| The current economical situation that we are in has | | | | designing techniques or options but will focus on the |
| created an environment of change and a lot of new | | | | key SEO requirements that your website needs to |
| entrepreneurs. This is largely due to layoffs, | | | | comply with. These are:o Researching and deciding on |
| retrenchments and insolvent businesses. One of the | | | | the best keywords and phrases (high monthly |
| easier and less costly options available to | | | | searches with low competition)o Designing a Search |
| entrepreneurs is starting an online business. This article | | | | Engine friendly website around your keywords and |
| will touch on some of the basic concepts regarding the | | | | phrases.o Using SEO tools or a SEO company to |
| start-up of a new online business. | | | | optimize your website effectively (title, meta tags, |
| Deciding on a Business Model | | | | meta description, H1 - H3 headings, bolding of |
| It is crucial that you make the correct decision when | | | | keywords and a lot more).o Your website should |
| deciding on the type of business that you want to | | | | contain relevant information that is easy to read and |
| start. Mistakes at this point can be disastrous. Here are | | | | understandable while still professional.o Your services |
| some key points:o Can you meet the need? You need | | | | or products should be displayed and described clearly.o |
| to have some knowledge of the business that you | | | | Pricing should be comparative and in line with the |
| want to enter into. You cannot decide to become a | | | | industry norms.o It should always be easy for a visitor |
| Financial Consultant if you do not have any experience | | | | to your website to purchase a product or service |
| or knowledge in the finance field (Balancing your | | | | from you.o Make sure that you can deliver what you |
| monthly household expenses does not make you an | | | | promised to deliver without fail. |
| expert).o Is there a market for this business? | | | | Marketing of your Website |
| Research the market to determine the level of | | | | The effective marketing of your website will make or |
| competition and need for the type of service or | | | | break your online business and is therefore crucial to |
| product that you want to promote.o Can you compete | | | | the success of your new business. Some pointers:o |
| in this market? If you search the keywords associated | | | | Article Marketing is one of the best ways to market |
| with your model on Google you will be able to see the | | | | your business and to create additional links back to |
| level of competition. If you are going to compete | | | | your website. It is very important to make full use of |
| against 38 560 000 service providers you might need | | | | this tool.o The securing of high value backlinks is very |
| to rethink your business model.o By using Google | | | | important because links to your website from other |
| Adwords Keyword Tool you will be able to determine | | | | sites are seen as "votes" by the search engines. The |
| the volume of searches for the keywords associated | | | | more "votes" your website has the higher it will rank, |
| with your new business model. This will indicate | | | | the highest value links to your site will be the links from |
| possible markets to target.o Niche products or | | | | respected and trusted sites with similar but not |
| services are always a good bet and easier to | | | | competing content.o Social sites are the new best |
| succeed with.o Blogs and forums can be an excellent | | | | thing and you should bookmark your website and |
| source of ideas for a new business.o Stay away from | | | | articles on as many of these sites as possible to |
| "Get Rich Quick" schemes.o Research the legal | | | | generate traffic and improve your search results |
| requirements associated with the type of business that | | | | rankings.o Submit the URL ( of your website to |
| you want to start-up and always make sure that you | | | | directories. Two of the more important directories are: |
| are protected and that your risk management is in | | | | DMOZ.org and Yahoo.o Send out a press release |
| place. | | | | when anything of importance happens within your |
| Designing your Website | | | | business.o Place adds advertising your services and/or |
| There are various options available when designing | | | | products on all of the important advertising sites |
| your website. You can use one of the free website | | | | (including Google). |
| hosting services and create your own site with the | | | | This article provides a brief overview of the areas that |
| tools they provide, or you can pay someone to design | | | | you will need to consider when starting-up a new |
| your website for you and pay for the hosting. Both of | | | | online business. It is very important that you conduct |
| these options have advantages and disadvantages. In | | | | further research on each of these areas if you want |
| the end you need to look at your business model and | | | | to be successful. Thank you for reviewing this article |
| personal situation to make the right choice for you. | | | | and hopefully it provided you with some useful |
| In this article we will not be looking at all of the website | | | | information. |