So you’ve decided to take your small business into the online market. You know who you are targeting, know what you want to say, built your website, and are ready to sit back and watch the numbers come in. Only one problem: no one’s coming to your site. You ask yourself, what did I do wrong?

Surprisingly enough, you are not the only person asking this question. In his latest book, “Local Online Advertising for Dummies,” Court Cunningham discusses 10 of the most common mistakes small businesses make when starting their online market. Most mistakes, it turns out, are not in the execution, but with the thinking or perceptions behind it. Luckily, Cunningham points out that many of these mistakes can be easily avoided or corrected. So if you are having trouble with your online market, make sure you aren’t falling victim to these common errors.

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Most small-business sites are works in progress – constantly being revised, improved, and updated. So invariably, something is always missing. But some pages are so important that not having them could hurt your bottom line, cost you clients, and even turn away business. A few of the essential pages for a website are: contact us, about us, “gimme” or sign up for more information, site map, and privacy policy/terms and conditions page. 

A website privacy policy, (also know as – terms and conditions or disclosure statement) is often forgotten, but is essential, since it servers a multitude of functions. It is meant to inform the website visitor about what information might be collected on a website, how it will be used, to whom it will be disclosed and other privacy-related issues. Posting a website privacy policy is a sign to the visiting population that you understand privacy concerns and have built your website with this and them in mind. It shows you value open communication about privacy and are willing to articulate and stand by your privacy practices.

This type of statement can help make visitors to your website feel more comfortable and secure. Not only that, but many companies now require a privacy policy before they do business with you. So it might be time to post one.  The Better Business Bureau has a good sample privacy notice on its site for reference. A privacy policy doesn’t have to be prominent in your web design, but should be visible on all pages. Most people look for a link to it from the bottom footer of websites along with your site map.

To the average computer user, browser extensions and add-ons can be a little mysterious. They suddenly appear when you download a new browser or upgrade your current browser. However, browser extensions allow you to create short cut menus, toolbars and buttons, and help add-ons; they ultimately enhance your browsing experience.  Having recently added Google Chrome as my main browser, I found lots of time-saving toolbar buttons, extensions and short cuts, which make browsing the internet quicker and easier.  The easy to follow video below will help you understand and download extensions.

It’s no secret…We depend on voices of authority for guidance before buying practically anything, and today’s consumers have a wealth of information and choices available at their fingertips. To help buyers make the leap from curious browsers to loyal customers, here’s what they want to know:

• You represent a trusted brand
• You are a knowledgeable advisor and a go-to source of information
• You have your customers best interests at heart

Case Study:

Bell Rock Growers is the pet industry’s pioneer grower and supplier of green nutrition products. The company was the first to distribute live wheat grass to pet stores nationally. Along the way, they realized there was a serious information gap with pet owners.  Many considered wheat grass to be a fun novelty item, but didn’t fully understand the health benefits of including it in their pets’ diets.

To help educate retailers and customers and support sales, Bell Rock Growers worked with Parallel Interactive to develop and market an eBook on the benefits of wheat grass for pets. Key messages from the eBook on the power of green nutrition are also included in their website, ads, press releases, media interviews, trade show booth, store displays, product catalogs, and packaging.   To date, the eBook has received over eleven thousand downloads from Bell Rock Growers’ website, coverage in national trade and consumer magazines and is used as a selling tool with online dealers.

Bell Rock Growers’ marquee product, Live Pet Grass®, has become a leading cat SKU (stock-keeping unit) with major retailers.  They’ve since extended the Pet Greens® products to include a popular line of dog and cat treats and an earth-friendly therapeutic grooming line, all made with nutrient-rich wheat grass.

Want to learn more about the value of thought leadership? Check out the following articles: Why Thought Leadership is Your Most Valuable Asset and Do’s and Don’ts of Thought Leadership Building

In its simplest form, eCommerce, is where doing business meets the Internet. While individual companies and whole industries continue to move toward online eCommerce at their own pace, collectively the future dictates the Internet be integrated, institutionalized and accommodated. ATG, a trusted specialist in eCommerce, has created Optimizing the eCommerece Experience, to help you maximize your eCommerce efforts as you integrate your online and offline sales channels.

The New Yorker has a light color scheme, with Times New Roman used for headlines and body copy.

Our clients often ask us very interesting questions. One question which comes up time and again is, “Why use that font?” It is common enough and seems simple enough to answer, but the truth is, font selection is based on solid research and countless design considerations. Typography Design Patterns and Best Practices , by Michael Martin, from Smashing Magazine can help with the answer the question.