Why start a web site?
It is an investment of your time if not money, so you need the right reasoning. The are four gears that will take you far (1) you do something very well, (2) you are knowledgeable about a topic, (3) you are passionate about something, (4) you want to share or be known. The ideal is when they are all true, but we don't live in a perfect world.
Personal website
There are really fine features available for personal websites, and sometimes people just want to build websites because of the cool things you can do on them. Photo galleries and blogs can allow you to share your favorite things with others. But beyond just a general desire for a website, people build websites for a number of reasons. Here are some:
- to keep in touch
As people travel more and move more, they build up ties to many different people in many different locations and it can become harder and harder to find the time to stay in touch with all of them. A personal website can assist in achieving better connections. On a personal website, you can dedicate a page to your favorite hobby, one to your favorite sports team, and one to pictures of your pet iguana. Sure, you can do little updates on Twitter or Facebook, but on your own website, you can have room to develop more in-depth expressions. - to plan an event
If your family's equivalent of a royal wedding is coming up, a website might be useful in keeping everyone apprised and organizing all the details, and—after the event is over—posting the photos and videos. - to avoid Facebook
Sure, lots of people enjoy using Facebook, or some other very controlled social networking site opportunity as their website, but some people don't like these sites or want more control. Either not enjoying the available options or wanting to control your own virtual space is a good reason to build a website. - because it's so inexpensive and easy
For some people, "because I can," is a good enough reason to build a website. Some people enjoy learning something new, and others enjoy the fact that it's possible to build a website without learning very much new at all, these days.
Business website
Some businesses start on the web and others expand to the web. A website fits differently into different types of enterprise. Online business is not confined to large corporations or even businesses with storefronts. Online-only is becoming an increasingly popular start-up model, especially for entrepreneurs looking to launch a business with low overhead. People build business websites:
- to make your storefront more profitable
Building a website does not mean you've abandoned your investment in your storefront. A website can actually make your storefront more profitable. For one thing, by taking advantage of linking your site to your free Google Places page, you can provide detailed information about your location that may lead people who use the Internet to research businesses to choose you, whereas without a website, you would have been off their radar. You can also provide photos or video of your products or services and provide other material that is available 24/7, not just when people happen to pick up a newspaper or look at the television when your ad is running. - to provide more information to your customers
Your customer may not want a extended information about your products when they come to the store, but they may be interested in the same information available in a blog posted on your website that they can access at their convenience. - to expand beyond the storefront
Some business people take to the web to seek new customers and clients. Both businesses that offer a service and those that offer a product may find a wider audience with this method of reaching out, either in their community, among people who prefer to contact businesses online, or beyond their immediate community. - to start an internet-based business
Some entrepreneurs are choosing to skip the storefront and simply launch a web-based business. Such businesses can offer products and/or services through the Internet, or may provide shipping or other means of delivery. - to earn income through the web itself
Some websites are created for the sole or main purpose of affiliate marketing, or domain marketing. In this case, the business is not only run through the Internet, but it is completely focused on the Internet as a means of communication and income production.
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