How To Start An Internet Business ? Designing For Usefulness

The first step to starting any Internet business is conducting keyword research to determine if there is any interest in your idea. Once you identify a need, it's time to consider what your site should look like.

What Is The Goal?

In considering the look of your site, you first need to determine what elements are needed to promote your service or product. There are endless books, forums and people with adamant opinions on the subject. Some opine a site should be all about linking, while others opine creating a community through message boards is the key. A third set righteously point out a site should be slick or cool, while a fourth group will argue just the opposite. So, who is right and who is wrong? The answer is?all of them.

When developing a site, the goal is actually very simple. Your site should be useful. That's it, the big secret. The problem, of course, is "useful" means different things for different sites.

A site that provides a service to businesses, such as consulting, should focus on content and linking. A site that promotes something related to entertainment should have an element of cool and have message boards to discuss rumors, etc. A site that sells products should focus on linking and loading quickly, i.e., a simple, clean design. The point is that each site is unique and there is no universal answer. Whatever the particular direction of your site, simply make sure it is useful to your users.

Site Examples

Let's use Google as our example. What does Google do? It gives users the ability to search and find relevant information. So, should the home page of Google look "cool"? Should it have a lot of content on how to conduct searches? Should it have forums to create a sense of community? No, the home page would be most useful if it simply let you search without bombarding you with a lot of clutter. Indeed, the Google home page is just that.

What about a product site? Let's use Nomad Journals ? http://www.nomadjournals.com - as our example. The site sells writing journals for outdoor activities such as hiking, travel, rock climbing, etc. The site is simple, clean and loads fairly quickly. Unlike Google, the site immediately needs to convey an outdoor impression to visitors. This is accomplished with three outdoor images, a graphic of a "nomad" and images of the journals. The text is keyword dense, but compact and to the point. The page conveys the nature of the product and the "vibe" of the business.

On the other end of the spectrum, consider an entertainment site such as American Idol ? http://www.idolonfox.com. The site is slick, offers polls and has community message boards where fans can post messages about the competition. This is a very good layout for this site, but would be horrible for Google or Nomad Journals.

Don't Rush

From the above examples, you can see that there is no universally correct design for a site. Before charging off to build a site, spend at few days considering what it should look like and WHY. Visit sites that you use frequently. Why do you keep going back? What annoys you about other sites? How do these factors translate to your site?

Once you have the answers, you will be on your way.

Halstatt Pires is with http://www.marketingtitan.com - an Internet marketing and advertising company comprised of a search engine optimization specialist providing meta tag optimization services and Internet marketing consultant providing internet marketing solutions through integrated design and programming services.

maid service near Lake Forest ..
In The News:

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.
South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.
Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALLĀ·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.
Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.
Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.
NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.
Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.
Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.
Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.
Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.
Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.
Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.
New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.
Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.
The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

How to Choose Web Design Company?

Before deciding on which web design company to choose, you... Read More

How to Create a Great Landing Page for Your Website

The landing page or entry page of your visitors is... Read More

Colorblind People, Can They Really Read Your Web Site?

I once created a notepad-like editor. It is possible with... Read More

Website Promotion Ideas: 10 Tips On How To Use Your Picture Effectively To Increase Your Sales

Seeing is believing.One trick to increase your visibility as well... Read More

Basic Graphic Design

Wether you design your business brochures, flyers, web page, or... Read More

Your Website Visitors - Will They Stay?

I'm sure you've all heard the saying 'Build it and... Read More

Top Six Ways To Make Your Visitors To Hate YOU!

We will take a look at why your visitors may... Read More

Make Your Site Quick To Load!

The time it takes to load your site can make... Read More

The Top 8 Website Sins Part Two

Sin #5Poor Spelling And GrammarWe all make mistakes when we... Read More

A Web Site That Sells Is All One Needs To Have A Successful Online Business!

There are more than billions of Web Sites, running Online... Read More

Top Ten Fonts for Website Design

The top ten fonts for website design might change in... Read More

Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site

Web sites that feature products ? especially furniture or other... Read More

Adding the Right Keywords to Your Website Content

You've made your website, added a great title and keywords... Read More

Web Advertising: 10 Little Known Tricks To Help Convert Your Traffics To Buying Customers

You may not believe it, but people still judge things... Read More

Finger Eating Garage Door Reveals Breakthrough Web Design and Linking Strategy

Last Thursday afternoon I was working on a garage door... Read More

Cheap Website Design In Birmingham

Due to the large number of people offering website design... Read More

Explode Your Homepage And Replace It With Something Dynamite!

You know that I'm always extolling the virtues of an... Read More

Offshore Web Design and Development - Use Great Opportunities

Sooner or later every small or medium business owner realizes... Read More

Why is a Logo so Important to Your Business?

Well, a logo for your business. Why is it important?... Read More

An Ideal Home Business Home Page

From my personal experience of around two year as home... Read More

Professional Web Design Companies - How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off

Building a website that is exactly what you want and... Read More

How To Create A Professional Website In Less Than A Week

Here's a really simple way... any novice can create a... Read More

Website Design: 10 Web Site Design Pitfalls To Avoid

If you've a website that is not generating a lot... Read More

Top Ten Absolutely Free Websites for Downloading Cool Fonts

The following list of websites is the best compilation of... Read More

The Monster Garage of eLearning

Have you seen Jesse James on the... Read More

top rated cleaning service Des Plaines ..