Pay for a web designer or do it yourself? Can small business owners really design a website or is it a job for the pro's?

Most consumers look on the internet before going to a store. Sometimes it is their only stop: they research, compare and buy online. It goes without saying then that for a small business to reach its potential market, it should have an internet presence.

Small business operators do not often have a dedicated IT person on staff - in the past this is the person who would be given the job of building a website. It's great news then that there are now beginner-friendly website building packages on the market which are perfect for the small business person's use.

Data is entered into your web pages as one would using a word processor - with modern easy to use web builders, there is no need to know any html whatsoever.

The tutorials provided with almost all software suppliers take the novice through the process of building a website in a non-technical, easy to understand way. Having completed the tutorial, one is equipped with more than enough knowledge to launch straight into a website build.

Not all website software programs are easy to use. Small business operators do not need fully blown web design industry solutions due to the steep learning curve. One feature to look for is a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) editor. This simply means you type on the page as you see it.

There are expenses involved in publishing your own website - you get nothing for nothing. Apart from the cost of the software (there are free web builders however they are more difficult to use or too basic in features), a small business (or an individual or a large company) will need to register a domain name (less than $10) and find a web hosting service (around $8 per month).

Businesses should also set up a merchant's account from an organization like Paypal (free). Having a third party handle financial transactions is always reassuring for consumers and takes away an administration burden. When an item has been ordered via your website and paid for, Paypal advises you, with delivery instructions so that you can fulfill the order or if it is an electronic delivery, this part can be automated.

In any small business time is money, and the time spent learning a new skill like website building with easy to use software must be seen as a good investment. It is possible to build multiple websites so that you can have a website network feeding a central business. This is ideal for multi-brand retailers and multi-branch operators. This degree of control will reap rewards as your business grows and you build different websites to cater to changing needs.

Because you have built and are managing your website yourself, you are able to instantly react to changing trends and new opportunities. Avoid delays by not having to wait for your webmaster to make changes. Fresh content on your website is highly desirable.

Some website programs are specifically designed to assist the business person become an internet business marketer, and as your knowledge of web design grows, the more you will value search engine optimization and site map generation tools. Having a correctly designed site map helps search engines easily match your site to search requests.

If you decide to look at other ways to earn money through your website without doing a thing, you will no doubt look at including on your site some affiliate marketing and advertisements from non compete companies.

Features to look for:

Ideally you will have an instructional video, help desk support and forums. Look for testimonials from other business owners to see how they have applied the software.

Getting started is the next step once you arrive at the conclusion that a website is no longer a luxury - it is essential!

Launched on November 2005, Google Analytics was an instance hit to all webmaster around the planet. Giving millions of people the capability to learn more about the web surfers that wandered through their website, the revolutionary service provide by the behemoth, Google incorporated, changed the way webmasters gathered and interpreted information from their websites. By simply adding a HTML code onto every web page that you want to track, you can gain insight on the behavior of your visitors and more.

So how do you use Google Analytics? Though most have a limited understanding of the service, many still remain in the dark on how to use key features and just how to interpret the data. Are you finding yourself in that position? Well if you are, you are in need of some Google Analytics training. With that said, allow me to teach you some very basic ways to interpret some of the information provided by the service.

One common mistake multitudes of people make when interpreting the reports section is the differences between page views and page/visit. Some just don't know what page/visit is and fewer don't know exactly what page views are. Very simply, page views are the number of times your visitors have viewed the pages on your website. Please keep in mind that page views and visits are also different as well. One visitor can view many of your web pages before leaving. Your reports can tell you that you've had one visitor and six page views. That tells you that the visitor saw six of your web pages before leaving. The page/visit metric is an average of all your visitors and all your page views. It tells you how many pages each of your visitors on average viewed before leaving your website. The page views and page/visit are very simple, yet very powerful metrics that will help you keep track on your website's performance.

Even though that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to getting the full Google Analytics training, the basic information I provided should have opened up your eyes to see the value that Google Analytics provides. Before you even think about using this service make sure that you get complete training so that you can get the most out of it.

This article will teach you how to make a web site even if you don't know any HTML, CSS or any other web design languages.

The easiest way to get a web site up and running with minimal experience is to use an online site builder. Online site builders are web building software that are hosted on the internet. They can be used by total newbies to build web pages with minimal technical knowledge.

Here are several reasons why you should consider using an online site builder to make a web site.

• WYSIWYG

  Online site builders offer you a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing interface. This means that you need little or no html knowledge to begin using it. Everything is done visually. The site builder will then produce the necessary HTML code that will make up your website.

• Short learning curve

  With online site builders, you can put together a website in very short amount of time. The process of building a website using online site builders is very easy to understand. You just go through a series of steps and supply the site builder with the information it asks for and it will set everything up for you.

• One button click publishing

  One of the biggest problem a newbie has with making a web site is publishing it to the internet. With online site builders, you don't have to worry about messing with FTP software to upload your webpages. Often, all you need to do is click on a "Save" or "Publish" button and your website is live on the internet for all to see.

• Variety of predesigned layouts

  Most online site builders also comes with a variety of designs to choose from. This gives you that professional look instantly. Without you having to learn the fine points of creating great looking sites.

• Minimal requirements

  Since it's web based, all you need to use an online site builder is a web browser and an internet connection. You don't have to worry about downloading programs and installing them. You can access an online site builder from any computer and you will always have access to the latest features.

Now, how do you gain access to an online site builder?

Most good web host provide a basic site builder with their services. Though very basic, you can still make a decent web sites with it.

I would recommend you sign up for specialized site builder. These site builders specializes in building a specific type of website. You have online site builders that build content sites, some that build ecommerce sites and others that build multimedia sites. So, it really depends on what type of site you'd like to build.

Either way, online site builders are a great way for newbies to learn how to make a web site without any technical knowledge.