• By 2010 Generation Y will outnumber Baby Boomers. 96% of Generation Y have joined a social network. Source: Grunwald Associates National Study
• Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube has overtaken porn as the top activity on the web. Source: Huffington Post
• The percentage of companies using LinkedIn as their primary source for finding new employees is 80%. Source: Jobvite Social Recruitment Survey

Video source: Socialnomics.net |  Vimeo

Read more: Part one: Social media and web marketing techniques

Web Analytics

Whos.Amung.Us

http://whos.amung.us/

About this tool: Real-time stats for your website or blog. This tool is free and no registration is required.

Histats

http://www.histats.com/

Real time stats and online user count/list and search engine trends. No limit on log file size.

Site Meter

http://www.sitemeter.com/

Comprehensive real time website tracking and counter tools that gives you instant access to vital information and data about your sites audience.

Web Site Communication Gadgets

Woopra

http://www.woopra.com/

Woopra is the world’s most comprehensive, information rich, easy to use, real-time Web tracking and analysis application. And it’s free!

A trend for advertising to move online

It costs thousands of dollars for a business to advertise offline whether you place advertisements in local Newspapers, Magazines or mailing marketing materials to your customers.  Many small business owners in Kentucky have focused more attention to advertising on the Internet because they realize they can save thousands of dollars on advertising cost.

On the Internet there are many ways to advertise your business from $0 to $500+.  You can actually advertise your website for free on sites like Craigslist and article marketing on sites like EzineArticles.com.  You can even advertise your website for a sponsorship fee on high-ranking websites like ABCNews.com or social media sites like Facebook.

24/7 showcase of your products/services

Imagine being able to showcase your products and services 24 hours per day and 7 days per week? That’s one of the primary benefits of having a website. Depending upon the type of business you’re in, your customers can make purchases through your website while you sleep. For instance, if you own an online auto parts store or clothing store, your customers can purchase your products through your website at anytime of the day without having to call or wait until normal business hours.

More people are researching purchases/services online before buying

People are using the Internet to research before they buy a product or service. This is why it is so important to have a strong online presence so that your customers can actually find you on the Internet.  For example, a person searching for a good accountant in Kentucky is more likely to search on websites that offer a lot of valuable information about their accounting services. The consumer is more likely to choose the company with the best web presence.

For some a website is a primary selling tool

There are many companies that use their website as their primary selling tool.  There are a couple of factors that are important to possess when it comes to selling effectively on the Internet. First, you must have a well designed website that is “clutter-free”. In other words, keep it simple.

Avoid having a website that has too many ads. When a visitor enters your site, they are searching for only one thing and that is “what’s in it for me”. You will lose potential customers if your website screams “Buy Me Now!”

To truly gain your customer’s attention, you of course want to have a great product or service to offer your customers but you will want to also make sure that you’re offering a good amount of quality content about how your product or service will benefit them.  This may include offering articles on your website, a blog or a video clip about your company.

Static website vs. CMS editable website

The difference between a static website and a CMS editable website is simple. A CMS editable website shows different text or content during your customer’s interaction. This type of website is complex and recommended for those who are constantly updating their website with fresh content on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

A static website is good if you’re not planning on updating your content on a regular basis. You can actually use Microsoft Word to update and edit your website on an as needed basis.

How Much Does a Website Cost?

It all depends on the kind of website you need for your business. Prices vary and can start as low as $500 to $20,000+.  The important thing is to find a reputable web designer or web development firm to build your website. You will also want to work with a company that will build a site that is search engine friendly.

There are basically four types of websites:

Corporate Brochure Style Website

This is type of website offers your visitors basic information about your products and services. Think of it as an online advertisement. Prices start at around $500 or more.

E-Commerce Website

This type of website can vary from simple to complex. An ecommerce website normally starts off at around $5,000 or more.  This type of website is perfect for an online retail store where customers have access to purchase your products.

Analytics: Simple to install and inexpensive

The financial investment can be very minimal. Google has an excellent product called “Google Analytics” – google.com/analytics – which is free to any visitor with a valid email address. Google Analytics can be simple to install on your site. Simply insert the Google Analytics tracking code just above the </body> tag on each web page or once on a template web page. Google provides very simple and clear instructions onine for the installation and FAQs for its Analytics program. The image below shows a screen view of the Google Analytics interface: Dashboard page.

Above: Google Analytics Interface: screen view

Above: Tracking visitors by location

Web Analytics Helps Me Count Visits To My Site…..But What Else?

Analytics tool help a business or website owner understand where their visitors come from, how they reached the website, which pages they viewed, how long the visitor stayed on a page or on the site and which page they exited from. Some analytics tools allow you to view a heat map screen over your website interface that shows the hotest and coldest links and areas of a particular page. Other tools will give you the ability to see how many clicks each internal link has generated, along with a percentage of usage for that link. Such information will allow business and website owners to make better informed decisions about content, site performance and give them a guide for future growth.

Analytics and Measurement Tools

Here are a few suggestions for website measurement tools and analytics:

Google Analytics: google.com/analytics

Core Metrics: www.coremetrics.com

Stat Counter: www.statcounter.com

Visitat: visistat.com

Omniture: www.omniture.com/en/

Note:
Web servers normally already produce logfiles ( traffic log ), which is a record of activity on your site visitors in raw data form. Analytics tools help by re-presenting that data (or by collecting their own) so the business or website owner can conceptualize the data and information.

When you begin writing your business plan, start by defining your current and past business operation. You will then need to describe your goals for your company’s future and explain fully how a financial investment in your company will enhance your goals and reward potential investors. Be very clear about defining your goals for the future and stressing them above all else.
Step One:

Start with a numbered Table of Contents. You will need to name and number each section of your business plan for clarity and ease of use.
Step Two:

You will need an Executive Summary, comprised of 1-2 pages focusing on your business plan’s primary points of interest. Include descriptions of your management team’s structure and process, marketing techniques, business alliances, market size, profit potential, also be sure to include the dollar amount you are requested and outline your re-payment plan. You may actually decide to write this section last, after all the variables have been defined.
Step Three:

You will need a detailed Business Description that includes your mission statement, a thorough explanation of your company, your business’ philosophy or management model, as well as your primary goals and desired achievements.

Include in your business description a concise overview of the field you are operating in, as well as your services, products, and strengths that are unique in your field to your company. Be sure to include the specifics of the company’s legal form of ownership.
Step Four:

Next you should furnish a more in-depth list of Products / Services that your business offers. This expanded description should include your pricing structure and marketing scheme.
Step Five:

Outline your Marketing Strategy. Describe how your business’ marketing plan will work to capture market share. Give specific details about your public relations strategy.

It is important to include an analysis of Marketing Data. Identify your Target Audience, their demographic and specific information about your target market. Next, identify and define the industry you are operating in. Be specific about market growth, size, trends, and other related details. You also want to include a review of your competitors and the positive and negative ways they are managing their marketing campaigns.
Step Six:

It is important to have a clear explanation of your day-to-day and long term Business Operations. Include details about your company’s location, staff, machinery/equipment, legal considerations, operational expenditures, and the processes used to carry out daily operation. Also add information about operation practices unique to your business.
Step Seven:

A Management Outline is a vital feature in a well-crafted business plan. Explain the experience and strengths of your staff members, include job descriptions, and an delineate of your management processes.

Explain who has the management responsibilities. Even attach key employees’ resumes as supporting materials. All primary employees should have their jobs clearly described. An outline of other important advisors to your business should be included with this portion of the report.
Step Eight:

Devise a clear Financial Plan. You will want to state Financial Projections of up to three years into the future. In order to deliver a clear financial plan, you will need to describe your overall income statement. Include details about your cash flow, break even analysis, forms of funding, balance sheet, spreadsheets, and requests for future funds.
Step Nine:

Close your report with an Appendix. In addition, you will need contracts, supporting documents, letters of intent, research, and any pertinent related information.