) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should ha

Too many small business owners think web design is all about looking pretty. They don't give search engines a second thought.

Instead, they throw up a web site and just wait for the traffic to come. Even worse, they sign up for some free web service with a domain name that makes no sense.

You probably know what I'm talking about: www.thisisafreeservice.com/~rockceotom.html. No one will ever find you there. One business owner I know used the first three letters of each of his two children's first names. He might up as well put his business in an alley with a cardboard box for a window sign.

If you want to effectively market your business online, the first thing you need to do is pay for a decent web host. You can have your own domain name for less than $50 a year. The search engines will know your address and potential customers will find you easier.

The next thing you must do when going online is to hire a good web designer, preferably someone who knows SEO. Search engine optimization is the process of designer your web site to rank high in the search engines. If done correctly, you'll rank high for the specific keywords that are valuable to you and your company. Do it wrong, and you'll fall to the bottom of the slush pile.

Web design is more than just a pretty face. It's about marketing your business effectively. The Internet is a very competitive environment and if you haven't made the transition from brick and mortar yet then you have already fallen behind. Here are the most important aspects of web design if you want to ensure you rise in the search engines:

1) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should hav

find you there. One business owner I know used the first three letters of each of his two children's first names. He might up as well put his business in an alley with a cardboard box for a window sign.

If you want to effectively market your business online, the first thing you need to do is pay for a decent web host. You can have your own domain name for less than $50 a year. The search engines will know your address and potential customers will find you easier.

The next thing you must do when going online is to hire a good web designer, preferably someone who knows SEO. Search engine optimization is the process of designer your web site to rank high in the search engines. If done correctly, you'll rank high for the specific keywords that are valuable to you and your company. Do it wrong, and you'll fall to the bottom of the slush pile.

Web design is more than just a pretty face. It's about marketing your business effectively. The Internet is a very competitive environment and if you haven't made the transition from brick and mortar yet then you have already fallen behind. Here are the most important aspects of web design if you want to ensure you rise in the search engines:

1) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should ha

ll know your address and potential customers will find you easier.

The next thing you must do when going online is to hire a good web designer, preferably someone who knows SEO. Search engine optimization is the process of designer your web site to rank high in the search engines. If done correctly, you'll rank high for the specific keywords that are valuable to you and your company. Do it wrong, and you'll fall to the bottom of the slush pile.

Web design is more than just a pretty face. It's about marketing your business effectively. The Internet is a very competitive environment and if you haven't made the transition from brick and mortar yet then you have already fallen behind. Here are the most important aspects of web design if you want to ensure you rise in the search engines:

1) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should ha

and you'll fall to the bottom of the slush pile.

Web design is more than just a pretty face. It's about marketing your business effectively. The Internet is a very competitive environment and if you haven't made the transition from brick and mortar yet then you have already fallen behind. Here are the most important aspects of web design if you want to ensure you rise in the search engines:

1) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should ha

) Learn a little HTML. If you do it yourself, this is an essential skill. If you hire someone to do it for you, you'll at least understand how to communicate in the proper language.

2) Know your niche. Success online is about niches, not general concepts. Gone are the days when you can just start a technology company. Find a niche and fill it.

3) Design with keywords. Your web site should have a theme. Within that theme, every page should be focused on one, not more than two, keywords.

4) Develop a linking strategy. You'll have to read a little here. Learn about link relevancy, link popularity, and link exchanges. Get the straight dope. Pros and cons. From people who know.

5) Update your web site often. Search engines adapt their processes too. They don't like static web sites. Keep your content fresh and updated. Add to it as often as you can.

6) Be patient. Proper search engine optimization takes time. You can't fake it.

Web design with search engines in mind is all about learning strategies that are effective and successful. If you can improve your golf swing, you can improve your web site. It will likely mean ridding yourself of some bad ideas.