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Everyone
is searching for their own piece of the
virtual highway.
Everyone wants a web site of their own,
whether to start a business or share news and photos with
friends and family.
Like any new territory, life can be
dangerous out on the virtual highway.
You can invest in
undeveloped virtual real estate and lose your savings. You
can get scammed by just about anyone because it's so easy to
pretend you're somebody else.
So with that in mind, let's be
careful out there -- invest wisely, develop carefully, guard
property, and don't talk to strangers.
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The
Name Game
To
claim your share of virtual real estate, all you need is a
domain of your own and a place to park it. To secure your
domain name, hop on over to my friends at 000Domains.
They will take good care of you. I have been using them for
years to secure and manage over 100 web site domains. Choose
your domain name carefully. Avoid acronyms which will be
meaningless to people who do not know you. Avoid clever or
generic names which could be easily mistaken for other
things. One of the best ways to get started is to use your
name for your domain (ex: JohnSmith.com).
The
Host With The Most
Once
you have your domain registered, you need to find a web host
-- a company who supplies storage space, facilities and
support services for your web site. There are several
popular companies to choose from. Look for a well-supported
company whose sole business is web hosting. Avoid using your
local ISP (Internet Service Provider) or cable company as
they will offer limited services and support, and when you
are just getting started you are going to have a lot of
questions. One of the best turnkey services around is Site
Build-It. Check it out. Feature for feature, it is
one of the best deals on the Net.
Word
& Music
If
your site is for personal use -- to share news and thoughts
with friends and family -- you can keep things simple.
However, if your goal is to make money online, it's best to
think things through before you start writing and designing
your site. If you don't have products of your own to sell,
many start by reselling others' products including
information products in the form of ebooks and a variety of
online marketing software. You can learn more about this
type of business at Reseller
Products.
Unless
you are experienced in multi-layer marketing (MLM), I
recommend you avoid it, and run in the opposite direction of
anyone trying to sell you vitamins, health products, or
financial and legal services. Most people who go the MLM
route usually lose money -- no matter how good the deal
sounds. The bottom line with MLM is you get out of it what
you put into it. If you expect to grab the brass ring and
make a million without working, then you will be sadly
disappointed. On the other hand, if you are an experienced
salesman with a long list of friends, family and business
acquaintances then you might be able to make a go of it.
If
you have a product or service of your own to sell, then you
need to decide on the best way to present yourself and your
product online. There are many tools you can use to build
your web site including ABC Web
Wizard, XSite Pro and
Table Genie. Using these
tools you can design a single page micro-site or a more
elaborate, multi-page web site.
To
personalize your site and give it some depth, you may elect
to add audio. A personal welcome in the form of an audio
recording can really make a difference. There are many
products and services to choose from. We recommend Web
Audio Plus. It is quick and easy to use, requiring
nothing more than a PC with a sound card and a microphone.
If you can copy a few lines of code into your web page, you
can use this.
Get
The Word Out
Once
your site is built, you need to get the word out to the
search engines -- they are free advertising. Used well, you
can get top ranking and all the web traffic you need to
monetize your web site and start making money. There are
many tools you can use to submit your web site to the search
engines. The best of these is Add Web Professional.
It is full featured and includes an easy-to-follow wizard
that walks you through the entire process.
Always
More To Learn
Once
your site is up and running and being promoted, you need to
continuously stay abreast of changes in online marketing. We
recommend subscribing to a few quality ezines. Start by
subscribing to our Marketing Ezine, sent out weekly
to subscribers all around the world. Click here
to subscribe today!
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