These days it seems so easy to start an online business. All you need is a web site and a shopping cart and you’re ready for those sales, right? Wrong. If you’ve perused the web at all, you’ve probably discovered that there are thousands, nay, millions of terrible web sites out there for the viewing. What happens when an unsuspecting potential client lands on one of those badly designed sites? You guessed it – they leave as fast as their little fingers will click them out never to return again.

To help small business combat the scourge of bad web design, I met with Len Printz, owner of Sky Sytes, a web solutions company specializing brand development and web design for small and medium sized businesses to get his take on what small business is doing wrong and simple steps they can take to build a web site that enhances their brand.

According to Printz many small business owners, in their efforts to control costs, try to do too much of the web design themselves. “We have seen some really terrible sites out there,” says Printz. “A majority of our clients have come to us after they’ve attempted to build the site themselves gotten stuck. The sites are usually built with a template design that doesn’t allow the freedom to really express the brand. Worse yet, we find that there are usually broken links, hard to navigate pages, and a general sense of confusion that is an instant turn-off for visitors.”

Printz says that it’s really easy to build a bad site, but not to worry. It’s equally as easy to build a good site if you know a few of the basics. “We focus on each client’s needs and then design a web presence that will help them leverage this marketing tactic to best meet their business and marketing goals. That’s not always something the business owner can do for him or herself.”

Who is out there anyway?

The Internet Society (ISOC.org) serves as the primary governing body for the Internet and has assembled far-reaching statistics on how individuals and business use web sites and the Internet. According to the most recent data published on the ISOC web site (dated 2008), North America alone has 73.4% internet usage (that’s approximately 24.7 million users) and accounts for 17.5% of global Internet use. That means that small business in the U.S. should really know their market in order to have their message and brand arrive on the screens of the right customers.

And according to DoubleClick, an online research firm that evaluates Internet usage for advertising and marketing purposes reported that there “were nearly six times as many keywords with a cost per click (CPC) of more than $1 in January of 2007 than there were in January 2006. As costs for keywords increase, this research shows how critical it is to have experienced and knowledgeable online marketing consultants assist with a business’ online presence. “We can save a company thousands of dollars in misdirected marketing dollars,” continues Printz. “Through the use of reporting tools, we can show our clients what is and isn’t working about the web site and make immediate changes to boost response rates.”

To change things up a bit this week, I thought I’d take some of my readers’ (and my clients’) most pressing web site questions and get Printz’s responses on the best way to handle things.

RF: What’s your pet peeve with home-made sites?

Printz: Small budget sites or home-made sites have a high certainty to look 'amateurish'. I’m not saying that you need to spend a fortune to have a great site. It’s just the opposite. If the web site is clean and easy to navigate it will appear more professional. Remember that your web site first and foremost is all about the look, feel and content. If you don’t have quality, useful information out there, no one will come back. Site visitors don’t have a lot of time to waste searching site after site for what they want. Put it at their fingertips and they’ll be more likely to buy your products or services.

RF: How can a homemade site look more professional?

Printz: Get rid of the glitz! I know that flash and all kinds of moving animation seems cool, but it often bogs down a site and makes it seem less professional. Leave the flash and animation to the companies that can afford to do it well. Pages shouldn't be cluttered with flashing icons or links and try to avoid scrolling text or blinking buttons as they detract from your overall message. It’s amazing how a few simple graphics, a nice layout of copy using one or two fonts TOTAL, can create an elegant, user-friendly experience.

RF: What should business owners ask when they meet a potential web development firm?

Printz: When talking to a web developer, have some websites in mind that you particularly like or dislike and why. Know your goals for the site – do you want to increase sales or boost your public relations image – or both? It’s absolutely imperative that all goals be spelled out at the start of any contracting relationship. That way we don’t have miscommunication once the site is in production and everyone is happy with the end result.

RF: What should businesses have if they want to actively sell products on their web site?

Printz: If you sell a product, an ecommerce section is a must. Think of it as a storefront that's open 24/7, 365 days a year. Be sure to have a reputable, secure encryption for credit cards and test it before it goes live. If you don’t already accept credit cards, talk with your banker or merchant services rep because the payment function will be tied to your online store.

RF: Service companies seem to have a more difficult time building web sites that keep visitors interested and coming back. What can they do to boost their brand?

Printz: If you sell a service, ask yourself ‘why are you better than the next guy?’ This is where information and testimonials can really help to elevate your brand. The more you can establish your business and its leadership as experts in your particular field, the more visitors will return to your site when they are in need of information. Remember that you are not only selling to your potential customers, but to the media. Journalists are often looking for industry contacts to write their stories, so case studies are also a tremendous resource when they are made available online. Make it easy for a user to request a quote or schedule an appointment with your key spokespeople and 24/7 publicists.

Lastly, says Printz, if you simply must edit your own content Adobe Contribute is a good, user-friendly tool. If budgets are tight (and that’s completely understandable in this tight economy), then have a good graphic and web designer create the site and provide access for you to manipulate content-only sections of the site. Printz’s best advice? Keep your web company completely in the loop with any anticipated product roll-outs or new initiatives so that they can budget changes and implement them in a timely fashion. “There’s nothing worse than being left in the dark and then having the client rushing in for major changes in less than 24 hours,” says Printz. “We go above and beyond to make our clients happy, but being a part of the process is so much easier and makes the most sense. If we’re active participants in how the site is utilized we can make adjustments along the way that will be more cost-effective.”

“Being small business owners ourselves, we can totally relate to the struggles faced by our clients,” says Printz. “We know what it’s like to have tight budgets and even tighter selling opportunities. Every decision feels so much more impactful. We’re here to help make the web part of their business really work without all the worry and time.”

Make a BIG impression.

Worried that you don’t understand the online lingo? What is a click and more importantly what is it worth? Check out the following definitions:

Cost per click (CPC) – this is what a business pays to advertise on the Internet using just their URL and a brief company description to generate a ‘click’ through to their site. Companies pay only when the visitor ‘clicks’ on their ad. Prices can range from $.01 per word to well over $100 per click depending on the popularity of the topic searched.
Cost per impression (CPI) – Used to determine the cost of an online advertising campaign based on the total number of individuals who have seen the ad.
Cost per keyword (CPK) – A series of keywords are developed for a specific product or brand. Advertisers then bid on search terms or phrases that will generate a listing of resulting companies.
Click through rate (CTR) – method of measuring the success of an online advertising effort. Calculation is the number of users who clicked on the ad divided by the number of times the ad was delivered.
Impression – the number of times a web page is ‘viewed’ by a site visitor.
Pay per click (PPC) – Internet advertising model where advertisers only pay when a visitor clicks on their ad and arrives at their web site.
Product engines – search engines for products that allow advertises to provide ‘feeds’ or advertising in order to promote their products or services. Popular product engines are NexTag and Shopzilla.
Pay per delivery (PPD) – this is a strategy similar to pay per click where companies utilize email direct marketing campaigns and pay based on successful delivery of the individual email message.
Web traffic – the number of individuals ‘online’ during any given period.

A quality web presence isn’t just a nice-to-have in today’s economy. For small businesses, a web site can help to spread the word about a new product or service in ways that more traditional paid media just cannot reach or afford. When in doubt, don’t let the prospect of building and managing a web site paralyse you. Bringing in a web consultant can often free you for other business areas and give your company the online boost you need.

Whatever your small business needs, your Cabot Square tax and financial professional can analyse your situation and recommend an appropriate action plan.

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