Basic Internet Strategy Article

Basic Internet Strategies for Small Businesses

The Internet, Networks and Computers have drastically changed how we work and grow companies. This is a highly technical world, and no matter what type of business you are in, chances are you are losing business if you aren’t effectively leveraging and harnessing the power of the Internet, Networks and Computers.

Let’s start with Computers

Your Company should be “Computerized” with up to date computers and software. That means a minimum of 1 GB of Ram and decent Processor speed. Many think Vista isn’t worth upgrading to so stick with Microsoft XP as your operating system. Get a good Anti-Virus/ Malware software, such as Nod 32 or Kapersky. Get Microsoft Office Business Edition, which contains the basics to conduct business: MS Outlook (email), MS Excel (spreadsheets), MS Word (Word Processing), MS Power Point (Presentations), MS Access (Data Management). Know there are a lot of you out there who are Apple lovers or Anti-Microsoft Software, but for business, you are better off being uniform, which means a PC and Microsoft. For Website development, you have options. If new to this area, you can use a user friendly online web builder program like 1and1 or get the basic Web Building Software, MS Frontpage, or either of the Advanced Web Development Software Suites by Adobe or MacroMedia. Get a good Financials/Tax Software, like Quicken Premium, that has the capability to create and track both Personal and Business Expenditures, Financials, and Taxes. There are a lot of other software programs out there, but we urge you to keep it simple. This recommended software mix will do all you need in today’s technological, global market place. What is key, is to have uniformity of software throughout all your computers so it is easy for them to “speak” with each and easily exchange information.

Second, let’s review Networks

Networks allow many computers to be in the same shared Community, to be able to share and exchange information easily, as well as, safeguard or regulate the transmissions of that information. This also ties into Printing Capabilities, Scanning capabilities and Wireless Transmission capabilities. Networks are secure if set up properly. Networks are very efficient as now you don’t have to call someone or go by their office or set up a meeting to get certain information. All you need to do is log into the Company/ Intranet Network and access information which your security level protocol allows you to access. The possibilities are endless here, and it is a Marketing Person’s dream. So your Marketing Manager and Team need to be well versed on Computer Networks, Data Management, Data Collection and Sharing and so forth. Most importantly, a Network allows a Business Owner or CEO to permeate its Business Plan throughout the Company. A Business Plan should be intertwined into a Company’s Computer Systems and Networks so various Departments and Key Employees can Access particular sections for their use. This keeps the Business Plan as front and center so everyone in the Company can execute their part of its Strategic Plan. A Networked, online Business Plan allows for continuous, daily planning, re-assessment and budgeting so that you are always operating you Company in “Real Time”, geared toward the Company’s Future Goals. This is an absolutely required capability to compete in today’s fast changing Competitive Market Place.

Networks also allow Sales Teams in the Field to access critical Company information for its customers or to make a sale to a particular customer. Networks are integral to your Company operations.

Before moving on to the Internet, it is important to recommend that you get a good A+ Certified Computer Technician who can:

1. Load your software properly

2. Set up your networks properly

3. Set up Security Protocols

4. Set up your wireless capabilities

It is good to have an IT person or Dept. when your company can support one as this area always needs attention, but if you are a small company, pick someone who is interested in computers and send that person to Software and Network Certification Classes and have that person work closely with your outsourced Computer Technician. Once that “IT” person is up to speed, that person can take care of a lot of the issues that arise, saving you immense time and money (yet having access to the Technician if “stumped” by a problem).

Third, let’s discuss the Internet

The internet is awesome tool to help grow your Company and help you compete in an ever growing competitive business world. Cisco’s System’s CEO, John Chambers, said in 1999 the “Internet Economy” added 650,000 jobs and generated $500+ Billion in Revenues. He also said “Over the next two decades, the Internet economy will bring more dramatic changes….than we witnessed during the last 200 years of the Industrial Revolution” (Cisco Systems, 2000 Annual Report). When you think about that statement, the change we are experiencing due to the Internet is changing not just how we conduct business but it is revolutionizing how the rest of the world “work, live, play and learn”.

The Internet is creating new business models, an avenue to establish competitive advantages and market exploitation, a “Networked” world, significantly re-inventing entire market places all over the world, established control back to the customer and has become intertwined into the Social fabric of Societies and Communities all over the globe. You cannot compete effectively and losing significant opportunity if you don’t harness the power of the Internet with your Business.

Ok, so how do you go about harnessing this Technological Power? First step is to get your computer infrastructure set up as written previously in this article. Next step is to have a good Broadband Internet Access, preferably through your cable company. High speed internet access is a must. Then you need to set up a solid website.

A misconception is out there that you need to spend thousands on setting up a website with a Web Developer with all the Dynamic Bells and Whistles, including Frames, Flash, Java and Dynamic Web elements. This is complete hogwash. Also another fallacy out there is you need to spend thousands on a SEO/ Web Marketing Company to “optimize” and market the website. More hog wash. (before I tick off Web Developers and Marketers, please note you have your “day in the sun” later in this article).

To start with it is important to have a website that is:

1. Simple

2. Functional

3. Content Driven

4. Resource Driven

5. Cross-Linked

Let’s look at each of these elements in detail.

• Simple: Simple, uniform websites, yet professional looking, are key toward allowing Search Engine Spiders to easily read the website. If you have a Flash Website, Search Engines cannot read it. Java Script is often unreadable or partially readable to Search Engines. Frames look nice and make Websites easier to manage and update but Search Engines can’t read the information in the Frames. Any Dynamic Web Element is either partially or totally not readable by Search Engines. Good old, simple HTML is readable, though and should be used to express your Content. Why is a Search Engine reading your Website so important? See the “Content Driven” explanation following for details. A Website should have JPEG Picture up top, followed by your Website links, followed by Google/ Yahoo Advertising and then followed by Good content. We like the content to scroll while the Links Menu remains still at the top so you can easily navigate the Website.
• Functional: A Website should be highly functional and organized. It should clearly state its purpose and be easily navigated and searched. You should have a main menu at the top of the page that never changes. And when you click on a main web link, the following page still has the same main menu up top with a sub menu to the left or right (arranged vertically) with links for details. So, Horizontal Main Links at top, unchanging and sub links to the side, presented when you click on a Main Link. It is a main section: sub section relationship. The Website should have a Site Map for users to review the organization of the Website but most importantly for Search Engines to easily spider your Website.
• Content Driven: Content is the single most important aspect of Website Building. Simply put, good, relevant Content is what Search Engines look for when ranking Websites. Extensive, well-organized, helpful, informational content is what produces good Search Engine Rankings. This is what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Companies do and it is very expensive. You are an expert in your type of business, so you can very easily write good Content without spending those thousands. Once you have written all the Content, than a SEO Company can be contracted to organize it in a fashion most acceptable to Search Engine Spiders for a fraction of the cost. Good Content = Good Rankings. Website Marketing and Advertising is very expensive and can exhaust your funds very quickly with little return. If you have good Content, then Search Engines will rank you well (Top 10 is the goal) in the General (unpaid) Search Results. Then for very competitive keyword Searches which is hard for you to rank well in the General Search Results, highly targeted Sponsored Advertising can bring a good ROI or ROC (Return Per Click).

Now when we talk about Content, we should also discuss Website Search Engine Optimization or making your Website more readable to the Search Engines. Key elements to include:

1. HTML vs Dynamic Scripting (previously discussed)

2. A Descriptive Title for each Web Page

3. Several Keyword phrases embedded into the HTML keyword area which are specific to the content for that web page

4. Embed a 1-2 line Description of the Web Page into 1) HTML Description Area 2) Into your JPEG Picture at the top of the page (embed into the HTML of the Picture).

5. No Frames or complicated Web Templates.

6. Only use Flash for professional elements, like Flash Presentation Introduction for the Company. Since Flash can’t be read by Search Engines it has no “Content” value but can add Professionalism and “Stickiness” to your Website. Note: never have your Website open with a Flash Presentation, always have it as a link under your About Us Website section. Same thing goes for Dynamic Website elements (as previously discussed).

7. Each Web page should have relevant Content that is well written and comes from experience and good research. Please don’t copy Content off other sites- create your own. Content should be on a specific subject. For instance, This Article is Content on using the Internet to grow your Small Business.

8. Website should be well organized, easily navigated and have a good Site Map (this link typically located at the bottom of the Home Page under the copyright statement).

Content on each web page should have a Copyright Statement and the current years it has been on the Internet. This gives you legal standing to protect your content from being blatantly copied (which happens often). You should also have Disclaimers posted where necessary (usually by the site map link). Get your Content right and you will receive traffic, which can lead to sales. Once you have Optimized and are getting traffic employing a Web Marketing Company initially to help you improve your “stickiness” factor is very beneficial and brings about strong ROIs and ROCs.

• Resource Driven: In order to improve the stickiness and relevance of your Website, it should be first and foremost a Resource for web users. Then, because it is a good Resource, it will produce sales, no matter what type of business. Your entire website should be Content Driven providing a valuable Resource to web users and customers. You should have a Resources Section on your Website. This section provides a series of links, well organized into sections with link summaries that promote more information on subjects relevant to your Website, Business and Industry. Such as:

+ Links to Business Associations and Organizations

+ Links to Relevant Legal/ Regulatory sites

+ Links to more Information on subjects covered in your website or about your Industry

+ Affiliate Links to products and services of other companies which can help your “target” customer (income producing) and/ or relate to your Industry

+ News Updates on subjects of interest to your Target Customers and about your Industry

+ Provide Customers RSS Feeds, Newsletters, Website Updates

+ Provide a means for web users and customers to “weigh in” on your website, expressing opinions and ways to improve the experience and/ or products

+ Provide Informational Blogs

+ Provide a Chat Forum on specific subjects related to your Business and Industry

+ Form for other Companies to submit cross-advertising/ promotion ideas and strategies

• Cross-Linking and Back Linking: Cross-linking is putting websites that are well ranked and relevant to the Content on your site and vice versa. This is an older strategy and one way back linking has pretty much replaced but it is still a viable, basic SEO strategy. The strategy being when Search Engines Spiders read these links to very relevant, highly ranked websites (and seeing a reciprocation of your link on their site), it will rank your website higher due to those relevant content relationships. Some things to keep in mind when cross-linking:

+ Only start cross-linking after you have completed all the preceding Web Strategies. Spiders need to be able to find your site and the cross-linking partner must see benefit in listing your site on their Website.

+ Put your Cross-Links in the Resources section and should be organized by subject and a small summary for each link.

+ Should you link with competitors? Sure, if their rankings and customers are useful for your company’s strategy.

+ Be careful who you cross link with. Make sure they have a good reputation, good relevant content in your area of business, a good website and will put you in an area of their site that will be seen.

+Cross Linking can also be combined with Affiliate Income in certain instances so it can give you good rankings, as well as, income.

The only way to have a clear Web Strategy is to have an effective Business Plan, with a well developed Strategic Plan which is modeled after a solid Marketing Plan. Your Marketing Plan should be written with the Web in mind- in fact, the Web has often completely replaced all other forms of Marketing due to its reach, complexity, flexibility, cost effectiveness and market differential. A Web Strategy should have prominence in your Marketing Plan.

If you follow the advice and steps set forth in this article, you can have a lucrative, high ROI, low cost per click/ sale, web strategy. All it takes is minimal investment and a lot of sweat equity, and any small business can compete on the Internet- even with Big Corporations and competitors who use SEO Marketing Firms. Taking your company online will make it much more profitable, lower your expense to revenue ratio and force you to operate more efficiently and innovatively. To success in this market place, you must have an all inclusive, effective Web Strategy, built from a strong computer and Network infrastructure.

It is not necessary to have Servers to complete this Computer, Network, Internet Strategy. You can effectively lease servers and utilize hosting services, such as 1and1, to implement this strategy cost effectively and often maintaining better speed and “uptime” statistics than running your own servers. To do everything prescribed in this Article (and assuming a 5 computer network) will run $10-15K, with the internet portion only being 13% of the outlay. Using existing equipment, buying used products and doing a lot of the work yourself can reduce this figure by 50%. This is also assuming starting from scratch. If you follow this advice to the “T”, you will not just explode the growth of your business but through efficiencies you will dramatically increase your Profit Margins, ROI and ROC.

What are you waiting for?