It seems everybody has a "can't miss" idea for starting a new web-based business, despite innumerable news accounts of most web businesses going belly-up in a short time. Most folks still think, mistakenly of course, that a website alone somehow magically produces customers who will buy even
most off-beat items and services. They fail to realize that buying or building a website represents only part of overall online marketing equation.
Anyone considering starting a new online business or taking an existing business online should heed following advice to avoid many heartaches and an empty wallet.
Target your audience. What exactly do your customers want and what words do they use to describe products and services they will purchase? Don't assume you know how and what they want to buy - ask them! From this research you will determine "keywords" your customers will use to find your business while surfing and using search engines. You should then focus completely on these keywords while constructing your entire web presence.
Build a focused site. Your website should center exclusively on those issues directly related to what you sell online. If you sell "orange baskets" then only write about characteristics, features and benefits of using your orange baskets.
Take great care in writing your copy to keep your text focused on one subject per page and make liberal use of your keywords and their synonyms. Constructing your pages in this manner will aid you greatly in achieving good directory listings and attracting search engine traffic.
