Website Basics for SMBs 1 Website Basics for SMBs Copyright © 2017 White Label Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Every reasonable effort has been made to properly attribute the IP right holders of materials included in this book, including website images. Any errors or omissions should be notified in writing to the publisher, who will then rectify the situation for any future editions. The presence of a word in this book, either marked or unmarked, has no effect on its legal status as a trademark. The inclusion of brand names or company logos in this book in no way infers a connection or endorsement of any kind between the publisher and the company. Adapted from Welcome to the Web by Ryan Healy Images used with permission of the rights holders: Andertons Music Co. - www.andertons.co.uk BigCommerce - www.bigcommerce.com Brussels Airlines - www.brusselsairlines.com WordPress / Automattic - wordpress.org Squarespace – www.squarespace.com White Label Press Publishing WhiteLabelPress.com [email protected] 2 Website Basics for SMBs Warning and Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is as accurate and complete as possible. However, the information contained in this book is provided on an as-is basis, and there is no warranty or fitness implied. The author and publisher shall have no liability or responsibility for any loss or damage experienced by any entity or individual based on the information in this book. 3 Website Basics for SMBs 4 Website Basics for SMBs Website Basics for SMBs Everything Need to Know to Get Your Business Online PRIMARY AUTHOR NAME with Ryan Healy 5 Website Basics for SMBs 6 Website Basics for SMBs Contents Introduction - Why Businesses Need a Modern Web Presence .............................................................................. 15 Planning – Setting Goals, Uses, and Requirements ............ 21 Website Purpose and Goals ............................................ 23 Website Users and Uses .................................................. 28 Website Requirements.................................................... 32 Chapter Summary: .......................................................... 36 Website Creation Tools – DIY Builders, CMS, Frameworks, and Custom Coding ............................................................. 39 Do-It-Yourself Website Builders ...................................... 42 Content Management Systems ....................................... 49 Frameworks and Custom Coding .................................... 57 Chapter Summary ........................................................... 61 Adding a Business Blog ........................................................ 63 7 Website Basics for SMBs Blog Integration .............................................................. 64 The Basics of Blogging for Business ................................ 66 Chapter Summary ........................................................... 69 Integrating Social Media ..................................................... 72 Facebook Integration ...................................................... 74 Twitter Integration .......................................................... 79 Popular Social Media Sites for Website Integration ....... 81 Chapter Summary ........................................................... 83 Contact Forms, Quotation Forms, Live Chat Applications, and Email Lists ..................................................................... 85 Contact Forms and Quotation Forms ............................. 86 Live-Chat Applications ..................................................... 89 Email Lists and Auto-Responders .................................... 90 Chapter Summary ........................................................... 93 Creating Content ................................................................. 95 Company Content ........................................................... 97 Educational Content........................................................ 98 Entertainment Content ................................................. 100 Thinking Like a Publisher ............................................... 103 The Benefits of Regular Content Audits ........................ 105 Chapter Summary ......................................................... 109 8 Website Basics for SMBs Search Engine Optimization .............................................. 112 The Basics of SEO .......................................................... 114 Creating Content for SEO .............................................. 120 Utilizing SEO tools ......................................................... 122 Chapter Summary ......................................................... 127 Ecommerce Capabilities .................................................... 131 Self-Hosted Ecommerce Solutions ................................ 133 Hosted Ecommerce Solutions ....................................... 135 Chapter Summary ......................................................... 140 Website Maintenance and Security .................................. 142 Maintaining Content ..................................................... 144 Maintaining Design ....................................................... 146 Maintaining Security ..................................................... 147 Chapter Summary ......................................................... 151 Hiring a Consultant or Agency ........................................... 154 Asking the Right Questions ........................................... 156 Glossary of Terms .............................................................. 164 NOTES: ............................................................................... 170 9 Website Basics for SMBs 10
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