Seeking advice for starting a new web business

hilliebillie · #1 (**permalink**) 9th June 2006, 01:01 AM

Hi there.

I'm from Texas and I would like to start up my own web business but I haven't got a clue as to what I need to do.

So far I have a great idea, I know the market wants it, but I am nervous. How do I go about setting it all up, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to HTML/programming stuff, I tried looking for help online but with so many websites offering free website or free help and all, how would I know which ones I can trust?

Anyone with advice?? Please help!
Thanks

cloud9925 · #2 (**permalink**) 14th June 2006, 06:10 PM

well on the internet you can't really trust anybody because anybody could be anyone. I guy can act like a girl, a girl like a man and so on and so forth. Now back to e-businesses...I am not sure what you are trying to do but I know that I have learned through college that if you google a site with "whatever site is" having those quotation marks seriously makes your search deminish giving you better results that actually pertain to what you are needing.

another place to start is to have the general idea of what you want in your head like a similar site then pay someone to help you out at a site called freelance.com or maybe try guru.com both will help you find a hopefully competant professional that is willing to help you out...and finally go to a local college and ask some of the programming students if they will help you out...say that if they help build your site you that you will give them a good recommendation...but don't offer to pay them just say it is a resume builder

hope that helps

natasha85 · #3 (**permalink**) 14th June 2006, 10:04 PM

Wow, a resume builder? lol

What a cool trick, perfect!
just what someone with a small budget needed lol

deankinton · #4 (**permalink**) 21st June 2006, 11:58 AM

but people who want to start an e-bissness norm dont have much money or have too much but dont wana spend it

hilliebillie · #5 (**permalink**) 22nd June 2006, 03:25 AM

Ya, I wouldn't wanna spend a lot, still risky, have yet to gain that level of confidence to invest, but the trick about geting the students do it for their portfolio, lol

that's a good one

deankinton · #6 (**permalink**) 22nd June 2006, 03:43 AM

try and find some students doing a-levels they will do it its there CW

montee51 · #7 (**permalink**) 22nd June 2006, 04:27 AM

Hi

If your product/service is good/unique then it will sell but only if people know about it and know where to find you. You can have the best product and the flashiest website around but if you come up on page 4591 on a google search then you will struggle no matter what. Marketing is important - a competent website with a cart function is required but search engine ranking is key. Cheap or free labour can save you a lot in initial costs but when you want to get your name out there near the top that costs money. If on a minute budget build up a loyal customer base get yourself on some of the 100's of free directories and encourage on line customer feedback - v important.

deankinton · #8 (**permalink**) 22nd June 2006, 04:59 AM

that is very important

mvicperdido · #9 (**permalink**) 24th June 2006, 03:05 AM

I hope this would help. Look for applicable Internet sites that you could use and market your product. For example, a food chain's Web site might be interested in your cooking recipes.

wizozz · #10 (**permalink**) 24th June 2006, 04:41 AM

I wonder why noone has suggested it yet - but the best way to go about it is do it yourself.Basically HTML is a very easy text based language for website creation or better still do it with Frontpage - Windows easy website maker.

Then there are many sites offerig free domain names and webhosting services.If you have to spend money, spend it on making your website visible via search engines - SEO based content writting etc.

netgal06 · #11 (**permalink**) 8th July 2006, 10:26 PM

As someone already suggest Im sure students would do it for a portfolio or there are many freelancers out there. If you are not familiar with web developmet and if this will be ecommerce I would suggest paying or finding a student to do it for you, that way you can focus on marketing.
make sure their reputable. See thier potrolio and previous clinets. You could always email thier past clients and ask if they were satified with the service

Research! Research! Research! Say you are thinking of starting up an online collectable store. Search the market. See who is already running this business. See whose business has the number one spot on the search engines. Ask yourself why?

A quick marketing tip in the search engine type in link: and follow it with the name of the business that ahs the number one spot.

Etc link:http://www.numberonespot.com then you will see who has listed their sites. This is a good way to research and give you marketing ideas.

Good luck

maggots · #12 (**permalink**) 15th January 2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Research! Research! Research! Say you are thinking of starting up an online collectable store. Search the market. See who is already running this business. See whose business has the number one spot on the search engines. Ask yourself why?

can't agree with you more netgal

without proper research, diving into a business in the e-commerce world will only have one result, your business will really "dive" deep, very deep lol

humpty · #13 (**permalink**) 28th January 2007, 08:52 PM

hahhaha diving deep is a disaster for any business except scuba diving, in business, we want it to go up and up, not down lol

mini_0 · #14 (**permalink**) 3rd May 2007, 09:48 AM

Go one step by step , buut before that you need to decide what you actually want to do . Begin to think about your business idea by having a brain storming session. Try and think of an original and not too whacky idea.Once decided, purchase your company’s domain name as soon as possible. Search engines do not like new names!Gather as much information as you can about ‘Search Engine Optimization’. There are many websites which offer excellent information on SEO.Always observe with acuteness what your competitors are up to. Regularly check their websites and who their websites are linked to.