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Internet Business: Planning an Incredibly Successful Website 

Internet Business: Overview on Planning a Successful Website 

Now that you have had a chance to evaluate some web sites similar to your proposed Internet business, next, you will need to plan out your site.  You will need to decide what will be on each page and what ideas would capture the essence of your Internet business. Look at some of the more prominent Internet businesses similar to yours, and consider how they display products, present features, and walk you through the entire checkout process.  Planning out a web site is similar to decorating an apartment or arranging a store, in that you need to figure out exactly where everything should go and how you want potential customers to find each item or service you offer. 

Your Internet business web site needs to give customers several (but not too many) choices. Try not to overwhelm people when you're starting out.  In the very beginning you want to allow people the opportunity to get comfortable navigating your site, finding everything easily. When planning an Internet business web site remember the following tips: 

·         Think concisely when creating and writing Web content, less is more on the Web.

·         Be very visual by showing your products and illustrating your services in some manner (with photos or graphics) if possible.

·         Do not use colors and backgrounds that are difficult on the eyes such as blue print against a red background.

·         Don't try to dazzle people with a lot of high-tech introductions.

·         Always make the key features of your products or services clear and inviting.

·         Make sure to include a customer-service phone number and toll-free phone number for ordering, for those people who really are not comfortable giving their credit card information over the Internet.

·         Include a street address for your business so that you don't appear anonymous.

·         Include a site map so that everything can be easily found.

·         Include a search feature for products and services.

·         Your Internet business web site should include all shipping, return and other sales related information.

·         Make sure to keep your Internet business web site current with new material, new products and services, new promotions and key information updated frequently, if not daily.

·         Double-check to make sure that all hyperlinks work. 

Finally, an interesting fact to include in your planning of an Internet business web site, is that studies have shown that sites that allow users to search, have a better chance of holding user interest for a longer period of time.  Users like the one-click option of being able to find what they are looking for. 

Information from The Everything: Start Your Own Business Book by Rich Mintzer 

Web page by Paul Susic Licensed Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate CEO/President Susic Psychological Consulting P.C.