6 Steps to a More Successful Website in 2006

Grab this articles

<h1>6 Steps to a More Successful Website in 2006</h1><p> <br /><br /> Another year has passed and a new one has dawned. It's an<br /><br /> exciting time to have an online business. More consumers have<br /><br /> computers and Internet connections than ever before, and people<br /><br /> are more comfortable buying things online than in years past. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> As an administrator and consultant on over 100 domain names and<br /><br /> web sites, I get to hear all the stories of what works and what<br /><br /> doesn't from individuals and small business promoting their<br /><br /> online businesses. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Based on my own experiences and those of my clients, I wanted to<br /><br /> share with you a list of 6 essential steps any webmaster can<br /><br /> take to make their website more successful in 2006.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> A full copy of this Article, as well as links to all the tools<br /><br /> mentioned in it is available at:<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.binarypros.com/Press/2006-01-05.asp" target="bago">http://www.binarypros.com/Press/2006-01-05.asp</a><br /><br /> <br /><br /> 1. Ensure you have a reliable web host Nothing loses a sale<br /><br /> faster or creates a worse impression than your web site being<br /><br /> unavailable. It's especially costly when a potential customer is<br /><br /> looking to spend money right away. Unless you're fortunate<br /><br /> enough to be in a business with no competition (if so let me<br /><br /> know what business that is) website downtime could cost you<br /><br /> sales! <br /><br /> <br /><br /> So many times I hear people bragging about their $2.99/month web<br /><br /> host and how much money they're saving on hosting. What they<br /><br /> don't realize, until they test their uptime, is that the<br /><br /> potential sales they lose when their web site is unavailable are<br /><br /> far more costly than paying a little more for a reputable web<br /><br /> host. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Several services are available to test your website's uptime.<br /><br /> Anything less than 99.9% is unacceptable for a business site.<br /><br /> Check out <a href="http://www.hosttester.com/" target="bago">http://www.hosttester.com/</a> and test your site for a<br /><br /> month. For $9.95 you can find out for sure where your site<br /><br /> stands. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> 2. Get a fresh modern look for your web site First impressions<br /><br /> are important to potential customers. On the Internet your web<br /><br /> site is all you get to make a first impression. If you haven't<br /><br /> updated the look and feel of your website in a year or two it<br /><br /> may be time to consider updating your site. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Make sure your copyright dates are current, but also leave your<br /><br /> initial copyright dates on to show the customers that you are an<br /><br /> established business. For instance, on my site my copyright<br /><br /> reads 1999-2006. People will be more comfortable buying from you<br /><br /> if they know your site has been around for a few years. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Check out <a href="http://www.templatesresource.com/" target="bago">http://www.templatesresource.com/</a> for a selection of<br /><br /> over 2000 web templates (all under $19.95.) Use a template to<br /><br /> get a jump start on your new site design. Depending on your<br /><br /> level of expertise in web design you may still need to hire<br /><br /> someone to help customize the template you choose to your<br /><br /> business. Even so, having a template start with will drastically<br /><br /> reduce development costs. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> 3. Check your site's compatibility with all browsers and<br /><br /> operating systems Everyone knows the bulk of internet traffic is<br /><br /> going to be Windows users with Internet Explorer 6 but that<br /><br /> doesn't mean you should ignore everyone else. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> I tallied up a summary of over 2,000,000 hits from the latter<br /><br /> portion of 2005 to find that IE6 users make up about 75% of the<br /><br /> web traffic to the average site that I administer. If your site<br /><br /> only displays properly for IE6 users you could be losing up to<br /><br /> 25% of your sales due to browser incompatibility. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Unless you have several computers and a lot of spare time you<br /><br /> won't be able to test all the combinations yourself to know how<br /><br /> your site looks on other systems. Fortunately NetMechanic has a<br /><br /> service that solves this problem for $15. Check out:<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.netmechanic.com/browser-index.htm" target="bago">http://www.netmechanic.com/browser-index.htm</a> for details on the<br /><br /> service. Chances are you'll be shocked by how your site looks in<br /><br /> different browsers!<br /><br /> <br /><br /> 4. Add fresh and relevant content to your site Search engines<br /><br /> love it, and your site visitors love it, it's a win-win<br /><br /> scenario. Many people say they can't write or don't know what<br /><br /> content to add to their site, but neither is an excuse anymore. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> RSS feeds are a great way to keep automatically updating content<br /><br /> on your site with no day-to-day work for you or your web<br /><br /> designer. You simply plug a feed of your choice into your<br /><br /> website and when the writer updates their feed your site<br /><br /> automatically updates with the new content. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Another great way to add content is using royalty free articles.<br /><br /> Writers and site owners write them specifically for you to use<br /><br /> on your site. The only condition is that you keep a link to<br /><br /> their site and their name on the article. It's a small price to<br /><br /> pay for adding relevant content and keywords to your site. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> RSS Equalizer is a program that helps you find and manage RSS<br /><br /> Content for your site. Article Equalizer is a great program that<br /><br /> helps you find and manage Articles for your site.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> 5. Make it easy for customers to contact you, and be sure to<br /><br /> respond quickly Putting your email address on your page with a<br /><br /> mailto:// link is only going to ensure that you get more spam<br /><br /> than you can imagine. It not only takes up your time to delete<br /><br /> the spam but it also increases the likelihood that you will miss<br /><br /> real messages in the process. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> The best solution to this is using a contact us web form. This<br /><br /> type of form never reveals your email address for spam crawlers<br /><br /> to spam but ensures that customers can get a message to you<br /><br /> easily. Contact forms are available for all web server types<br /><br /> either via CGI, or ASP, or PHP. Most hosting providers have<br /><br /> sample forms that are compatible with their hosting packages<br /><br /> available to their clients. If your hosting provider won't work<br /><br /> with you to set up a contact us form it's time to find a new<br /><br /> host. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Once your contact form is functioning and you get a contact from<br /><br /> a customer, don't delay in responding! Be sure to respond<br /><br /> professionally and in a friendly manner. When someone is looking<br /><br /> to buy, getting a quick and polite answer can be a big factor in<br /><br /> deciding to continue the purchase.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> 6. Advertise professionally and affordably Once you've followed<br /><br /> the steps above and your website is in good order and ready for<br /><br /> whoever visits it, consider doing some advertising. Google<br /><br /> AdWords are a great way to get some low cost, highly targeted<br /><br /> traffic to your site. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> AdWord Generator is a great program that helps you brainstorm<br /><br /> and create profitable Ads. AdWord Analyzer helps you find the<br /><br /> most profitable and low cost keywords to run your PPC ads on.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> May 2006 bring great success to you and your web site!<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Chuck Hall Binary Pros <a href="http://www.binarypros.com/" target="bago">http://www.binarypros.com/</a> <br /><br /> More <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">free articles</a> from <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">http://www.articlesroom.com</a>

Related articles

• 7 important steps to run Successful eBay Business Stores
• Some Useful Tips To Improve The Quality Of Your Project Management Dissertation
• Get Legal Advice to Get Away from the DUI Charges
• PSAT Practice Test preparation Guideline
• American College Testing (ACT) Practice Test
• Top Tips for Protecting Your Digital Identity When Shopping Online
• Effective eBay Tips - Expand Your Online Retail Market Beyond eBay
• Mobile marketing strategy and apps for the retailers
• Go for the best when you chose the bags
• Can I Decide? How To Follow The Inner Guide
• How to Determine a Reliable and Quality Garage Door Replacement
• How Dependable Is A Universal Garage Door Remote?
• What are the Powerful Ways to Earn Cash Online
• 5 Modern Ideas For Your Thank You Cards
• Moving To New Zealand From The United Kingdom
• How to Design Your Printed Marketing Materials
• Facts to Consider While Opting for Online Computer Technical Support
• Web development and business enterprises
• Finding a Good Fort Worth Direct Mailing Service
• How Colors Affect The Functionality Of Envelopes
• Ideas That Will Help You to Stop Emotional Eating
• Are You Getting the Proper Amount of Fiber in Your Daily Diet?
• Questions And Tips On How To Make The Best Brochures
• Man Cave Furnishings, Relax and Have Fun
• How you Can Make a Productive and Functional Business Card

Newest Articles

• Reviews on Different Business Catalog Printing Process
• Selling Your Experience
• Where Cable Lighting Should Be Used?
• Level Up Your Business Cards A Notch Higher
• Pedaling to wash clothes
• Basic Adventure Travel Check List
• eConn Resume Processing Solution only at $249
• Advanced Kiosk Systems to Compact Tough Conditions
• Freestanding Fire Pits: Now for Entertainment and Grilling
• How to Keep Your Fire Pit Handy for Winter Use
• Mr. Ashok Mahindru
• Propecia Prescription To Give Your Hair Grow Back
• Audemars Piguet Replica Watches-A Much Better Quality At Fashion-replica.com
• Choose the best elitemakeup foundation
• Hublot Replica Watch -The preferred Christmas gift at the highest levels
• Pass a Drag Test: Pass a Social Responsibility
• Tag Heuer Replica At Fashion-replica.com – The Best Gifts For Christmas
• Passing a Drag Test Is the First Step
• You May Run but You Can not Hide From a Drug Test
• Event management and advertising services from Infra Design
• Utah Ski Resort Real Estate And Lodging Snow Basin And Powder
• Drugs in the Field of Sports
• Do Your Kid pass a Drug Test?
• Get that Catalog Printing Right
• Understand Exactly What Your Business Has to Offer

Most Popular Articles

• 12 Golden rules for every Dog owner
• 17 Tips That'll Safeguard You and Your Family From Dog Bites
• 14 Tips for Crate Training Your New Puppy
• 3 Simple Steps For A Healthier Dog
• 3 Tips For Dealing With Dog Emergencies
• Generating a positive ROI from PPC
• Search Engine Promotion - your options explained
• Submit site to announce it to the world!
• Exercise Bikes – How Far They Have Come
• Mortgage Equity Loans With Multiple Benefits
• Home Equity Online Loans become more popular
• Javascript Basics 01
• What Does Your Body Language Tell?
• Let Your Business Grow By Invoice discounting in the UK
• How to Prevent Online Identity Theft
• Misunderstandings Due To Accents
• Uncommon Facts / Rules of English Language
• Diabetes and Your Eyesight
• Learn to Speak Basic Chinese (Mandarin) Words and Phrases
• Pancreas Transplants - A Solution For Type 1 Diabetes Sufferers?
• Learn Korean: Part 1 - Asian Languages and Language Families
• Tips To Learn English
• Learn Korean: Part 2 - Social Status in Culture
• IELTS: Facts Not Many People Know
• Aphasia: The Cruelest Language Barrier