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The type of website a business needs can vary greatly, from a simple online brochure explaining what it is you do and why a customer should choose you over the competition, to a full blown ecommerce solution that allows customers to buy online.
Whatever type of website you need, there are four main factors you need to consider carefully before you leap:
1. Domain name: Cost: $35 and up for 2 years registration
Choosing a domain name is an important first step to developing an online presence. There are many top-level domains to choose from, including .com, .net and .edu. For most businesses in Australia, a .com.au is the best choice.
There are dozens of Companies that are licensed to sell .com.au domains, and they are regulated by the Australian Domain Name Administrator who maintain the complete list of registrars here. As price can vary quite a bit, it is worth shopping around.
The best domains are often taken, so you may need to settle on something less than ideal. If you do, the best domain names to choose are short, memorable and easy to type.
2. Hosting: Cost: $10 - $20 a Month
Hosting is like renting a unit to live in – you pay monthly for space on a server where your website will live. Prices range from about $5 a month up to several hundred, but be careful to not rely on cost alone. You need to consider the uptime (% of time your site is available online), support, location and back up plans. For small businesses, hosting in the $10 - $20 per month is usually the sweet spot, but if you expect high traffic volumes, you may need to pay much more.
3. Design: Cost: free with hosting account to $5,000 + for a custom design
Choosing a design is tricky. You need to think about your target audience and what will attract them to your Company. Often, a simple design is more than sufficient, especially to begin with, and there are many template sites and tools available for not a lot of money, often through your hosting company.
If you want something more complicated or original, you’ll need a web designer or developer. The best bet in hiring a web developer is to ask friends for referrals, as price and quality varies greatly.
Whatever design you choose, the key is to ensure that the design fulfills your business requirements, i.e. if you want to generate phone calls, make sure your phone number is on every page. If you want sales, make sure pages are optimized to sell effectively. Don’t just focus on which shade of blue you like most, but make sure your website generates the outcomes, leads and/or sales, that you need.
4. Marketing Your Site
Most people, when they need a product or service, jump online, type a couple of keywords into Google and hit search. Google, and in particular their new Local Search, is the Yellow Pages of the Internet. As 90% of Australians will stop searching through the results by page 2, your business needs to be found at the top of searches for keywords relevant to your business.
There are many other Online Marketing options – from SEO and SEM (or PPC) to Social Media, but submitting your business (for FREE) to Google Local, is a good starting point in attracting eyeballs and visitors.
Learning, Creating and Growing your website should be a fun part of your business. Enjoy it!
Source: OnlineInADay
 DSBN Special Offer
DSBN members receive a $50 discount when registering for Online In A Day, an interactive workshop that will help you get online. Members can visit for more information. Remember to mention "DSBN" for your discount!
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