Networking
You may want to have your developer set up a Blog
for you and and spend time on the Internet being
sure you are linked from the hundreds of social
networking sites.
8) Don't forget what got you here
You must market your web site. This means don't stop
your traditional advertising - brochures, print,
television, radio. But be sure to market your web
site in all that you do! Business cards, letterhead,
envelopes, signs, everything. 50% of most Maine
Hospitality Web Site visits come from someone typing
in the name directly. This means they saw it in
print somewhere first.
The above information was prepared by Greg Burke of
IMS-21 (Integrated Marketing and Sales for the 21st
Century. For additional information on web marketing
or how to implement the above seven critical steps,
call us at 207-985-1766 (in case you have not
figured it out yet - this should have been your
first step).
What Makes A Person Want To Come Back To Your Site?
According to one highly regarded online information
company:
The ratings were based from 0 to 100% with the
higher the percentage, the more important the issue.
Ease of Use/Navigation: 74%
Fast Download Time: 65%
Regularly Updated Information: 58%
Quality of Content: 57%
Organization of Content: 40%
Access to Customer Service: 40%
Quantity of Content: 30%
Search Engine at the Site: 25%
Front Page Layout: 20%
Fun: 19%
Look And Feel Of The Site: 18%
Inclusion Of Animated Graphics: 9%
Interestingly, if your site is an online store, then
the two most important factors to your visitors are:
Easy Order Processing: 68%
Security Procedures: 65%