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    The Small Business Website Checklist: A 51-Point Guide to Build Your Online Presence the Smart Way
    The Small Business Website Checklist: A 51-Point Guide to Build Your Online Presence the Smart Way
    The Small Business Website Checklist: A 51-Point Guide to Build Your Online Presence the Smart Way
    Ebook165 pages1 hour

    The Small Business Website Checklist: A 51-Point Guide to Build Your Online Presence the Smart Way

    By Nick Loper

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    About this ebook

    Why Your Business Needs a Website

    If you’re doing business today – online OR offline – you need a website. It’s that simple.

    Every day, Google completes more than 5 billion searches. Think some of those people, even just a tiny fraction, might be searching for what you sell?

    If you don’t have a website, how will they ever find you?

    This book is about setting up your web presence the right way, or optimizing your existing website to reach more visitors.

    Ultimately it’s about generating more traffic, more leads, and more sales and profit for your small business.

    Who is This Book For?

    This book is for small business owners who:
    -Have a website, but feel like it’s not delivering the results it could.
    -Need a website, but aren’t sure where to start or who to trust for advice.
    -Are confused and intimidated when dealing with technical problems or contracting with programmers.

    Have you been overpromised or oversold by web developers in the past? You’re not alone.

    In fact, it happened to me.

    It seems like there’s an entire industry out there trying to milk small business owners out of their hard-earned cash. But you don’t need to be another victim.

    Armed with this checklist, you’ll have a working knowledge of all the important elements of a truly awesome website; one that presents your brand to the world and helps achieve your goals online.

    After all, isn't that what it’s all about?

    Why This List?

    There is no shortage of resources when it comes to getting started online. Some of these are genuinely helpful, and many of those will be mentioned in the pages ahead.

    But others just want to sell you some service you don’t really need, or get you to sign up for a hosting package through their affiliate link so they can earn a commission. Do they really have your best interest in mind?

    Many only give you part of the story, or leave you with more questions than answers.

    What’s missing is a comprehensive checklist for small businesses to use when evaluating their current website or when planning out their new site.

    That’s where this book comes in.

    I’m a small business owner myself, and have been working online for nearly 10 years. In that time, I've come across too many amazing businesses with amazingly bad websites. Or worse, local businesses I wanted to find information on and patronize but that had no website at all.

    This checklist is my effort to help give small business owners the information they need to succeed online. From one entrepreneur to another, let’s get started!

    What are you waiting for? Hit the Buy Now button and get started today.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNick Loper
    Release dateJan 18, 2014
    ISBN9781311102959
    The Small Business Website Checklist: A 51-Point Guide to Build Your Online Presence the Smart Way
    Author

    Nick Loper

    Nick Loper helps people earn money outside of their day job. He's an author, online entrepreneur, and host of the award-winning Side Hustle Show podcast, which features new part-time business ideas each week. As Chief Side Hustler at SideHustleNation.com, he loves deconstructing the tactics and strategies behind building extra income streams.He's been making his living online since before it was cool. Along the way he's picked up a thing or two about small business, marketing, and outsourcing -- and is happy to share the experience with fellow entrepreneurs and those working hard to make their side hustle dreams a reality.Inside you'll find actionable advice and real-life tips on how to save time and start living life on your terms.Nick lives in Northern California with his wife, two energetic young boys, and a lovable giant Shih-Tzu called Mochi. On a typical day you can find him recording a podcast episode, rooting for the Washington Huskies, or skiing the Sierra pow.Want to know more? Drop by say hi at his personal blog, sidehustlenation.com.

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    Book preview

    The Small Business Website Checklist - Nick Loper

    As a small token of thanks for buying this book, I’d like to offer a free bonus gift exclusive to my readers.

    This action-packed pdf is called 57 Takeaways from the World’s Best Business Books and has valuable lessons for every small business.

    In this FREE bonus you'll learn:

    – How to Maximize Your Return on Time.

    – The Fundamental Differences Between Millionaires and the Rest of Us.

    – 6 Ways to Send Your Sales Through the Roof.

    – The Most Important Measure of Customer Satisfaction.

    – How to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace.

    – And much more!

    You can download the free gift here:

    http://www.sidehustlenation.com/FREE

    INTRODUCTION

    Why Your Business Needs a Website

    If you’re doing business today – online OR offline – you need a website. It’s that simple.

    Every day, Google completes more than 5 billion searches. Think some of those people, even just a tiny fraction, might be searching for what you sell?

    If you don’t have a website, how will they ever find you?

    And that’s just Google. There’s also Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, YouTube, and literally thousands of other sites out there where prospective customers are looking for YOU!

    The fact is, if your website is outdated or you don’t have one at all, you’re missing out on a massive segment of potential customers. Thankfully, the solutions are surprisingly affordable and quick to implement.

    This book is about setting up your web presence the right way, or optimizing your existing website to reach more visitors.

    Ultimately it’s about generating more traffic, more leads, and more sales and profit for your small business.

    Who is This Book For?

    This book is for small business owners who:

    – Have a website, but feel like it’s not delivering the results it could.

    – Need a website, but aren’t sure where to start or who to trust for advice.

    – Are confused and intimidated when dealing with technical problems or contracting with programmers.

    Have you been overpromised or oversold by web developers in the past? You’re not alone.

    In fact, it happened to me.

    It seems like there’s an entire industry out there trying to milk small business owners out of their hard-earned cash. But you don’t need to be another victim.

    Armed with this checklist, you’ll have a working knowledge of all the important elements of a truly awesome website; one that presents your brand to the world and helps achieve your goals online.

    After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

    Why This List?

    There is no shortage of resources when it comes to getting started online. Some of these are genuinely helpful, and many of those will be mentioned in the pages ahead.

    But others just want to sell you some service you don’t really need, or get you to sign up for a hosting package through their affiliate link so they can earn a commission. Do they really have your best interest in mind?

    Many only give you part of the story, or leave you with more questions than answers.

    What’s missing is a comprehensive checklist for small businesses to use when evaluating their current website or when planning out their new site.

    That’s where this book comes in.

    I’m a small business owner myself, and have been working online for nearly 10 years. During that time I’ve seen some drastic changes in website strategies but some core truths have stood the test of time and will continue to do so into the future.

    Those include:

    – Providing a valuable resource for visitors.

    – Making it easy for visitors to find the information they’re looking for.

    – Offering useful and transparent services.

    The trends come and go, but I’ve done my best to make this list as timeless as possible. The tools and resources mentioned may change but the underlying strategies should hold true.

    In my time working online, I’ve come across too many amazing businesses with amazingly bad websites. Or worse, local businesses I wanted to find information on and patronize but that had no website at all.

    This checklist is my effort to help give small business owners the information they need to succeed online. From one entrepreneur to another, let’s get started!

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    YOUR FREE BONUS

    INTRODUCTION

    THE BLUEPRINT

    THE FOUNDATION

    A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

    THE FINE PRINT

    THE UTILITIES

    A SOCIAL PRESENCE

    A FIRST AID KIT

    TRUST SIGNALS

    ON-PAGE SEO FACTORS

    SPECIAL SECTION: ECOMMERCE CHECKLIST

    WRAP UP

    RESOURCES AND LINKS

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    THE BLUEPRINT

    Your website is your business’s home online. And just like your house, a strong foundation is critical to its long-term viability and value.

    In this section we’ll cover the most important elements to consider before actually building your website. If you already have a site up and running, it will still be worthwhile to read through this section and think how each element applies to your business.

    1. A Reason to Exist

    What do you want to achieve with your website? What’s the point of it?

    Perhaps it will provide customers with information about your business. Maybe it will sell your product online.

    But whatever it is, you should have a clear understanding of the underlying big-picture goal(s) of your website before you set it up.

    It’s OK for those goals to change over time, but your website’s reason for being will be central to its design, layout, and functionality later on.

    If you already have a website up, how well is it delivering on its reason for existence?

    Why Should People Visit?

    The answer to this question will probably be closely related to the goals of the site, but I like to frame it in terms of the unique value your site will offer.

    What information / product / service will visitors find on your site that they can’t find anywhere else?

    To reframe the question, it can be helpful to think of it like this:

    "People will visit my site to find the best resource on _________________ in the world!"

    Or

    "People will visit my site so that they can do business with the best __________________ in the world!"

    Fill in the blanks with whatever business you’re in. For example:

    "People will visit my site to find the best resource on underwater basket-weaving in the world!"

    Or

    "People will visit my site so that they can do business with the best custom engraving shop in the world!"

    If there isn’t a compelling and unique reason for people to visit your website, no one will.

    What Problem Will it Solve?

    A wise man once told me that people only use the Internet for two reasons:

    1. To be entertained

    2. To solve a problem

    In that context, it’s easy to see which category your favorite websites fall under. For most small businesses, the focus is on solving a problem for current and prospective customers.

    Indeed, the most successful businesses are those that solve customers’ problems the best. And since your website is just an online extension of your business, it should extend your problem-solving mastery into the digital world.

    To continue with the example from earlier, let’s say an aspiring underwater basket weaver is having a problem perfecting their craft. Specifically, they’re having a hard time holding their breath long enough to make any meaningful progress on their basket.

    Your website to the rescue! With your in-depth article on 7 Lung-Expanding Exercises to Try Today and video tutorial on How to Add 30 Seconds to Your Dive Time, Every Time you save the day and help solve their problem.

    2. A Domain Name

    Every website must have a domain name since this is what clients and potential clients will use to refer to it, or to identify it. In fact, a website isn’t a website without one.

    Your domain name is your unique identity on the Internet; it’s your slice of virtual real estate.

    What’s a domain name? In simple terms, it’s your web address – like mybusiness.com. Google.com, facebook.com, and amazon.com are all

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