A further advantage, is robots’ ability to spider small ads and list them alongside larger websites in search engine results. This means, potentially, that humble small ads can have similar commercial value as more sophisticated websites when it comes to grabbing customer attention.

A variety of websites host small ads these days. Dedicated small ad sites range from gaudy to sophisticated, allowing entrepreneurs to select from a range of investment options and target audiences. Some host sites look like spreadsheets, whilst others mimic newspaper ads.

Most dedicated host sites oblige sellers and buyers to join some form of club: others operate open door policies. Both approaches have implications regarding competition and audience size, as well as personal privacy and security.

Of course, many mainstream websites also carry small ads these days. Dedicated small ad sites may hold some advantages for entrepreneurs though.

For example, potential customers generally visit mainstream sites to acquire information and complete tasks other than shopping. When doing so, they tend to block out ‘noise’ like advertisements, in same way that they block out traffic noise in street.

Customers visiting dedicated small ad sites, on other hand, do so to acquire information and complete tasks to do with selling and buying. They are, it could be argued, more receptive to marketing messages and likely to make contact.

Entrepreneurs should be wary then of commissioning websites too soon in their new commercial ventures.

Careful experimentation with flexible and inexpensive small ads as an interim measure will help them understand their markets. It will also help them specify functionality and content required of their websites later. Experimentation should prevent major mistakes with software development and costly reworking.

Later, entrepreneurs may still find that electronic small ads have a role to play in their marketing. For example, in gaining attention of potential customers and interesting them in their more sophisticated websites.

So, entrepreneurs, do you really need a website now?