The Internet is exploding in the public and for business. Most businesses are recognizing that they need to have a web presence, but many are less sure about what should be on their website. The Internet is an unprecedented medium for delivering information instantly. You can reach around the world in the blink of an eye. Web design is a lot more than simply sticking your existing brochures, a couple of pictures and some text on the Internet. Today there are a number of people who are offering web design who can give you a spinning logo, pretty graphics, and cool buttons, but they have no understanding of how to make your website an effective marketing tool.

First and foremost, an effective site will provide the information your customers need in a way that is easy to read. The navigation should be easy to follow so they can find what they need simply and quickly. Ideally you want your site to be dynamic with new content being added and current content being updated on a regular basis. If this content is helpful to your customers and they come back to check, they will be able to see any new information you want them to see. A static site which never changes will usually not be revisited much so new products and services may go unnoticed by those who have already seen your site.

One of the most important, yet often overlooked, factors in having an effective website is promoting it. You can have the greatest, most informative site on the net, but if nobody knows it's there, it won't be very effective.Make sure that your site is found on all of the most popular search engines and linked with any industry specific sites. Also you want to be found as close to the top of an inquiry list as you can. There are several ways to achieve this with each individual search engine.

What can a website do?

In addition to pictures, diagrams, video, and descriptions of your company, products, and services, you can include instructions for installation and use.

You can use forms and e-mail to get instant feedback from customers. You can also provide customer service and technical assistance. You can even host a forum for discussing new ways to benefit from your products.

Depending on the type of product, you can receive sales leads, take orders, and even accept payment on your site.

Distributing your company newsletter over the web is the cheapest way to put it in people's hands. (It's also a great way to keep people coming back to your site)

You can put your literature in peoples hands immediately for them to read on-screen or printed on their printer. There is no cost for postage or printing. If they have a color printer they can even have your literature in color.

You can provide databases which are beneficial to your customers.

If you have people in the field, either nationwide or worldwide, you can collect reports and other data from them through your website rather than through fax machines. The web version is much more readable, the information is editable, and virtually free compared to high long-distance fax rates.

There are very few limits on what your website can do. Since this is still such a young medium, new uses are being discovered daily.