So, you want to start with this "SEO" stuff - getting my site noticed on the internet...

BUT - you know nothing about it, you're not a web guru and you certainly don't have the money to hire a big firm for thousands of dollars.

How do you get started, then? How can you make a difference with your new or small business?

Try these on for starters:

Search Engines
Make sure your and/or your web developer are up to date on the latest techniques to access search engines and directories. This means your web site can be easily found from anywhere on the Internet. Make sure that your site is listed with the most popular search engines and directories. These include sites like Google, Yahoo!, AltaVista, InfoSeek and many others.
STRATEGY: Visit the search engines and look for the link and directions on 'how to add your URL'. It's free and it's easy. Also make sure to list in DMOZ.org - the directory that most other search engines get their info from.

Adding Value To Your Web Site
Repeat visits and referrals are important to the success of your presence. Find the items and information that will bring your clients back to your web site and your products.
STRATEGY: Offer regular promotions, updated news & content and offer incentives (frequent customers get discounts or free gifts)

Detailed Statistic Analysis
Your Website should have a comprehensive, real-time statistics package available. By tracking the movement through your site, you can determine which of your products or services stimulates the most interest. Statistical user information such as city, country, browser type and operating system can help us determine target market areas and users to help increase traffic and sales. You can also see where your visitors are coming from - whether it's a search engine, an ad or an online directory - great for targeting your efforts.
STRATEGY: If you don't know how to access your stats, ask your hosting company. If your hosting company doesn't provide them, get a new hosting company!

Directory Advertising
In the online world of information, many web sites are strictly functioning as web "directories". These directories provide information to the public about various industries, and provide links to those sites that do business in that industry. Having your site listed on these directories will not only help to increase traffic to your site, but will increase the "popularity" of your site by having it linked on yet another page. Costa Pacific can find and request links to sites that complement your business.
STRATEGY: Do a search on the search engines for your industry, as though you're looking for your own type of business, you'll be surprised how many directories come up that you can get your business listed on! Many of these directories are free, or are very low cost, for just a few dollars a month.

Cross Link Marketing
Cross-linking is a standard practice in the Internet world and is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to drive traffic to your website. By providing a link to someone else's website, they in return provide a link back to yours, so every time you link your website to another, you add one more avenue of exposure. This can be accomplished in several different ways. Any website that you provide a link to, or advertise on your website, should promote you as well.
STRATEGY: Approach all of the people that you currently work with. Ask them if they would add a link from their website to yours, and that you'll do the same for them. Explain that you are paying to advertise your website wherever possible and that the more traffic you drive to your site, the more traffic they will receive. Also, contact sites who's services or products you really would LIKE to show on your site along side your own, and ask about reciprocal linking.

Next week, we'll get into pay per click advertising and the very inexpensive way to increase your site's rank and popularity!

This is the question of the day, isn’t it? How do you know if you’re spending too little or you’re being taken advantage of? Here are some universal guidelines:

• Unless you have a student, a friend or a non-profit agency building your website, you should NOT be spending less than a few hundred dollars for a website. Any good developer’s time is worth something – and $2/hour is not enough!
  
  
• An average website with no bells and whistles will NOT cost you $6,000! The average cost of a standard small business website with a contact form, images and relevant information should fall in the range of $800 - $1500. Anything more than that without interactivity or applications is too much.
  
  
• An e-commerce site is fairly easy to build, since there are so many solutions out there. The main determining factor in the cost of an e-commerce site is the number of products you will sell. To build a shopping cart should only be a couple of hundred dollars, while customizing the look and feel, and populating your store with the products adds to the price.
  
  
• Functionality costs money. Standard applications such as calendars, forms and news services are pretty affordable, ranging in cost from $25-$125. Heartier applications that involve databases, custom solutions and online administration will be higher in price and might fall in the range of $100-$2,000. Research your needs.
  
  
• Design Rules. One of the main reasons someone hires a web developer/designer is because they are skilled not only in building the functionality of a website, but in how to design one. Your image is going to be put out there, so if you want something special, be prepared to pay for it. Almost anyone can learn to build a website, but it does indeed take talent to design the look and feel and create a corporate identity. Don’t scrimp and save on the design, because if you have nothing else on the site, the look will say it all.

The Bottom Line
You get what you pay for. If your budget is $500 versus $1,500 – you’ll get a nice site that looks good and has everything you need to get started, but probably doesn't have alot of specialized applications.

Follow the process of steps, do your research and you’ll likely know exactly what kind of costs you’re looking at. If you go in blind, you will either pay too much or not get anything of what you hoped for.

Your website is a representation of you, your company, your products or your thoughts. Therefore, your website must reflect the way you do business or the point you need to get across. It is designed to present to your audience, the products, services or ideas you have, and be a resource for your customers or potential customers.

The following are the major points to consider before building your website, or hiring someone to do it:

• Audience
  Who is your target audience? Are you appealing to existing customers, potential new customers or just the general public? Your audience determines the priority of the content on your website – whether it’s design or function, or a balance of both.
  
  
• Purpose
  What is the purpose of your website? Do you want to present information, sell products, share ideas or something else? The purpose of your website determines the features you will need to implement.
  
  
• Competition
  Take time to research the competition online. Find other businesses or sites that are selling or talking about your topic, product or service. The competition determines what you may need to add to your website to be a healthy competitor in the market.
  
  
• Budget
  This is usually the first consideration when building a website. Many things to consider when looking at your budget are applications & programming, marketing and updates. Your budget determines which elements can be added now or need to wait until a later date.
  
  
• Maintenance
  Maintenance is a very important consideration when building your website. You need to decide before hand whether you want to maintain the site yourself, hire someone to do it for you, or build a site that requires no maintenance at all. Sometimes it costs more money up front to build a site that is self-maintaining or can be done easily by you. Your maintenance needs help determine your initial budget and your need for future growth.