E-Business Launch

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Sometimes existing, successful businesses have to be tweaked to be successful online businesses.

Therefore before launching an E-Business, some preliminary research is still needed to determine the need for your product or service online. The following questions could be helpful:

? What is my online competition?
? If there is no online competition, why not?
? Is there a market for my product/service online?

1. Select a domain name
The domain name will be the Universal Resource Locator (URL). It is the web address or location on the Internet for your Web site. Remember, selecting a domain name is very important. The domain name shall closely identify your product or service and needs to be easy for customers to remember. Your name is also your first impression.

Next, see if the name you have chosen is available using Web sites that offer free searches for domain names. You may consider also purchasing similar domain names to keep your competitors from buying them. Another option to consider before making the purchase is to see if the name can be purchased with different variations like .com, .org, or .net.

Domain names are usually purchased for one year and then renewed annually. However, some companies now may have different options; evaluate each company's options before making a decision.

2. Select Meta-Tags
"Meta-tags are the keywords, title, and description you select to describe your web site so that search engines can direct people to your Web site. Here's how it works. Once a URL is submitted to a search engine, the search engine will "crawl" your site with a type of scanning software known as a "spider." The spiders read the information contained in the meta-tags, along with the content of the Web pages themselves, and uses that information to determine a site's position within search results. Once your site has been "crawled" and catalogued by search engines, it becomes visible in search results. Be sure that keywords and content are related, and that your keywords are specific to your site's purpose. Because of the high volume of URL submissions, it's important that you make certain that your listing is correct before submitting it." [1]

3. Design a Web site
"There are three options available for Web site design: design it yourself; hire a web designer; or utilize the "one stop" method where the Web host designs the Web page from templates. If you choose to design the Web site yourself, take advantage of online tutorials and classes at universities.
If your budget allows, hiring a Web designer may offer you more options in design and get your Web site functioning. Having a knowledgeable Web designer work with you will eliminate the learning curve that most do-it-yourselfers experience. Some Web designers also ...