Spotlight Resource



Twitter means business - Social network gives companies new ways to reach customers. 

Internet Readiness Quiz



e-Commerce Readiness Quiz - Discover how ready your business is to take the jump into e-Commerce through an analysis of your business and your target market.

Tambien en Español

Getting Started
 

A Beginner’s Web Glossary – Learn common Web site terms

Setting Up Your Own Web site -  Get advice for setting up your own Web site without hiring a Web designer.

Related SRDC Resources

e-Commerce as a Strategy for Improving Business Vitality: Lessons Learned from Rural Businesses - Learning from the successes (and also the mistakes) of others can assist those considering implementing e-commerce as a business development strategy. These case studies can provide insight into the opportunities, challenges and potential impacts of e-commerce on business.

The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative’s Learning Center – Updated regularly to support small businesses e-commerce efforts, this Learning Center provides exciting new resources for entrepreneurs, small business owners, Extension educators, community development professionals, and group leaders.

Design Guidelines
 

The 10 Commandments of Web Design - The Internet is constantly changing. BusinessWeek.com spoke to a bevy of experts and distilled the must-follow rules top online designers live by.

Top Ten Mistakes in Web Design - The ten most egregious offenses against users. Web design disasters and HTML horrors are legion, though many usability atrocities are less common than they used to be.

Development Software
 

Adobe Dreamweaver is software that allows you to design, develop, and maintain standards-based Web sites and applications. It is ideal for Web designers, web developers, and visual designers and may be too complex for beginners who wish to create a Web page.

Creating your first Web site – Part 1: Setting up your site and project files - Detailed, easy-to-use guide from the program’s creators about how to set up a site in Adobe Dreamweaver, manage your files on your computer, and make a Web site.

Related SRDC Resources

Creating a Basic Web Page Using Microsoft Word – For very simplistic Web pages to display a logo, business hours, and location, businesses may use Microsoft Word until they develop enough content and resources for a full Web site. 

Coding a Webpage
 

HTML is the backbone of Web sites. It is a language that tells a Web browser (like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari) how to display a Web site, where to put images, how to format text, and where links should go when you click on them.

W3schools.com - Free site offering many HTML tutorials for beginners to experts.

HTML Tutorial -  Tutorial explaining the basics of HTML.

HTML Examples - Code examples for those times you’re stuck and need to see a working model

Google: Optimizing Your Site - Important article about optimizing code for search engines.

Uploading Files
 

Unfortunately you can’t just make a Web site on your computer and have it accessible to the world. In order to make your Web site “live”, you need to put it on what’s called a Web server. A Web server allows your Web page to be accessed from other computers. It is where your Web site sits on the Internet.

Space on a Web server can be purchased from a variety of companies including GoDaddy.com and 1and1.com, as well as a few free hosts like FreeHostia.com.

In order to transfer your Web site files to a Web Server, you’ll need an FTP program. FTP programs log into your Web server and allow you to upload files from your computer to your Web site for the world to see.

CuteFTP Tutorial  -Step by step guide to logging into the Web server and uploading your Web site files with CuteFTP.

FileZilla Tutorial - Step by step guide to logging into the Web server and uploading your Web site files with FileZilla.

Social Networking
 

Short for Weblog, a blog is a type of Web site, where an individual posts regular entries. Businesses can use blogs to keep in touch with their customers and to promote events or changes.  Many free blogging services offer pre-made templates and all you have to do is add your own words.

How Small Farms Can Use Blogs to Increase Business [PDF] – How to market a farm online using a blog  

How to Create A Blog with Blogger.Com - Detailed guide on setting up an account on blogger.com and using its wide array of features.

How to use Blogger -  Comprehensive guide with screen shots that details how to create an account on blogger.com and customize it.

Small Business Blog Example

Black Magic Kennels – Owners Mark and Mary Black blog often to connect and build relationships with customers and others interested in their life. 

Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Businesses can use Facebook to stay connected to current customers and to find new ones.

Getting Started with Facebook [PDF] -  Excellent information on creating an account on Facebook and using the service to its full extent.

Small Business Facebook Example

Smiling Sun LLC Lawn and Landscaping – Using Facebook to network and display images of completed jobs, Smiling Sun LLC, a residential and commercial lawn care and landscaping service, promotes its services and its own Web site through regular Facebook updates.

MySpace is a social networking platform that allows members to create unique personal profiles online in order to find and communicate with old and new friends – or in the case of businesses old and new customers.

A MySpace Profile Page for Your Small Business? – The Web site Web 2.0 for Small biz offers an article complete with resources for starting a MySpace page and marketing your business through it.

Small Business MySpace Example

Downtown Springfield - A group of businesses in Springfield Illinois all create a MySpace profile to build an online community of downtown Springfield entertainment seekers, entrepreneurs, and arts & culture aficionados. The mission is to support the development of downtown Springfield in a way that maintains its unique character and supports local businesses, artists, and musicians.

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

The Guide to Using Twitter [PDF]- From the Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education at Montclair State University
 
Twitter means business - Social network gives companies new ways to reach customers.   

Twitter: What are you doing? - a step by step guide to creating a Twitter account and getting started.

Small Business Twitter Example

TrekLightGear – Seth Haber uses Twitter to track the daily adventures of running his small outdoor gear business.

Tutorías en Español
 

Conceptos Básicos para Establecer un Sitio Web para Empresas Pequeñas - Este modulo de aprendizaje puede abrirle la puerta a tu negocio a traves del disenio de paginas de internet y opciones para comprar en linea. Asi seas un negocio que quiere incluir productos o servicios en Español o eres un negocio hispano que quiere incluir comercio electronico, este modulo tiene algo para ti. [Also in English]

Extension Commercio Electrónico - La guia de Extension de Comercio Electronico cubre todos los aspectos relacionados con el comercio electronico y tu negocio. Es un excelente sitio donde empezar para aquellos que quieren incluir comercio electronico en sus planes de negocios.

Prueba de Commercio Electronico - Descubre si su empresa estara lista de utilizar commercio electronico por un análisis de su empresa y sus clientes. [Also in English]