Most small businesses simply don’t understand the internet and how important it is to Business success today. But simply having a website built isn’t the answer nor is it enough to succeed online either. Think of it this way you are opening a brand new store on your local high street, you can’t just hire an interior designer to make the inside of your store awesome, open the doors and then expect cash loaded customers to flood it and buy all of your stock. I like to call this “Build and Watch them come-syndrome”. It’s just not going to happen.

I have noticed that there is a lack of understanding about websites and online businesses and what is involved in creating, launching and maintaining one. I think that this lack of understanding is fuelled by well-meaning experts teaching others how to build online businesses but in a way haven’t done their best job of explaining exactly what’s involved, like what they will be responsible for and what to do once the website design project has been completed.

As a Web Designer (and online entrepreneur) myself I want to teach you what I have learned about online businesses and what you need to do in order to succeed online, not just because I have some notion of a perfect online Utopia but because it benefits everyone involved. It benefits you as the website owner, it benefits your visitors and customers and it benefits me when you do well and makes a success.

This is where my blog comes in, I will be using this to publish helpful articles in detail about what you need to think about, plan for and actually do to make your online business work for you.

So What is an online business?

Nowadays every business is an online business. From the local zesty boost juice bar to a life coach to a professional murder scene cleaning company, they all exist online in one way or another. From local website directories, Google website reviews, someone’s personal blog, social media to a full website. If you think your business doesn’t exist online yet it probably does in some sense or another. Try googling your business name and you will see what I mean.

So my blog applies to all businesses in any walk of life, not just businesses that sell stuff online.

What if I already have an online business?

There is always room for improvement. Why not audit your website and see how it is performing, (I can provide this for your here) is it time for a redesign? A new web project? Move to social media, or start using a blog? An online business is never really completed it needs time to evolve so that it stays fresh and successful. The minute you stop adapting to change is the minute your business isn’t as successful as it could be.

What is a web designer?

A web designer will think about the best way to get your online project, well online. They will think about all of the programming, functionality, best web practices and of course designing the layout and visuals to get your website project completed in the best possible way for you and your audience. If you think that you can hire someone just to design your website and later find some else to program it you are going to be leaving yourself open for big headaches. What if the design cannot be easily programmed? What if it technically can’t work with code? What if the design cannot scale to mobile devices? The best web designers can do this all as a one-stop package you shouldn’t have to separate design and programming on a web project ever.

Always look for a web designer that can do it all fully design your website and fully program your website.

Why should I listen to you?

Well to be perfectly honest with you, you don’t have to listen to me. Nothing that I post on this blog is a concrete system on how you should be doing things online or that every website ever designed should do exactly what is written within my articles. All I want to do is give you advice and ideas on how to make your website and online business successful. If any of my articles don’t make any sense to you then you can just disregard it and ignore it.

Just think about it first. I have built websites for a while now and I have helped my clients reach their goals through the websites that I have created for them. I am sharing with you everything that I have learned, and all the things that I am still learning, and summed up the ideas and tactics that I have actually seen work. I am by no means the grand master guru of all web design and just like you I am constantly learning, refining, exploring and researching everything that I talk about. The web evolves and we have to evolve with it if we want to be successful.

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