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SWeCS NEWSLETTER - 11 July 2005

Apologies for no newsletter last fortnight. We were a little overworked, but are back on schedule now.

In this issue...

- Domain Registration Tips
- This Fortnight's Question
- SWeCS Domains Links Directory Opened
- Seeking Website Design Subcontractors
- Resources For Small Business

DOMAIN REGISTRATION TIPS

By Alice Seba

A domain is your web address. Our web page's domain is internetbasedmoms.com.

Be sure to register your own domain name when you start a web site. You can use a web address that your Internet server provides you, but a domain of your own is far more professional. Besides, what if your Internet provider goes out of business? You lose your domain, email address and all the customers and search engines that knew where to find you.

It is worth spending a bit of money registering your own domain and paying to have it hosted. You will also receive email addresses that contain your domain name; this looks very professional and is a great advertisement for your site.

Choosing a domain is not the deciding factor of your site’s success, but it sure goes a long way to creating a first and lasting impression. Put some thought into your domain and make it as descriptive if possible. Also, decide what the purpose of your site is. If your main goal is to attract people to join in your home based business plan, then take that into consideration. If your main goal is to sell your product and maintain customer relations, then consider that when choosing your domain.

For example:
www.workathome.com would be an acceptable name for selling your home based business idea
www.kidsbooks.com would be suitable for selling children’s books.

You may want to consider having separate web sites for your recruiting and selling activities so you can target specific keywords (words people would enter into a search engine to find your site) in your domain name (if applicable), but of course – these should always be linked together. If your product is a well-known brand, you would be wise to include it in your domain name. If not, include important keywords in your domain.

For example:

http://www.ebay.com

or with a key word

http://www.internet-auctions.com

Make it something easy for people to remember and not too complicated. It should be something people can type into their browser by memory.

Protect Your Good Name
Experts say it is always a good idea to register all the variants of your domain name to protect someone from stealing your virtual identity. You are unique and you want to stay that way. Even if you have a trademarked name, it will save you a lot of hassle to be prepared.

You can purchase .net, .org., .biz, etc. variations of your name. In addition, you can purchase hyphenated versions of your domain name. For example, we have registered internet-based-moms.com, among other domains.

____________________
Alice Seba thrives on helping others build profitable online businesses. Claim your Internet Marketing prescriptions to success at http://www.aliceseba.com

THIS FORTNIGHT'S QUESTION

This fortnight's question comes Nola:

"What software do you recommend to update websites with?"

We use Macromedia Dreamweaver, which is our preferred software, but it is also more expensive than many others out there.

A cheaper option, which is still fine for basic website development, is Microsoft Frontpage. What you may want to do is download their free version, Frontpage Express, and try that first before purchasing the full version with all the extra features. Just do a search in Google for Frontpage Express Download and you should find some sites that can provide it to you.

Another option you have though is to not buy software at all, but to sign up for our self-editing system. This lets you log into a secure webpage and update your site as if you were using a Word Processor, so no formal web-design training is required. This service costs $15 a month, plus an initial setup fee of $60.

Got a question? Send it to us at admin@southwestecommerce.com and we'll do our best to answer it, as well as publish one every fortnight for everyone to see.

SWeCS DOMAINS LINK DIRECTORY OPENED

We have just opened a reciprocal link directory on our Domains website, http://domains.southwestecommerce.net, which is open to anyone who has a domain name registered with us.

To add your link, simply log in with your username and password, then scroll to the bottom of the page, click on Manage Reciprocal Links, then scroll down again and click on Add A Link. Then follow the instructions from there.

SEEKING WEB DESIGN SUB-CONTRACTORS

Due to an overwhelming demand for websites, South West eCommerce Strategies is seeking to compile a list of website designers who may be interested in doing work on a sub-contracting basis.

If you would be interested in going on our list, please email your details to us at admin@southwestecommerce.com for us to keep on file. We cannot guarantee any work at this stage, but will certainly keep you in mind next time we need to outsource any work.

RESOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Ecommerce Library

Browse through the SWeCS Ecommerce Library, full of FREE information about getting more out of the Internet. Sections include Web Site Development, Web Site Promotion & Internet Marketing, Online Commerce, Computer & Technical Issues, and Miscellaneous.

Newsletter Archives

The SWeCS Newsletter archives provides a wealth of FREE information on small business and the Internet. Browse through the main topics or search for your particular query.

SWeCS Affiliate Program

Start up another income stream, by earning commissions for each referral who signs up for one of our services.

Affiliate Directory

Browse through a list of reviewed Affiliate programs. Let us do the work of testing it out for you!

Do you know of a resource that should be added here? Email us and let us know. There is only one condition - it must be free.

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