Web site fundamentals

Master Slide WEB SITE FUNDAMENTALS … AN INTRODUCTION FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

Media Available for Business Presence eMail Blogs Video (You Tube) Audio , RSS (Podcasts) Wikis (Wikipedia) Social Networks Web Sites Today’s Focus

Before Developing a Web Site You should have: A written Business Plan that: Defines core products/services Identifies target clients Has a 3 year pro forma P+L Statement Includes a Marketing/Sales Plan Legal organization Operating Plan SCORE offers seminars that address these issues

Marketing Plan Details your competitive strategy Documents a pricing strategy Establishes a marketing budget brochures, newspaper, web site, promotions Defines your web site’s role in your marketing effort

Techie Stuff - Elements Technology Terminology Internet components People Skill sets

Techie Stuff – Terms You must know to communicate: URL Domain name Banner ISP Search Engine Hosting service SEO PPC Organic Search SQL HTML Browser Navigation Hits Page views Hyperlink CSS Flash Conversion Rate Google analytics Use Google or Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org for definitions:

Techie Stuff: People Skills - Basic Site Owner (you) Graphic Designer Application Developer For every web site Primary Content Provider (On-going) Logic, use of various Programming tools ( On-going) Artistic layout, color, graphics, etc. ( 1 time)

Planning: Your Web Site’s Use Typical Options: Build awareness of your brand and product line online brochure Distribute information that saves staff resources hours, location, services Build relationships through information gathering offer a newsletter or free report in exchange for an email address and other information Manage events , using online registration Perform e-commerce , sell and deliver product/service

Planning: Effective eCommerce If you sell online, see these examples of eCommerce sites with selling-focused navigation: www.realityplusclothing.com www.inflatablemadness.com www.overstock.com www.sophiasstyle.com www.designerathletic.com

Planning: Identify the Users You first think of: Existing customers Potential customers But there will be: Competitors Vendors Potential lenders Potential investors Potential employees Existing employees Press

Planning: Two Types of Costs One time costs - capitalize Web site creation/setup Graphics, photos Domain name(s), building client databases (your time) for site content development Recurring operating costs - expense Hosting Maintenance/modifications Web site management ( you or your delegate ) Keep content fresh and monitor site

Planning: Sample Costs - 1 For a small custom developed site, expect to spend $1,500 to $7,000 Your time: 20 – 100+ hours Costs dictated by: Whether prepackaged or in-house or custom Complexity: brochure ware to a transactional site

Planning: Sample Cost -2 Domain Name $15-$30 (annually) Hosting Service $8-$200 (monthly) Web Site Development $300-$5000+ Site Maintenance $0-$500 (monthly) Search Engine Listing $0-$2000 (annually)

Planning: Recurring Costs Hosting of your web site: From $4 - $300+ / month depending upon services provided, amount of disk storage needed, data transfer rates, and host-generated statistics Technical maintenance: $60+/hr for 1 – 4 hrs/ month small logic and graphic changes, correct any errors Content updates (you as provider, large time demands ) provide i ndustry news, “what’s new” articles, photos, new products/services/ promotions…etc. Your site will live or die on fresh and changing content!!!

Planning: Development Phases Phases Est. % Total Cost % Owner Can Do: 1. Five Discovery Steps 30% – 50% 80% - 90% 2. Programming 20% - 30% 0 - 100% 3. Testing 10% Little 4. Documentation 5% Some 5. Training 5% Some

Planning: 5 Discovery Steps Five Discovery Steps: Write Business/Marketing Plan 2. Complete Creative Brief 3. Develop Business Rules 4. Find “ Look and Feel” sites 5. Assemble documents and pictorial content

Planning: Creative Brief #2 Owner completes a “Creative Brief” A written “business plan” for a web site See a completed and blank for example at: www.tinyurl.com/SCORE34-CreativeBrief Project description, goals, team assigned Primary objectives Target market Specific functional and content requirements Available text and graphics Project timeline Project budget

Planning: Business Rules #3 Owner documents how the site is to react to various user requests ( “ Business Rules”) Site User User Needs How Site will Respond What you will Provide Developer 1 2 3 4 Potential Customer See your selection of dress shirts Shows illustrated price list Catalog information, pictures (jpeg), text and other supporting information from sales materials

Planning: Look and Feel #4 Owner documents what visual impression the site is to convey to the user. ( “Look and Feel” ) Evaluate sites of competitors Find five sites , competitors or not, that appeal to you visually Write down what “specifically” was the desired feature #5 Owner assembles site content and graphics ( brochures, customer pictures, logos, price listsetc) OWNER establishes, Developer implements

Planning: Cost Minimization Steps Est. % Total Cost % Owner Can Do: 1. Discovery Process 40% – 60% 80% - 90% 2 Programming 20% - 30% 0% 3. Testing 10% Little 4. Documentation 5% Some 5. Training 5% Some

Acquiring – 2 Decisions The owner has two major decision to make in acquiring a web site: 1. How do I get the site developed? 2. Where do I have my site hosted?

Acquiring: Development Options Two basic approaches are: 1. Do it yourself Can I spare the time from my core business? Do I have the skills/money? Do I want the site to look “home-made?” 2. Hire a professional web developer Do I have the money to hire someone?

Acquiring: 5 Options The 5 ways of acquiring a site are: 1.0 Self Code 2.1 Site-builder Kit (Free “cheap”) 2.2 Site-builder Kit (Fee based - General) 2.3 Site-builder Kit (Fee based - Industry specific) 3.0 Professionally Developed

Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail (a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links) 1.0 Self Code a. You make site yourself using either/or HTML, CSS or a development language (Front Page, Dreamweaver). Hosting will be additional cost. b. You have time, money and skill or a geek-web friend c. See for free web development tools: Online help available NOTE: most of the site-builder kits below are more difficult to get graphics placed where you want them on the page. 2.1 Site-builder Kit (FREE/cheap) a. Use a web based kit that has no set up nor hosting cost by the provider, but MAY have provider advertising around your site; perhaps even show in the site URL or require upgrades for more features. Site Builders are drag and drop. b. For the non-technical beginner who simply wants to get the experience of trying out a site and/or does not mind the ads. c. See: Microsoft Office Live , Wix ; www.g oogle.com/sites

Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail (a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links) 2.2 Site-builder Kit (FEE based – GENERAL USAGE) a. Has a small setup fee ( $0 - $100 ) and a hosting fee ($20 - $80/mo). Costs may vary by # pages or usage or features engaged. Usually has a free trial. b. For the non-technical beginner who needs an inexpensive starter site without ads. c. Typical: www.coolbuild.com www.Homestead.com www.godaddy.com www.samsbiz.com www.dexaweb.com www.weebly.com www.doodlekit.com Yahoo! www.coffeecup.com 2.3 Site-builder Kit (FEE based – INDUSTRY SPECIFIC) a. Has a setup fee ( $100 - $500) and a hosting fee ($20 - $80/mo). Costs may vary by # pages or usage or features engaged. Usually has a free trial. b. For the non-technical beginner who needs an industry web site with industry specific features. Provider usually has many many custom “looks” to chose from and often pre-developed free content aimed at the site user. Has spent $$ to provide graphic layouts options c. Examples: for Church: www.webmedly.com for Veterinarian: www.vetmatrix.com [great example of metrics options]

Acquiring: 5 Options-Detail (a-description; b-optimal use; c-suggested links) 3.0 Professionally Developed a. Site requires professional and multiple skills for desired result. Development costs ($500 - $20,000) based on # pages, logic complexity and features required. Monthly maintenance fees ($50 - $300) and hosting fees ($20 - $80/mo). b. Used when: you need a very unique look/feel is desired; over 50 pages; complex eCommerce steps; uses video, audio and animated graphics; requires integration with other business software (accounting, inventory, CRM – clients volunteers, donors, vendors, employee passwords); owner desires advice based on education and experience of a professional for graphic look, layout and navigation, SEO tuning, use of data base storage. c. Suggested developers on upcoming slide, but ask five friends for recommendations

Acquiring: Comparison of Options # Options Difficulty 0 – 10 Hard Cost Development/Setup + Hosting/Maint 1.0 You code 8 - 10 $100- $1,000 Hosting extra Lots hours 2.1 Site Builder - Free 7 - 9 $300 - $1,000 Hosting + maint included? 2.2 Site Builder – FEE General 5 - 7 $10 - $500 Hosting + maint Included 2.3 Site Builder – FEE Industry Specific 2 - 5 $100 - $500 Hosting + maint included 3.0 Use professional developer 1 $500 - $20,000 Hosting + maint extra

Acquiring: In-depth Comparison Rank: 0=low 10=High See link for full report: www.tinyurl.com/SCORE34-Comparison Parameters/Features of Way (7 of 24 ) 1.0 You Code 2.1 Free 2.2 FEE -General 2.3 FEE-Industry 3.0 Prof 1 Cost 7 + time 2 3 4 8-10 2 Personal URL Y ?? Y Y Y 3 Tech Skill Required 10 2 3 3 1 4 Implementation Time - wks 20+ 1 wk 1 wk 2 wks 10-20 wk 5 You have access to HTML? Y 2 2 2 Y 6 SEO provided You do it 2 4 6 10 7 Google Analytics Possible You do it 1 2 6 10

Acquiring: Professional Developers Local Firms: Cybervise Limited - www.cyberviselimited.com (513) 351-6710 Go-Concepts - www.go-concepts.com (888) 664-6938 Web Feat - www.webfeat.net (513) 272-3328 Core Five - www.corefive.com (513) 723-0101

Acquiring: Developer Contracts Issues to be addressed with your developer: Use a written contract Establish the development price, handling of changes and extras, project schedule, and maintenance costs Establish a payment schedule Partial payments at milestones Withhold final 10% until after training and 30 days of successful operation

Acquiring: Custom Deliverables 4. Included in the contract deliverables: Release from the developer so that you both own the code – copyright issues Assurance that the developed package is portable to other hosting sites. Documentation , and keys to all security systems (user names, passwords , etc.) Contact information for customer support Guaranteed response time for support

Acquisition: Hosting Options # Option A Hosting and maintenance may be bundled as a monthly fee with the Site Builder options 1 Free Hosting: BraveNet , FreeSite Generally ad-supported 2 Basic Hosting (from $2.95/mo.): Cheap Reliable Website Hosting , 123 3 Premium Hosting: GoDaddy , IXWebHosting Add ecommerce, provide a secure site

Acquiring: Hosting Variables A hosting company (ISP) provides disk space and access to the net for your web site. A variety of issues to be considered include: The ability to grow (scalable) Daily back-up of site Technical support Email accounts Online shopping carts Secure server Traffic statistics FrontPage extensions Uptime Note: all other issues being equal, choose a host in your area as that my improve your being found on a search that includes physical location details: city, state, county etc Compare details by searching on “web hosting” and reading the details.

Acquisition: : Resources One of the best information sites for both owners and developers is: www.wilsonweb.com Helpful resources include: www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/pkg-con.htm [ blank web site design contract ] www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/pageplan.htm [ blank web site planning worksheet ] www.wilsonweb.com/worksheet/store-worksheet.htm [ blank online store planning worksheet ] Also see: www.techsoup.com for general articles.

Site Management: Owner’s Tasks Client Feedback Use a separate web site email address Respond daily! Content management Change 20% of site content per month Site Management Avoid “linkrot” – check each link monthly Analyze traffic (hits by day/week/month, etc.)

Summary Techie Stuff Technology and People Skills Planning the Site Uses/Users, Costs and Process Acquisition of Site Make or Buy: Development and Hosting Site Management Site Content/Site Maintenance

Owner’s Must-Do List Write a Business Plan with a Marketing Plan Complete a Creative Brief Document the Business Rules on worksheet Assemble sample web content : brochures, product/service information, and pictures Identify five web sites with a “Look and Feel” that you particularly like Use a written contract with a web developer Get a SCORE counselor !

Web site fundamentals

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