The internet has made it possible to run a business that is 100% online.
Some benefits of an online business include:

• Flexibility of working hours and location
• Minimal overheads
• No need to travel to work / work from home

Some online business models:

• Sell digital products
• Sell services
• Provide valuable information
• Provide a market for advertisers. Can you write or collate information that attracts a particular market? If so then other businesses may pay to advertise on your website.
• Affiliate – become a channel for third party products or services.

As with any business, it’s best to start with a plan, and it will take a significant investment of time, at least initially.

The internet has changed the world already, but as the internet continues to evolve, we can look forward to many more far reaching changes.

Back when the only way to connect was via a slow dial up connection, websites like YouTube were impossible, they had to wait for technology to catch up. As the volume and speed of data transfer increases, more things become possible, including things that haven’t been thought of yet.

Get ready for more regular use of the buzzwords eHealth, eBusiness, eLearning and eGovernment. These describe everyday activities that affect us all, that are moving onto the internet in a big way.

eHealth: With fast broadband, online diagnosis becomes possible, allowing medical data to be transmitted in real-time, and enabling patients to get consultations from specialists without moving from home. Patients will be able to get online consultations and remote monitoring from a distant hospital through high speed Internet connection.

eBusiness: Fast internet promises increased business efficiency and productivity. Online software delivery and backups deliver benefits like security and mobility. Virtual boardrooms reduce the need for travel, saving time, money and resources. New opportunities will create jobs in different areas, including regional areas.

eLearning: Access to world class education resources is becoming commonplace. Students can learn online at their own pace whenever they get time. People living in remote regions can receive knowledge from specialists and have conversations with the help of video conferencing.

eGovernment: Online government services allow citizens to interact with government agencies freely. Services like ATO and Centrelink can all be accessed at a time convenient to the user. In the near future online voting will become the norm.

Every business needs a website, no matter what sort of business it is, or what size. At the very least, an Online Business Card style website will ensure a Google search will find your business, and allow you some control in how it is presented online.

Following is a summary of some different categories of business website.

Online Business Card Website

This is as basic as you can get, and should be the minimum requirement for your business.

• One page website
• Displays your logo and tagline
• Includes basic details such as address and contact information
• Can also include a brief description of products and services offered

Online Brochure Website

This is a more standard website for a small business, and will suit most businesses with basic requirements.

• Approximately five pages
• The home page will be sales focused and feature an overview of your business offering
• Products and services will be the main focus of the website
• A page about your business will be included, such as your team and history
• A contact page is mandatory, and can include a map and a contact form

Content Management System (CMS) Websites

For business with lots of information to be organised and made available, a database enables efficient storage and retrieval of information.

A CMS features an administration area that you can log into to manage the website content and pages. Often an administrative staff member will take on this role.

Using a CMS allows website management to become very efficient, and most feature:

• Search engine optimised web pages
• Document and image management
• User profiles
• Creating and saving draft pages
• Microsoft Word style toolbar to simplify rich text formatting

Blog Website

Blogs are great for generating traffic from search engines like Google. A blog can be a standalone website, or can be integrated into any other type of website.

Maintaining a blog requires some writing skills, and commitment to writing regularly, and on topic. Twice a day is fantastic, daily is good, weekly is fine, and monthly is the bare minimum. If you can’t commit to this schedule, then a blog is probably not for you.

Ecommerce Websites

Ecommerce websites are focused on selling products online, and usually feature shopping cart software and online payment systems.

They can be large or small, simple or complex. The products can be physical and require delivery by courier or post, or electronic with instant digital delivery.

Payment methods can be secure credit card, Paypal, direct deposit, and many more.

Application Websites

These days, virtually any kind of software you can imagine can run on the internet.

The great advantage of this is the ability to access it from anywhere in the world, you just need a computer and an internet connection, or a smart phone, such as an iPhone or Blackberry.

Another advantage is the data storage is in a centralised location, rather than on a multitude of desktop computers.

The word ‘blog’ is a strange one. It’s been in use since around 1999, when it was shortened from the term ‘weblog’, or online journal.

Any business that wants to increase traffic to its website, and can arrange to write regular articles or updates, needs a blog.

On the internet information is king. The more you have the better, as long as it’s original and relevant to your business.

A blog is a tool that allows for the organisation and categorisation of articles on a website, which over time will build up a body of information that will generate its own website traffic.

It also provides a mechanism for creating targeted content on your website. For example, if you manage an accommodation business and the annual tourist event is coming up, you could write an article about the event, and even several more articles with updates as the event gets closer.

When people are searching for accommodation in your area and they search for the event, your website will be likely to appear in the search results. And even better, next year the content will already be on the website as an archive, so it will continue working for you.

There are many types of blogging software available, most of it is free. However to set it up properly takes some knowledge of the web. Get advice from your trusted website professional before committing your business to the blogosphere.

The internet was created in the late sixties, but didn’t really start to catch on until about 1995. Back then, it was never conceived that it would be used for many of the things that it’s being used for today.

Where is the internet heading? Many trends have already emerged.

People use the internet as the first point of call when searching for information – no longer a library or yellow pages.

Socialising and meeting new people is no longer limited by geographical boundaries. If Facebook were a country it would be the third most populous in the world, with over 400 million users networking with each other.

For business, high quality video conferencing in virtual boardrooms will become normal, those who have had a video call on Skype will have had a glimpse into this future.

Watching TV shows when they are scheduled is a thing of the past already. Video hire shops are limited by the stock they can hold. Video on demand over the internet will allow viewing anything anytime, without having to go out!

Some of these innovations are constrained by currently installed technology. The Australian government has proposed a National Broadband Network (NBN) which will improve internet speed, but it won’t come online for years, and it will still be slower than what other countries can access.

In the USA, Google is starting to build a network with speeds of 1 gigabit per second, 10 times faster than that proposed by the NBN.

The internet is the modern day equivalent of the 19th century railways, and the 20th century telephone. It warrants significant investment in infrastructure to enable Australia to engage with the world on a level field into the future.

Not too long ago, self employed tradespeople and similar small businesses didn’t need a website. Things have changed. Now if your business doesn’t have a website, you’re probably missing out on potential customers and opportunities.

Take a plumber for example. Plumbers never used to need websites, people used the yellow pages or the classifieds in the local newspaper. Now people use the internet, and especially Google, to find and research services.

If you’re in small business and don’t have a website, then your competitors will get first go at getting the customer.

On your website you can educate your potential customers about your business, and let them know why they should use your services. You can use a promotional offer or specials to encourage enquiries, and you can include testimonials from satisfied customers to reinforce your message.

Tradies generally don’t require a complex and expensive website, just something basic that does the job well.

Fig Creative is offering a website package which is perfect for tradies. It’s low cost, super easy to use, and you can update it yourself with very little computer knowledge.

It has everything you need to get started on the internet right away, so you can start capturing some of those Google searchers!

Call 1300 775 182 to get started.