| Whether you choose to design a website from | | | | choose a bidder just because they are the |
| scratch or use a free Web template to design | | | | cheapest. Choose someone with a very long |
| a website for your online business, there are | | | | history of positive feedback. |
| many things to ask yourself before you get | | | | |
| started: | | | | 2. Design a website yourself if you already |
| | | | have the Web design and coding skills (or |
| 1. Do you plan on selling products on your | | | | take the time to learn HMTL/XHTML/CSS/PHP |
| website? Will you need a shopping cart to | | | | etc.). I only recommend this option if you |
| collect payments? | | | | are very technical and very quick. Your time |
| | | | is best spent on building your business not |
| 2. Do you plan on displaying articles or | | | | learning the details of web design -- unless, |
| having a blog? | | | | of course, you want to get into the business |
| | | | of web design. |
| 3. Do you plan on having advertising on your | | | | |
| website? | | | | 3. Use a pre-designed Web template from free |
| | | | Web template providers, or purchase a Website |
| 4. Does the website design need to be | | | | template. You can use Web templates as-is, or |
| interactive for site visitors? | | | | customize them to fit your needs. A great |
| | | | source for templates is |
| 5. Do you want to run your website through a | | | | |
| content management system (CMS)? | | | | 4. If you don't have any experience with |
| | | | creating websites and you do not want to hire |
| 6. Does the website need to include an audio | | | | a designer then there is still an option for |
| or video player? | | | | you. I like to refer to this option as a |
| | | | Website-In-A-Box or a Store-In-A-Box. |
| 7. Would your target market appreciate a | | | | Basically the service gives you everything |
| flashy design, or something simple? | | | | you need to get your website online quickly |
| | | | and easily. Yes, you have to pay a little |
| Once you've answered those questions, it's | | | | more for these services and some of them even |
| time to design a website for your online | | | | take a percentage of every sale but your |
| business. There are a few general options to | | | | website design will not stand between you and |
| consider when deciding how to design a | | | | your ultimate goal -- making money online. |
| website: | | | | Some examples of these services are Yahoo |
| | | | Small Business ( and |
| 1. Hire a professional Web designer and/or | | | | |
| Web programmer to create a custom Web design | | | | No matter how you decide to design a website |
| and backend system or e-commerce solution, | | | | for your online business, make sure that the |
| including any necessary tools. You can find | | | | website design serves the needs of both your |
| great programmers and designers at websites | | | | online business and its customers or target |
| such as and When you post a project on | | | | visitors. |
| either of these services be sure not to | | | | |