Houston Texas Web Site Design - Top 10 list to know about starting an online business.

Starting an online business is an important decision. Here's a few things to keep in mind...

1. If possible build your online business website in phases. Figure out what the most important functions you need accomplish and focus on them. It will help keep the cost down and get your site up and rolling faster. You can always go back and add later without significant extra cost to rebuild something already built.

2. Only add features that have a compelling reason to be built. With most web based businesses start up costs are an important issue. Only add features that server a purpose. To keep things as affordable as possible stay with PHP as a programming language. This is an easy to write, extremely common language. This will be the most reliable, least cost alternative. It's also extremely easy to find someone to work on your site if you need to switch vendors. The alternative is ASP.NET which is great but completely differen't, complicated and time consuming. Our opinion is we use it if there is a "compelling reason", something PHP won't do..

3. Outsource server hosting. Use a web host whenever possible. Owning and managing a server is a full time job and can cost more than your web site it's self. If your starting a business it's the last headache you need.

4. Avoid any extra unneeded bells and whistles such as FLASH or multimedia unless it's important to your core business function. These are important tools but are a luxury that can be added later unless you have the immediate need and/or budget.

5. Equally important and much more difficult to achieve is making your site visible to potential customers. This is the number one mistake new web based businesses make. They plan 90% on the site and 10% on promotion. It should 50%, 50%. You can build a site and let it sit there for years and no one will ever know it exists. Have an aggressive marketing plan ready to go the second the site is ready. Search Engine Optimization is a must. Being visible on the web and driving traffic to your site is the number one factor that determines if your site will succeed or not.

6. Remember that budgeting and costs for an online business are the same as a regular business. Most typical web sites businesses with database applications run in the 5k to 15k range for a professional company to build. Monthly hosting is typically anywhere from $100 - $200 normally and includes everything you need including company email. Usually it's a 60 - 90 day process though you should expect to start seeing proofs within a week or two.

7. Have your web host draw out a chart showing every single page of your application or even prepare you own in advance. If you mis something your developer will et you know. You can save days of work by making sure everyone is clear on what's being built in advance.

8. Never pay the complete amount of a project in advance. Usual payment terms are half down and half when the site goes live. Keep in mind the establishment and cash flow of a business web site, Internet promotion in general, can take months to years.

9. Avoid any company that outsources, you can't imagine some of the bad experiences that are common with this. It can be a nightmare.

10. Avoid mandatory contracts when ever possible. Make your developer/host continue to earn your business.

I hope this information helps with your future decisions. Comments or questions contact bsartin@softscience.com.