Internet Marketing - Using your space

Internet Marketing - the Why's and Wherefore's

The Why's - Why Internet
A look at the reasons for and against taking space on the Internet
The Wherefore's - Tips for your page
Some useful tips and hints on web page design do's and don'ts
Using your space
Ways to use commercial and personal space on the Internet
With the UK in Mind
A look at the Internet as a marketing tool with particular reference to the UK retail market

These articles include a few of the ideas and criteria I work to at Bearpit, other people will have other and equally valid views. If you are contemplating putting your company on the Internet have a surf around and view pages from other companies - watch for points such as content, design and particularly download time - don't feel constrained to copy slavishly what another company has produced. Above all for company pages it does pay to employ professionals - as you would for any other service.

Your page can say a lot about your company - good and bad -
remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

ethika home page | bearpit home page

Using your space on the Internet

Before compiling your company or personal page ask yourself the question:
Why are you compiling a page?

If you are wanting to publicize your company the most important question is:
Why do we want a presence on the Internet?
The only reasonable answer for a business is because your company wants to publicize their products and services to the buying public quickly and accurately, and, if yours is a small company, the Internet provides a chance for a level playing field* no matter what the size of the company.
*The level playing field works this way - your page with details of your products and services has an equal chance of being seen by any of the millions subscribing to the net ONLY if:
a) it is registered correctly with the appropriate search engines
b) it includes the 'invisible' design elements which help the search engines to recognize your page and contents
c) it is designed for the media and target audience.

The essence of good commercial design on the Internet is communication - fast, accurate and easy to see - anything else is a waste of time and money. If your page ends up saying more about the designer than it does your company you have just paid to advertise the designers skills - not the object of the exercise! Simple professional design is sometimes the most difficult to achieve - the complicated, image rich page with bold use of colour and the latest technology including background music, animated images, etc is the hallmark either of the rank amateur - in which case it is usually badly done, or of the design company wanting to show their skills - usually very well presented, including a courtesy note to tell you it will take time to download, or suggesting it is best viewed with a particular browser. Unless your business is involved with web design make sure it is your PRODUCT or SERVICE not the page design which makes the impact!

Because you are a great graphic artist and want the world to know - when you register with search engines make sure you say the page is graphics heavy - that way surfers know it will take a long time to load down, but may still visit if in need of what you might have. Give a warning at the top that your page is going to take a while to load down

Because you want to show how clever you are on a computer - not on my dime buster - see graphic artist above - same applies to you but more.

You want to show off your kid, pet, home, car - fine surfers might be interested , but not if you have huge photo files which take an age to load down.

You have a hankering to publish something, anything, for public consumption - go ahead you'd be surprised what other people find interesting

You have a hobby you think others may like to share - some of these are among the most interesting and well visited sites on the net

You're a little old lady who can just peck out the words on the keyboard and want to put down some of your family history, recipes, household hints and anecdotes so they are not forgotten. This would probably be interesting and useful for social historians. Get working on it please - and if you have problems contact me - time permitting I'll help.

You have something to say about a world issue - good - get going and say it

You're into 'adult' activities and want to share - make sure a) it's legal and b) you place it where kids will not be able to get at it easily (many servers and search engines will not accept 'adult sites') - If that's your bent make your first page non contentious don't use 'in your face' explicit pictures and phrases here, give a warning to visitors of what they might expect - it's up to them if they want to see more.
Ieke, mcij, maip

Member, Association of Internet Professionals

ethika home page | bearpit home page

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