all about the end user
The Web is user-centric. It revolves around the end user experience. The consumer is the one who drives business in today's world but the common denominator for a successful business has not changed. All it take to be successful is... a customer; the more, the better. A common denominator for the most successful businesses in a competitive marketplace is the willingness to do what the other guy won't do. A well designed, easy to use, Web site will serve to reinforced a positive user experience, repeated in every Web visit, and that helps build your customer base.
Unhappy web visitors will quickly go elsewhere, so how your web site performs, followed by your customer service, makes all the difference in growing your customer base and building brand loyalty.
We're in the Information age, where data is the intangible commodity. It's perhaps the first time in history where a business can package nothing for something and make a fortune doing so. Just ask engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, who, in 1957, tried to make 3D wallpaper by sealing small pockets of air between two shower curtains, which was a monumental flop. However, packaging 'nothing' eventually became something known as bubble wrap.
New information gathering empires are growing exponentially because of Web visitors volunteering their information (it's call social media and centers around community 'sharing') which, when put together well for consumption, is then sold. Funny, how nobody likes it when 'official' entities demand personal and private information from individuals, but given the opportunity to give it away to find community acceptance, people are more inclined to give too much information. Must be human nature.
If you want to start an information business online figure out how to use information, either volunteered or purchased, that will benefit the public.
Make it available in a straightforward way on the Web with ease of use and simplicity, together with proper marketing, and your online venture will succeed. With entirely too much information available, the public can be overwhelmed, so there is a need for sifting and catering to specific target markets, who want the information you are providing in a meaningful and usable fashion.
Mobile is the future of the Internet, of which the World Wide Web is only one part, and that future is already here. The greater Internet is a collection of interconnected networks, the newest of which is the Internet of THINGS (IoT), which is rapidly changing the way things are, and the way we live. Read Arron Tilley's recent article in Forbes, "Why All The Best Minds In Tech Are Starting To Flock To Hardware (Not Software)" for a glimpse of what is on the immediate horizon.
However, our primary focus is the World Wide Web and Web sites we own and maintain, plus the sale of domains from within our collection of dot com domain names.
Web sites need to cater, first and foremost, to mobile users on a variety of smaller platforms from smart phones and tablets, but also perform well on laptops and desktop computers. More Web visitors are using mobile smart phone or tables, to access the Web and those numbers are expected to grow. Today's mobile devices are more powerful that desktop computers of a few years ago, and the interfaces are more user friendly, so expect the trend of mobile to continue growing, eventually replacing desktops.
Responsive Web design meets that objective and is becoming more widely adopted among Web designers. If your current Web site is NOT HTML5 Responsive Web Design, you need to consider giving your site a complete overhaul, to bring it up to speed with the current W3C standards.
Can one, well designed Web, site fit all platforms without having to build separate Web apps for mobile?
The short answer is "YES", but an additional Web app may also be appropriate for your Web presence depending upon what it is you are trying to accomplish. However, every Web site begins with a domain name as the cornerstone.
importance of a domain name
A good name has always been important... even more so on the Web. A good domain name is one of the basic building blocks of any business with an online presence.
Best domain names are/include:
1. short and simple
2. easy to spell
3. easy to remember
4. descriptive key words
5. say what you do
On the Web, and especially within search, and for search engine optimization purposes, content is still king and it will always be so. We are in the Information Age and finding information has never been easier, or quite so overwhelming, all at the same time.
Part of any Web site is the domain name, standing at the top, with the title, meta tags for description and key words, next, and then the page content. The more those factors dovetail with one another, the more likely a Web site will rise to the top of the generic searches. If your domain says what you do, all the better.
Of course, you want to promote your business online why not have two or more Web sites, one with the branding, and one with the more generic descriptive "what you do" for those who are not familiar with your business name?
Yes, you can forward multiple domain names with masking and key words to your main business site, but perhaps will miss out on a segment of your target market, that would represent a new customer base who is not familiar with your business. You would need somewhat different content on the generic domain name web site, or maybe a blog site where you get feedback from prospective, or new, customers. Also, it is very easy to add a banner to your primary business site linking to the more generic "what you do" Web site. We are in a cyber centric world of business where there is never too much online exposure to prospective business and individual contacts and prospective clients and customers. Get found in as many nichés and online venues as you are able to do, all of which are capable of funneling traffic back to the primary business Web site.
Maybe you are looking for a business idea to start a new online business. A good, descriptive domain name, is an excellent place to start in that you lack established branding, which can get quite expensive and does not happen overnight. Find a domain name that fits what you are doing, or one that reflects your business specialty. An "online only" business venture is the least expensive way to start a business. Do what you do best, and capitalize on that talent, and enjoy what you are good at doing while making money. That is the real American Business Dream to accomplish.
