Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

keyboard-coffee-writing
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

You are just launching a brand new business. Nowadays, a web presence is not just about a website. While a website is a component of a web presence, significant results can be achieved by other means.

Editorial Note: After reading this article, some of our readers were confused regarding the definition of a web presence and the difference between a web presence and a website. To clairfy this confusion, please read the article What is an Online Presence before continuing to read this article.

You may think that you are in a pickle if you don’t have a website for your business but you would be wrong. You can do many other things online that will help you to build a robust online presence without actually have a website. If you are able to have both, all the better. However, it is not black and white. There are several shades of gray when it comes to our online world.

Online social media profiles

The first thing that you should do is to set up profiles (which won’t cost you any money) on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Remember that it is important for you to completely fill in all of the details in your profiles (including a photo) so that other people will be able to connect with you on a human level.

Business cards

You will need new business cards for your new business. There are several services that will allow you to create online business cards for free. Some of these services are businesscardland.com, and businesscardstar.com.

Launching a blog

Having a blog is an incredibly lucrative and effective tool to increase your online exposure and reputation. Many blog services are free, such as WordPress.com and Blogger.com (which is owned by Google). You can use their generic template or you can purchase a fancier template at minimal cost. If you feel that it important to establish the aesthetics of your brand from the very beginning, you may want to consider investing in the decorative template.

What it means to have a web presence

For businesses nowadays, having a web presence is conceptually similar to being listed in the phone book in the past. People who are searching have an expectation that they will learn basic information about whichever companies they come across. Whenever a person gets a referral to a business, their natural reaction is to look up that business online. Everyone needs to have an online presence.

Facebook is another excellent social media channel that will help you to effectively build your online presence. The misconception that Facebook is only for reporting what you ate for breakfast, which movie you saw last night with your boyfriend, and about connecting with a friend who was in your high school and with whom you haven’t spoken in 25 years is much less present than it was.

Facebook is an extremely effective social media tool for business. You can set up a Facebook fan page for your business and you can start to build relationships with people who you can help professionally and who can help you professionally. Of course, always remember that you need to keep it completely professional. You can use the Facebook page for the personal side. You will definitely want to keep your business contacts separate from you persona contacts.

Word-of-mouth and online presence

As a business owner, your business will become more and more successful because you offer high-quality products and services and your clients tell their friends who tell their friends who tell their friends. You don’t need a website for “word-of-mouth” marketing. However, you do need to furnish people with a way to reach you (maybe even more than one way).

The importance of a website

Undoubtedly, website’s are an important part of any business but they are certainly not the be all and end all of businesses today. They work very effectively side by side with other types of online presences. One of the big differences between a website and online presence is the existence of fresh content vs static content. The content on websites is not changing on a regular basis. In fact, it only changes when a professional intentionally changes it. Other elements of an online presence, on the other hand, is constantly changing and evolving.

Conclusion

In this day and age of advanced technology, there are so many ways for a business to become successful online. It is important not to discount one approach for the sake of another. There is certainly enough room for several approaches to successfully work together to enable businesses to achieve tremendous success. Make sure that you take full advantage of all that is offered.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

 Let's Have Coffee

Author

  • Michael Cohn

    Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has decades of experience in IT and web technologies. Michael founded CompuKol Communications to help small businesses and entrepreneurs increase their visibility and reputation. CompuKol consults, creates, and implements communication strategies for small businesses to monopolize their markets with a unique business voice, vision, and visibility. Mr. Cohn earned a Master’s degree in project management from George Washington University in Washington, DC; and a Master’s degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

76 Responses

  1. Marie says:

    Wow!  I'm impressed…and that's saying something for me.  Definitely thinking about having coffee! 

  2. Carole Cross says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    You can afford a beautiful website for a few hundred dollars today. You can also get listed in the search engines for a small amount of money. Businesses just need to know where to look and find reputable web design and marketing companies to work with. It is a fantastic time to be a small business and you can certainly have new, local customers knocking on your door and buying from your new business every minute of the day.
    Posted by Carole Cross

    • Michael Cohn says:

      Carole,
      Did you read the entire article?

      Beautiful does not necessarily translate into effective.
      A cheap website done by on offshore web designer who has no clue what your business is all about will not fullfill the goals of the website. In fact a cheap website is probably designed without goals in mind.
      In summary you get what you pay for.

  3. David Oldham says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Web Design and Development in 21st century
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Some of your first customers could be your friends. Establish a Facebook page and invite all your friends to "Like" it. Their friends will see that in their updates and if interested visit it as well. Kind of like throwing a box of leaflets to the wind and seeing what happens.

    Longer term, local business directories will pick you up (and if you don't have a website, site builders and other sales people will then find you)\

    With Google you can get your business on the map. You can also visit the various map providers for the GPS systems to be added in their next updates.

    So far I don't think you've spent any $ just time in getting your presence out.
    Posted by David Oldham

  4. April Klimley says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: American Society of Business Publication Editors
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    You can get started several ways: An email announcement–though the website of the business; establishing a group on Linked in; and putting your information up on your Facebook page. These will all spur recognition.
    Posted by April Klimley

  5. Capone De Leon says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Linked Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Yes a web site IS that important! If you are a small business, a web site is your office. It is your biggest marketing tool and when done properly it is also you greatest communication tool for potential clients and current clients. I suspect your question comes more out of the pricing you have found so far rather than the site itself.
    Posted by Capone De Leon

  6. Carole Cross says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

     
    Not necessarily. With open source web sites, social media connections and search engine pages, companies can have dynamic websites that get their message to their customers at reasonable costs. 
    Posted by Carole Cross

  7. Kennette Burgess says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    You do not need a website to makes sales, especially with the evolution of social media. Also depending on the type of business, you can do other forms of marketing until you have the funds for a website.

    Posted by Kennette Burgess, MBA

  8. Shaun Cassidy says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Website is for ecommerce all other things can be setup for free

    You should have business and personal accounts
    in Facebook, Linkedin and a Linkedin business group for your company, Twitter and a Youtube Channel of of these can built and followers created before your site goes live.
    Posted by Shaun Cassidy

  9. Melissa Zanardi says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: American Marketing Association of New Jersey
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Interesting article – I thought it was most important to set up a website for your business as the priority and to have a website above other web tools??
    Posted by Melissa Zanardi, MBA

  10. Bill Lang says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The NJ Networking Forum
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Michael
    First the business needs to look at its marketing plan and see if the website is necessary. For a startup being on page 20 of a google search would be counterproductive. It also hinges on the type of business that you are in. A website does not draw business necessarily. If your web presence is limited then using Linkedin or some of the facebook business solutions might help but that limits you to a business market.
    So you need to think seriously about the impact your site might have and how you can get the news out about your site.
    Posted by Bill Lang

  11. Peter Harrison says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Creative Designers and Writers
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Not all businesses need a strong web presence to operate, just ask my window cleaner! Over the years I've noticed how thin my phone book has become as the pressure on businesses to be seen in a multitude of media outlets has increased. If I was setting up a new business in which to reach a wide customer base, I'd be costing in a website before launch in the same way as finding suitable premises.
    Posted by Peter Harrison

  12. Marlene Pissott says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    99.9% of the time, a website proves to be more important than a business card as it provides credibility. You need not sacrifice not having one. For start-ups and those on a limited budget, there are lots of inexpensive do-it-yourself options out there. You can go a long way with only a few thousand dollars: Online and Offline.
    Posted by Marlene Pissott

  13. John O'Malley says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Informed Ideas For Writers
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I think it's important, first, to organize your offline marketing efforts. This includes networking, offering to barter services for clients that will better position you among your target markets. I would also seek out web designers who will trade their development work for your services (for their clients, perhaps)…The key is to make visible your expertise and to demonstrate the benefits of working with you…
    Posted by John O'Malley

  14. Kay Jenne says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I have thought many times about doing this and I say you absolutely positively need a web presence. It doesn't have to start out spectacular but really what do I know?? I just think something that describes your product, photos and a phone # to start, maybe "under construction". I know there are a lot of people that design websites easily. My nephew used to while in Jr. high so although I couldn't do it, not rocket science. I always say to people at fairs, "do you have a website". I like to explore at my leisure.
    Posted by Kay Jenne

  15. Peter Hartley says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: AOL Small Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    A Blogsite doesn't cost much … just keep writing interesting articles, and try to establish reciprocal links. Alternatively, promote your idea to the relevant media/paper, get an Interview (and maybe add that to the Blogsite).

    Word-of-mouth is the BEST form of Advertising.
    Posted by Peter Hartley

  16. Tom Emmons says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I liked the article quite a bit. You have a couple of resources there that I've missed, which is no surprise considering the number of resources out there! Certainly a web presence is attainable for little capital outlay, and you've outlined some good ones.

    In addition to all those knee-jerk responses about web sites, you don't discount the value of the company website, the "home" as it were. As a stop gap measure using one of the blog sites mentioned would work well to give that home page to your company until you could afford to move it to your company's own domain.

    Good food for thought. Thanks for posting.
    Posted by Tom Emmons

  17. Caroline Heywood says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Public Relations and Communications Professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    There's no doubt that a web site is a critically important means of communication in today's world. Where's the first place most people, both business and consumers, look for information these days? Google. That being said, you really need to go back to basics, think about your audience and figure out exactly where you think they will be. Then with the means at your disposal, meet them there. If you think web is a significant place and a web site, however basic is out of the question, then look at other spaces online – there's facebook, twitter, blogs for example that can be set up without any cost (though don't forget the time you'll need to spend on managing them!) and there's always engagement with online media (though ideally you'd be directing your audience to another online space to get more information). There may also be a trade body that you could facilitate your web presence in some shape or form.
    Sounds like you have any interesting challenge ahead. Will be interested to hear how you get on. Good luck!
    Posted by Caroline Heywood

  18. Cheryl Hendricks says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Content Wrangler Community
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Not at all. I worked for a year without a website (even tho' I also design websites). You just have to be creative about how you market yourself. I was lucky I had a "captive audience of potential clients", but eventually I realized I would be better able to service my clients and potential clients by having a website. There are ways you can create your own website without having to spend a lot of bucks.

    Posted by Cheryl Hendricks

  19. Willow Aliento says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Professional Writers
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I think it is worth considering what you perceive as the need a website will fill – is it to drive traffic to your contact details? showcase work? establish yourself as a 'brand' that will turn up in Google results? provide a landing place for existing clients/fans?

    If it is to drive traffic to your contact details, as a new business, it is possibly far more cost effective to publish online content for places, where you get a profile page. These usually turn up higher in Google rankings than the average SME (Small to medium Enterprise) website.

    There's blogging, with one of the majors like WordPress, again, will turn up higher in Google results than an SME website.

    You can join relevant professional associations, which allows you to have contact details where they have details of members (our Australian Media Entertainment Arts Alliance does, not sure about other countries relevant bodies).

    If it is to provide a landing place for people you are already doing business with, the free hosting options Susan suggests are probably worth looking into. Remember though, it adds another level of ongoing admin/marketing work to keep it functional and up to date (adding links to recent publications etc).

    IME a web presence can develop without needing to build a website, simply by publishing stuff on the net (if not gloriously well paid, it still costs less than paying for marketing collateral – Helium.com for example) or at places which upload (most newspapers now do, and many magazines). You can also explicitly encourage clients to upload material you write for them (with relevant copyright information shown) if you think it has marketing value, and that will always come up if someone Googles you and give people an idea of what you've done. Conversely, as part of managing your online presence it's worth checking out what comes up in search results for your name every now and then to see if anything you don't want up there is there, and take remedial action.
    Posted by Willow Aliento

  20. Jessica Ballew says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I agree with Marlene. As I started my business, the question that was posed to me everytime I met with a client was, do you have a website? Thankfully I did, as it does show credibility and it gives the client the time to review your services at their leisure and make an informed decision.

    If you want to get your business off the ground, if anything, please invest in your website. You will not regret that sacrifice.
    Posted by Jessica Ballew

  21. Michelle Paulino says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    A business without a website today takes away a lot of the credibility of the business or professional but a poor website can be just as detrimental. If the business is trying to carry themselves in a professional manner but has an amateur looking website that doesn't perform the functionalities expected by the visitor, it will be hard for the customer or client to believe that your business is legit, trustworthy or it will come across as a business that's not seasoned yet. Now, depending on the functionalities of your website, you can get a good one for less than $1000 if you look in the right places. Carole gave great examples of how to connect and gain customer trust when you have a simple website.
    If you want an e-store on your website, it will be very hard to get a good website for less than $1500 + SEO strategy cost but if all you want is online presence, there's a few options that can look very professional and not so expensive. You just need to shop around and see which ones give you more features and allows better for SEO. I'll inbox you some ideas.
     

    Posted by Michelle Paulino

    • Michael Cohn says:

      Michelle, Carole,

      You misunderstood the article. Perhaps you should read the entire article to get a better understanding what it is all about.

      We do not discount the value of a website, our point is that a website these days is just a small component of an overall web presence and not necessarily the main component.

      Serious bloggers have proven over and over again that if you blog constantly on a fix schedule you can get 10x-20x more traffic to your web presence than by just using a cheap static website.

  22. Lila Stromer says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I also disagree. As a headshot (actor) photographer new to the business, I showed my physical portfolio to an agent. He liked my photos, and asked if I had a website. At the time, the answer was no. His response: if you're in business without a website, then you're not really in business. He wanted me to come back to him after I had a website – which he could then send actors to to check out my work. As an editor of the written word, a few clients have found me via my editorial website (yes, I have 2 sites), and I include my link on my profiles on the sites of professional groups of which I'm a member. I do agree what you say in your article about social media, but they are the extras to a website and cannot replace it.
    Posted by Lila Stromer

  23. Carole Cross says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Actually, I agree with your article completely (and you are agreeing with me). It was the headline of this discussion that I responded to. You don't consider a blog a website and I do. I consider Facebook pages a website too. Sorry for the confusion. Semantics, I guess. Your article is spot on, and so we are actually on the same page. Thanks for the discussion! 🙂
    Posted by Carole Cross

    • Michael Cohn says:

      Carole,

      I am glad we are talking the same language now. All the channels you mentioned they are all part of the overall web presence for an individual or a business.

      We made it a habit not to talk about websites but rather talk about web presence.

      And we find that whenever we publish an article that contain a question mark in the first paragraph, people tend to reply to the headline and first paragraph without reading the full article. Further more people do not pay attention as to who wrote the article vs who published the article. This article was written by Michael not Carolyn 🙂

  24. Michelle Paulino says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Same here.
    Posted by Michelle Paulino

  25. lusmila McColl says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Woman 2 Woman Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    i actually have two websites that are not 'completed'. My fashion company has a flash site which showcases a small sampling of my collection. my bodywork website is a testimonial and contact page. for me, i feel i have to have some kind of web presence, even if it is not where i want it to be. I just have to get it out there. It's what I can do, with the resources I have.
    Posted by lusmila McColl

  26. John Ruffi says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The NJ Networking Forum
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    might as well ask if you can start without a phone. anything is possible if there's enough demand and your product is that good. i bet Michelangelo never had a phone.

    ok that might seem snarky, for which i apologize. But it is all relative. For 5 years i didn't even need to close a sale; people came to me needing my services. Now that such skills are needed i'm learning i'm not much at shmoozing and telling people what they want to hear. Posted by John Ruffi

  27. John Ruffi says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The NJ Networking Forum
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Yes, I'm sorry. Having read the article I see now. We all realize many companies are siting on record amounts of cash, afraid to put it into growth strategies until they see which way the economy is headed. It's my belief that as more of them see which way the wind is blowing they'll realize that they can't hold that position for long; the competitors who are more aggressive will reap the bigger marketshares. In the mean time, social media, while an effective marketing tool, is not the answer to all marketing needs, or a substitute for other methods.

    I will say this: I've seen more than one client get hamstringed by "free" or do-it-yourself website solutions. They don't own the name or files; they have no file transfer capabilities; they end up paying higher hosting rates and paying for additional email addresses. These strategies are called "loss leaders" for a reason. Ultimately they can cost more than their alternative.

    Hope I did better this time. I'm really still rather new at linkedin.
    Posted by John Ruffi

  28. If you’re launching a new SMB business with a budget so “severely limited” that you don’t even have the “few thousand dollars that it costs to have your…website” [sic] “designed by reputable people” then you probably have no business being in business. Any new enterprise with so little capital is unlikely to be successful.

    To characterize all Web sites as static in comparison to social media is a gross over-generalization. One’s “Web presence” is just as static as a Web site–until you update it with new content. (And, BTW, a blog *is* a Web page, so your argument contradicts itself.)

    The biggest advantage of a Web site over social media and the vague “Web presence” you describe is that the business *owns* and *controls* the content of its Web site, and can present it any way it pleases. That’s not something you can say about your “Web presence” or the content of your Facebook page.

  29. Brad Jenkins says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media University Online
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    It used to be website or nothing, but not so much any more. I would start off with FB Pages. In fact the trendy URL (vanity URL) this days is a 'facebook.com/abcompany' Use your website budget to advertise via insight
    Posted by Brad Jenkins

  30. Kimberly Howard says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Michael – really appreciate this article and the info therein – thanks so much!
    Posted by Kimberly Howard

  31. Philip J Bradbury says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Just to play devil's advocate, I'd suggest that, very soon, webites will be a thing of the past. So many people are setting up blogs (for free) and the current blog sites can provide almost as many widgets as any website ever did. Also, blog sites are fluid and you can change them at will, not having to rely on web builders to do it for a fee.

    If you want to create a website yourself, try http://www.yola.com – completely free and every function (including e-commerce) available. One of ours is http://www.thewritesite.biz
    Posted by Philip J Bradbury

  32. Kittie Walker says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Freelance Editing Network
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I am a proponent of owning your content and not placing your business in another persons hands.

    Facebook is a great addition to having a website but not a replacement for it. Facebook can and does change its rules as it sees fit. 

    Any marketing for your business should build traffic to your site, not to your social media profiles. The social media profiles are there to enhance your presence and to engage your audience, where they hang out, but the ultimate goal is that the profiles funnel traffic to your main site.
    Posted by Kittie Walker

  33. Dai Le says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    yes, it was very informative Michael, and distinguishing web presence to a website was very helpful.
    Posted by Dai Le

  34. Myers Jackson says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: SES Conference & Expo
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Branding from the start is very important. The online presence has helped our business be recognized on many different platforms.
    Posted by Myers Jackson

  35. Regina (Gina) McShane says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Fortunately, some companies offer a website as part of signing on with them. That is true of most direct marketing companies. Being with the lia sophia fashion jewelry family run company, advisors can take advantage of a personal website for a minimal cost monthly.
    Posted by Regina (Gina) McShane

  36. Nancy Wolff Leary says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I've worked with clients who are not yet ready to launch a website, and have established a Facebook business page as a starting point. Remember that your online presence includes much more than just your website. I'm conducting several workshops on your online presence. 
    Posted by Nancy Wolff Leary

  37. Sameer Varshney says:

    Absolutely true. Every dollar could be important for your startup business. Publishing a press release for your product / services and the problem you are solving, can be very helpful to give an additional pitch to your web presence.

  38. Christine Pembleton says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: A Solo Business – Solopreneurs And Business Owners
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I'd say have a website (WordPress is simple and quick) with contact information, list building form, and success stories. It's simple to do, and inexpensive. Potential clients still want to learn more about you WITHOUT having to email directly or call. So, it's worth it. You can always upgrade the site when you have the money to do so.
    Posted by Christine Pembleton

  39. Lane Diamond says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I agree with Philip that the blog sites such as WordPress ARE the new websites. It's what I use, and it's dynamic and functional, with hundreds of plug-ins to accomplish almost any task. The best part? A non-techie can make it work.
    Posted by Lane Diamond

  40. Ray Knight says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Woman 2 Woman Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Q: Can you establish an online presence w/out building a website?

    A: YES there are other options. Two tips are creating a BLOG using WORDPRESS or another popular blog service. A second tip is the formulation of content and the selective development of social media sites. Taking this path can also empower the business person to think through their brand, their products/services, positioning and more which can be incorporated into a website later on and into printed materials now. Additionally, the content can be formulated into PDF's which can be distributed by emails and posted onto certain online sites to raise awareness and generate prospects..
    Posted by Ray Knight

  41. Derbhile Dromey says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    No, there's blogs – WordPress ones are as good as websites these days. And Facebook Pages, depending on the business. Otherwise, there's Twitter and LinkedIn, not to mention the new kid on the block – Google Plus.
    Posted by Derbhile Dromey

  42. Barry Greer says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Publishing and editing professionals
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    That's why 30 years ago while I was in grad school earning an MA in English I was also teaching myself computer science. Now have my own server and design and build my own sites and blogs–hand coded or WordPress. Got my daughter through college doing so.
    Posted by Barry Greer

  43. Antonio Carpio Valladolid says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: AOL Small Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    A Blog and a facebook page is always welcome
    Posted by Antonio Carpio Valladolid

  44. Tom Person says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Professional Writers
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I have my own web site as an extension to my resume. I have writing samples posted, I can describe what I'm working on now, and I can list all the related continuing education courses I have taken. It gives me unlimited space to show off who I am and what I can do. In my last round of job hunting it turned out invaluable for those times when a client wants to see writing samples.
    Posted by Tom Person

  45. Ela Schwartz says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Freelance Editing Network
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Having a website is ideal but some freelancers can't afford even a few thousand dollars for a good graphic artist. I did a basic website for myself using Dreamweaver. A colleague of mine decided learning the program wasn't for her and created a website with WordPress that she is happy with. To my eye, the CMS sites tend to look similar and don't offer the opportunity for creativity you'd get building a site in HTML from the ground up, but they get your information out there, and they're easy to learn and update. You just have to check with your web hosting service that they can run the software.
    Bridget, if time is of the essence, my suggestion is to keep it simple. Test the site using different browsers, and get it online. You can always update and tweak the design later as your designer gets more experienced.
    I see Kitti's point about Facebook, but I think it comes down to reaching your customers, whether this be on a website, Facebook, Twitter, blog, whatever.

    What exactly is compukol and is it more cost-effective than hiring a graphic designer?

    Posted by Ela Schwartz

  46. Peter Elmhirst says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: SES Conference & Expo
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Branding is undoubtedly important… but no budget is the issue…
    There are enough free avenues that you can approach but the issue is that anyone who's on your twitter, linked in, etc. profile is going to be searching for a web address to find you at. Not providing one could definitely give customers the impression that you don't have the money and are potentially not a stable business.

    It's important to claim all of your company brand name accounts on the free social media sites (even if you don't use them) just so that no one else takes them, but the only page that I think might not require a website for validity is probably a facebook page. It's easy to be spread between people you know free of charge and can contain any essential information so you don't have to link to a page elsewhere.
    Posted by Peter Elmhirst

  47. Alex Bucataru says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    If you cannot afford a proper website, at least set one up on a blogging platform. The key is to have an online home base for your business *on your own domain name*. Nancy is right, there is a lot more to your online presence than your website, but everything else you do needs to lead back to this home base.

    Why is it important? Always expect platform operators to work against you. It is usually not intentional, but in following their interests they will, eventually, hurt yours. If Facebook changed their terms for business pages tomorrow in a way that makes it impossible or useless to keep your page, it will hurt anyway. But I'd rather lose an outpost than my headquarters. Even that blogging platform may make you leave, but as long as you have your domain name and all your links out there point to it, you can always relocate your home base and your people will still be able to find you.
    Posted by Alex Bucataru

  48. Cindy Hillsey says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: A Solo Business – Solopreneurs And Business Owners
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I agree with Christine. You can either put up a WordPress site yourself or you can a Virtual Assistant do one for you for a very reasonable cost. Either way it won't break the bank and will give you an online presence.
    Posted by Cindy Hillsey

  49. Nancy Wolff Leary says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Alex's points are excellent; be sure to heed his advice about the site residing on your own domain name. A caution on "freebie" websites: be sure there's not a monthly fee beyond hosting. Some companies claim they provide a free website and charge $10 or $20/month on top of hosting — so you pay for the site ongoing. If you are a location-based business, consider establishing a profile on Merchant Circle – they're free and it will provide (and extend) an online presence.
    Posted by Nancy Wolff Leary

  50. Suzen Pettit says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    what Shaun said. Plus remember that these sites are public sites and will rank higher in a search engine than most websites, especially if you treat your Facebook page-business page- like a website. there are ways to design it now to offer all the same info, links and content as a website. Video tape yourself and post it on all our sm sites regularly. there are many options today
    Posted by Suzen Pettit

  51. Fouad Berjaoui says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Agree with Alex about the domain name holding all your online strings. But I believe we are no longer in the "website" era. today it's all about engaging your customer, whichever presence matrix you use, that's up to consultancy firms such as Nancy's.
    Posted by Fouad Berjaoui

  52. Paul Spoerry says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Alex is right; the cost of buying a domain name and getting a simple website (even if it's just a landing page with contact information) is, in my mind, a requirement. Even if you don't care about maximizing SEO, engaging customers, using it to generate sales leads, etc… if you don't have at least a basic website you pretty much don't exist.
    Posted by Paul Spoerry

  53. Jack Schoenberger says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    And don't forget to "claim" or create your business listing on Google Places and the Bing and Yahoo equivalents.
    Posted by Jack Schoenberger

  54. Alex Bucataru says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Nancy, "free" is the other four-letter F-word. Unless it comes from a charity (or open-source software) I would advise extreme caution with anything "free". There is always a price to be paid, and that is perfectly normal. It could be money (hidden fees), privacy (your data is being monetized), labour (you work to create revenue for the provider – e.g. your FB business page is making them more money than it will ever bring you) or something else.Just make sure you know the real price and decide for yourself whether you are willing to pay it. I may be old school, but I prefer to pay a clearly stated price (be it one-time or monthly or both) for a clearly defined product or service.

    Fouad, the website alone is no longer enough, indeed. However, Paul is right, it is a requirement. Everything else that you do – and, by all means, you should do plenty – is ephemeral. What you say today on any social platform will be forgotten by tomorrow. Hopefully, it will build relationships that will last longer. But you need a "stable address" of sorts where your friends / followers / customers can find you and reconnect. In my opinion, any profile on a social network, as valuable as it may be, is not good enough for that role.
    Posted by Alex Bucataru

  55. Victoria Scott says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    As a marketing consultant it may be seen as completely mad not to have a web site – there is method in my madness. My business has been running very successfully with only a holding page – I drive business through networking and public speaking, If people want to find me they can through SN and my website means they have to call me to make contact if they don't have a card. Once they are on the phone a meeting can follow – a far better way to be judged than through a website beauty parade!
    Posted by Victoria Scott

  56. Guillaume Gruet says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Content Wrangler Community
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    So many easy way to create websites today…
    but the most important thing is your global presence in the web:
    – here for network
    – youtube, issue, slideshare for presentation
    – marketplace if you sale stuff
    etc.
    The idea is you have to go where people go, the website problem is you need people come to you… and it's very difficult 😉
    Posted by Guillaume Gruet

  57. Matthew Rinkerman says:

    Great Discussion, I am opening a new Wine Shop in Orlando this Fall. A head of this I started a Facebook Fan Page to start the conversation with both friends and prospective consumers, now the page has over 100 Fans and through Linkin networking I added 170 new contacts and some really Great discussions.
    My website is Ecommerce and will incorporate a blog. As I  looked at the comments I would like to add this. For any small business a website is a necessity but you should consider using a Blog as your site as it is lower cost and easier to maintain and it helps with SEO.  It can be customize to have a Great look as well.

  58. Jane Stephenson says:

     

    LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media For The Clueless
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I have read on other discussions that a website gives the impression of a legitimacy, that the lack of a business website makes a company seem less professional and less trustworthy. I also know it does not cost thousands of dollars to set up a website, and in fact, a basic website supplemented by web presence on social media channels will funnel web traffic and generate more sales leads.
    Whether this is true or not would have to be put to the test!


    Hi Steven,
    It certainly seems that Micheals article follows the WSJ article closely but it is not a case of cutting and pasting text so is it plagiarism? After all imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
    There are so many great articles out there to read and digest, its often difficult when writing to separate my own ideas from something I read a while back. I did consiously take an article from another site and turn it into a series of articles for my own blog recently, but I credited the original author in each of my posts.

    I dare say that if you read other posts on my blog, you may find that there are ideas there very much in line with other writers…… so I'm taking a risk in inviting you to do so!
    Posted by Jane Stephenson

    • Michael Cohn says:

      Jane,

      Thank you for your comment.

      Indeed we conducted tests for the last 3 years with our web presence and our clients and we found out that when supplementing a business website with a social media web presence (combination of a blog and scheduled article syndication to social media channels), we increased the traffic to the overall web presence by 10X-20X.

      This brought us to the conclusion that for new businesses or for businesses that their current website did not meet it’s goal, we recommend to build a website/blog using a CMS platform such as WordPress or similar.

      With a traditional business website the entry point to your web presence is the Home page and perhaps some additional landing pages. With a web presence built using a CMS platform, each article is an entry point to your web presence and you need to guide the visitors to where you want them to go using call-to-action statements.

  59. Jane Stephenson says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media For The Clueless
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Thanks for the information – I'm pleased your research found this as I had exactly the same feeling! I have at the moment a traditional website – but am using wordpress to build my new one which will go live shortly – I find wordpress very user friendly, which is why I think its no longer necessary to spend thousands of dollars (or in my case Euro's) for a decent website that does the work its supposed to do.
    Posted by Jane Stephenson

  60. Ramon Bello says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Hi Michael, facebook pages today provide a low-cost to traditional website. Besides, I agree with current research findings that "people on facebook like to stay on facebook". Pages provide that plus the ease of set-up and sustaining content through its tools and linking abilities. Just my two cents.. kind regards.
    Posted by Ramon Bello

  61. Judson Vaughn says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    These are great comments. Bottom line is that your next prospect is going to Google you to find out if you are legit. Does a FB page do what you want to do? What about Yelp comments? Will that be effective? I agree that every company doesn't need a $60,000 site but I like Victoria's attitude. She is pushing a holding page — or I would call it a one-page web site or landing page — where a customer can find out who you are and how to work with you. The more interactive that is, the better, in my view.
    Posted by Judson Vaughn

  62. Danielle Adams says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Another really great tool is Patch.com! You can claim your page online (especially important if you have a brick and mortar location that you need to create awareness of) and the Patch is free. Once you claim your location within your town, you can post community events, photos, and ask for customer testimonials. Additional advertising is available at a cost, so remember to be kind and not post any promotional bits! Befriend your local editor and make the connection work for you. Requires very little "maintenance."
    Posted by Danielle Adams

  63. Das M says:

    I agree with what you have written. I have a website that I designed. I have not tried to get traffic yet. I am semi retired and picky about the projects I get involved in. User oriented design is often the opposite of offshore design work. I like to deal with a limited number of clients who appreciate pre considered design.
     
    Das M

  64. Lori Bivona says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Danielle, good idea! I'm with Patch.com….claiming your listing is a fantastic idea! A website through us is a must have because it is like having a salesperson that promotes your business that works 24\7 and never takes vacation or needs benefits! Patch has a lot to offer small business with the value of local exposure to a demographic of women age 30-55 with children!
    Posted by Lori Bivona

  65. Orestis Matsoukas says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: AOL Small Business
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Nowadays, it is possible to create amazing microsites on Facebook.
    There are several great tools to use on market.
    I have create some of my clients.

    No matter that, I would sugest a simple intergrating with socila media website as a core.

    Regarding blogs, just a blog seems cheapskaty by my opinion.
    Posted by Orestis Matsoukas

  66. Lauren Barraco says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    Lets face it. Were a technology-based culture, and we will continue to move in the direction of the internet. But the truth in establishing a web presence is dependent on the type of business. As Shaun, Suzen, & Jack said, creating accounts on social media websites & "business listings" sites like Yelp and Google places are extremely beneficial for brick and mortar type businesses looking to create web presence, and I couldn't agree more!

    But in the case of an e-commerce company (which obviously needs a website or online medium for currency exchange) and a service-based business that doesn't necessarily have a business location, the options are more limited. In either case, your best bet is to take full advantage of your social media accounts, along with exploring alternatives to a fully-functional website.

    For example, you can create a free blog at WordPress and search their inventory of free and cost-based themes to tailor it to your business needs. Once your "blog" has been customized and is complete, you can link your blog to social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) as well as online payment processors (PayPal, Authorize.net, etc.) to generate a multilateral presence for your business.
    Posted by Lauren Barraco

  67. John Ruffi says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    I have a new client who has a line of hundreds of great quality products, and already has a modest but well established market share. Most of their current customers are not aware of most of their products. The best options for making this information freely available while using the least amount of man-hours to do it is through printed materials and website pages. For that kind of business I'd say a website is indispensable. And for my business too. In fact, I have a few websites. I pay a lot less to keep them than I do to keep my phone number.

    As for other kinds of businesses, I'd imagine there are many who can get by without one. The question is, why? At a time when the internet has pretty much replaced the yellow pages (and we all remember how much that costed), why not have a website as well and augment one's web presence?
    Posted by John Ruffi

  68. Darien Canepa says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Guerrilla Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
    Discussion: Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website

    These days i think it's necessary to have a website, you just need to be clear on what you want or what you expect from the website. Sometimes, more important that the website is the content.

    There are many designers around and you can get lots of quotes, however you need to know what you want. I would suggest to have a look at your competitors, see what they have, how you want to position your business in the market.

    You can have a basic website and spend more on advertising on google adwords, build a clientele and then invest in a new website or an improved version.

    Hope this helps

    Have g'day
    Posted by Darien Canepa

  69. Clinton says:

    I don't leave a response, however I looked at a few of the responses here Establishing Your Web Presence Without a Website. I do have a few questions for you if it's allright. Is it just me or does it appear like some of the remarks appear like they are left by brain dead individuals? 😛 And, if you are writing at additional sites, I would like to keep up with you. Could you post a list of every one of all your shared pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?