Your Web site can be one of your business's most powerful marketing tools. It's your opportunity to highlight your company's accomplishments, staff and expertise. To get the most out of your site, it needs to have the most current information about your company, including its name, personnel, hours of operation, address, and phone and fax numbers.
Use your site as a public relations vehicle. For instance, if you're mentioned in a news article, post it, or a link to it, on your site. Also post any press releases you issue.
Promote your knowledge about the industry by informing visitors to the site about new developments. Link to news articles about recent events, or write and post your own thoughts about them.
When updating your Web site, consider the following:
- Has your company recently changed in any significant way, such as adding new staff, services or merchandise?
- Is there recent news that affects your industry?
- Has your company been mentioned in the media?
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Online updating tools
Update your site using programs found online. Many of these programs are self-explanatory and don't require advanced Web site design coding.
I recommend: Use Netscape's free Web-editing tool,
Netscape Composer. Purchase Web-editing software such as
SJ Nano WebEditor 6 Suite. Firms like
Edit.com, which offers Web site maintenance services for businesses, will help update your site.
Create a blog
Use a free blogging service to create a blog to post current news items. Build in links from your blog to your main Web site.
I recommend: Blogger and
WordPress offer free blogging services.
Add some news
Free and pay services will make news headlines appear on your site, automatically updated, by adding a bit of code.
I recommend: Feedzilla delivers news for some modest monthly fees while
FreeNewsFeed sends tech news headlines at no charge.
Hire a Webmaster
If you sell merchandise online, you'll probably want to use a professional Web site developer.
I recommend: Yahoo offers a directory of Web site developers geared toward small e-commerce businesses.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Modify your site whenever there's an important change in your business, such as services offered, personnel or contact information.
- Raise your business' profile by showcasing expertise about new developments that affect your industry.
- Decide whether you have the time and resources to update the site yourself, or if you should outsource to a professional.
The official source of Keeping Your Web Site Fresh and Timely is
the Web Content Management page at Business.com
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