There is no disagreement that the most cost effective way to maximise an Internet business is to have a Page 1 Google search engine listing for the most utilized keywords as they apply to the items or service being sold. There are well used and proven techniques used by the Online Marketing professionals, supported by Google’s own advice, that will lead to higher Search Engine Placement and logic would dictate that an eventual page 1 ranking will be inevitable. Or possibly not.

An skilled and reputable Search engine optimization company will confirm to you that it is not always the situation and the explanation for lower than anticipated Search Engine Placement are not always straightforward to pick out or indeed rectify.

The basic principles of Online Marketing are well known (although not always well practiced) in that there are several on page and off page criteria that the Google robots are programmed to respond to; but if it were merely as easy as that then a hard working website optimization company would simply have to follow the received wisdom as far as page creation and keyword placement was concerned, and voila, all clients could expect their website to be on Page 1.

Where this falls down is that although the website design and off-page content will take only you so far (there is no reserviation that, as a minimum a successful website should be wholly optimized in this respect); it is the organic development of the site that ensures the progression of the site through the Google pages towards the hallowed page 1 listing.

Natural development depends on a number of criteria, first, understanding buyer activities and there the most effective keywords used when potential buyers are searching for your items or service. Secondly, creating content that accurately and effectively supports that keyword, thirdly providing that content throughout the Internet via the most efficient delivery means (whether that be a third party content site or straight onto sites and blogs valued highly by Google).

The fourth and arguably the most crucial criteria is that the quality and delivery of that content, is better than your competitors especially if you are a Search engine optimization company seeking to market your services for example, where clearly the competition for the Page 1 status should be the most fierce.

How though, do you ensure that the content is 100% effective? It has to be pertinent, unique and of value to a particular site and also it has to be offered in enough quantity for it to make an impression amongst the millions of Gigabytes of content out there on the web.

Google however doesn’t give all it’s secrets away. There are a number of questions that I have yet to see any concrete answers to, for example, what level of activity and content production provides a place on Page 1 and what definition of quality does Google apply to it algorithms.

The reality of course is that it is a changing question and the answers rely on the quality and activity of the competition – which is impossible to assess.

Considering the present state of the economy and rising unemployment, many of us are turning their thoughts and attention to beginning their own business. Before we had the web, your sole option was to lease or lease a business office or store space, which naturally concerned a serious sum of money before you ever opened your doors for business. Dependent on the personality of your business, it was likely that you’d also need to hire 1 or 2 sales people or other support staff.

Other costs included taxes to get collected on products sold, as well as quarterly tax payments for staff. You could also need to make modifications to your shop to fit your business.

If you plan towards starting internet business on a small budget, plan your work hours around college, your real job, taking care of your children all of the normal conditions of everybody’s’s life. You may simpler handle your sales without hiring a sales staff. While you should be expecting to work unflaggingly to get your online business off the ground, you can keep your common job to make sure that you can cope till your business starts to earn a profit. So it’s obvious that you make the change from worker to online business owner much more simply than you could with a bricks and mortar venture. Let’s take alook at some of the other benefits you can realize with your online business. One. With correct, effective selling techniques, you can sell your products to millions of people.

The brick and mortar shop doesnot have this potential. Two. You can create affiliate relations with other businesses, advertising their related, although not competing, products and so expand your inventory – and revenues through commissions, which can be important, dependent upon the product. Three. Replies to client inquiries are simply automated, enlarging consumer satisfaction, while in a store, you would like the swift, one on one interaction. Four. With an online business, you can gain even more exposure through two-way links, with the extra merit of bumping up your search site positions. The search sites do concentrate on links, both inbound and outgoing.

( be sure to concentrate on links to sites which provide top quality info and products. ) 5. An online business simplifies your accounting, with a definite paper trail of transactions. Six. Keeping in contact with your visitors is almost free.

You don’t wish to encounter the postal costs to the edge that you would in paper mailings.

We all know the misery of a dark, cold, snowy winter morning. Think of the gloomy feeling on being required to scrape ice from the vehicle windows in preparation for being able to drive to work, due to forgetting to have parked it in the garage the previous night.

Once the vehicle is clean and ready to drive, it is on to the wet roads and waiting in traffic, getting really annoyed at the time it takes to get to the office.

At times like this, it passes our mind, how fantasic it would be to have the opportunity to Work From Home, not being required to leave the comfort of the home or be involved in office politics. However, how many of us actually take it further than this, maybe search for Online Jobs, taking our ponderings that one step further?

In fact, with the growth of Internet Business, significantly more people are selecting to Work From Home and in reply to this there are more Online Jobs available to choose from. Some Internet Business web sites actually have a link to career opportunities with them.

If you are currently linking to these web pages then when you apply for a role with that particular Internet Business, you will be in a good position to give reasons why you would be an asset to the business You already know a lot about their industry and can prepare well for interview, after making sure your CV is completely in tune with the role for which you are applying. It would also indicate that you have an interest in the industry so would be an asset to them.

Maybe you would prefer, if you are thinking to Work From Home, to begin your own Internet Business. This could well involve researching the type of Online Jobs which would appeal to you. The areas which are at this time lacking information but which you know you could add insight.

What are your pastimes? What are folk often encouraging you for being really good at? Is there a market for creating an Internet Business and selling your ability? When you are tediously commuting to work, do you wonder whether there is a better way of life out there? Spend a little time considering how you could Work From Home and save yourself around two hours or more of daily commute. Think of the ways in which you could spend this extra free time.

Certainly to set up an Internet Business it would be very time heavy in the early days. Research, building up your web site, ensuring you have registered your company and opened a business bank account. It may seem that the commute was do-able after all, but once the business is in place, people are arriving at your web site and taking pleasure from the service or product you offer, you will realize that the option to Work From Home was a great one. You are your own boss. You state your own hours. It could be it expands allowing you to give other people the opportunity to work for you from their house. Fewer motors on the roads would also benefit the environment, so we could be working with a happier workforce, working in a more environmentally friendly business.

The procedure of due diligence is crucial if you’re looking to buy website business in the future. It has been estimated that up to half of all business deals can crumble apart during this stage, and in the majority of instances, this is due to misrepresentations which occur during the initial discovery period, but sometimes, a deal breaker can also be due to a poor assessment by the potential buyer which leads to a loss of interest.

When you buy an online business enterprise, you’re going to have to deal with a variety of challenges not seen in a “wood and concrete” operation. You’re going to need to focus on the actual structure of the business itself, which will be built around the website and the other online systems which are used, learn everything there is to know about the products and services being offered, become familiar with the customers as well as the staff (particularly the tech individuals), go through the financial documents and any legal problems associated with this kind of online enterprise. When all said and done, you’re the one who has to be satisfied with the marketing initiatives which are under way for the core website, become an expert at generating traffic and search for expansion opportunities on a daily basis. Don’t forget that this is far more than simply a website for sale.

With this kind of online enterprise, marketing is extremely important, but the framework, software and specialized knowledge used to establish the layout of the website are also just as essential. A website is commonly considered to be the “window to the world” for businesses everywhere, and it’s important that you’re pleased with every detail of its construction. You must get the owner to give you a full tour of the website, including the front-end and back-end, understanding the way that customers will interact with it and how transactions are handled. Find out how the website was built, if it was developed internally, who owns the source code if this is applicable, how it is managed. If any of these points are managed by the owner, consider coming to an agreement with them, after any purchase, to be on call for a set span of time in case any issues arise. If the entire process is outsourced, it’s crucial that you speak to the individuals doing this work before agreeing to any kind of deal.

During your initial thought making processes, you should ask yourself whether you are happy to be involved with the ongoing maintenance, coding issues, updates and all elements of website operation or whether you will be outsourcing this. Pay particular attention to how transactions are handled, credit cards processed, security and safety.

When you look at the products or services on offer by the business, consider if there is any type of exclusivity. If not, you may likely face opposition from competitors down the road. Does the business rely on certain suppliers? If so consider whether these are reliable or whether there are any alternative sources of supply available.

Marketing is everything when it comes to an Internet-based operation and you want to get a full understanding for the type of customer that you will have to deal with. Does the business market directly to consumers or to other businesses? You will need to be able to identify the unique selling proposition and the value-added benefit that the operation represents to your customers. Your support structure should be over and above and every element of the business should be aimed at over delivering to the client.

If the business has employees, take time to understand them. For people coming from a traditional corporate environment, this may involve a process of adjustment. Often they will find that the more “creative” types are a little unconventional – will this cause a potential conflict of understanding, loyalty or respect? Be wary if the operation of the business relies heavily on one particular individual or another due to their skills and consider whether you should have a “non-compete” clause of some kind in place? You will definitely need a robust non-compete with the owner!

In addition to your focus on regular financial information and ratios, consider what you might need to do to establish new merchant operations for yourself if need be. A business such as this will process almost all transactions through credit cards or online checks and it is really easy to look at histories and see whether there are any significant charge backs of any kind.

Often the value of a website can be in its domain name. Check to identify the owner of the domain name through one of the registration sites online. You should also check to see where the site is hosted and how easy it would be to assume any of these agreements. Check on the material published on their website to see whether it is original and not plagiarized in any way.

We said that marketing is everything. Do you have a good “gut feeling” for this type of business yourself? This may be important. Always ask the seller to explain their main marketing initiatives and how they have worked in the past. Make a good note of any marketing programs that did not work so that you do not try them again, at least in that type of form. Tracking and testing is very important in this sphere, so check to see what methods they used.

When you’re evaluating an Internet business, be aware of how radical or unusual it may be. Is there any possibility that regulation will be introduced in future to significantly affect its very existence? Remember that this has happened in the past, and you don’t want to be the proud owner of a new business who faces such a threat in the short term.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His inspiring materials, seminars and consulting have assisted thousands of business buyers with achieving their life long dream to buy a business.

The process of due diligence is essential when looking to buy website business enterprise. It is estimated that up to 50% of all deals can fall apart during this process and this is most often due to some misrepresentations during the initial discovery, but can also often be due to an inadequate assessment by the buyer, leading to cold feet.

When you buy an online business enterprise, you’re going to have to deal with a variety of challenges not seen in a “wood and concrete” operation. You will need to focus on the very composition of the business itself, which will be structured around the website and technology used, understand the products and services being sold, get to know who the customers are as well as the employees (especially the tech people), go through the financials and any legal issues associated with this type of business. When all said and done, you’re the one who has to be satisfied with the marketing initiatives which are under way for the core website, become an expert at generating traffic and search for expansion opportunities on a daily basis. Remember that this is much more than just a website for sale.

With an online venture, marketing is highly important, but the technology and software used to determine the composition of the website are equally so. The website is the “window on the world” for this business, and you need to be happy with the way it has been constructed. Before you even think about buying anything, you need to have the current owner show you around, giving you a complete tour of the website, including the front end systems and the back end console, while explaining in detail the way customers interact with the website and how transactions are dealt with. Find out how the website was built, if it was developed internally, who owns the source code if this is applicable, how it is managed. If any of these points are managed by the owner, consider coming to an agreement with them, after any purchase, to be on call for a set span of time in case any issues arise. If the entire process is outsourced, it’s crucial that you speak to the individuals doing this work before agreeing to any kind of deal.

During your initial thought making processes, you should ask yourself whether you are happy to be involved with the ongoing maintenance, coding issues, updates and all elements of website operation or whether you will be outsourcing this. Pay particular attention to how transactions are handled, credit cards processed, security and safety.

When you look at the products or services on offer by the business, consider if there is any type of exclusivity. If not, you may likely face opposition from competitors down the road. Does the business rely on certain suppliers? If so consider whether these are reliable or whether there are any alternative sources of supply available.

Marketing is everything when it comes to an Internet-based operation and you want to get a full understanding for the type of customer that you will have to deal with. Does the business market directly to consumers or to other businesses? You will need to be able to identify the unique selling proposition and the value-added benefit that the operation represents to your customers. Your support structure should be over and above and every element of the business should be aimed at over delivering to the client.

If the business has employees, take time to understand them. For people coming from a traditional corporate environment, this may involve a process of adjustment. Often they will find that the more “creative” types are a little unconventional – will this cause a potential conflict of understanding, loyalty or respect? Be wary if the operation of the business relies heavily on one particular individual or another due to their skills and consider whether you should have a “non-compete” clause of some kind in place? You will definitely need a robust non-compete with the owner!

In addition to your focus on regular financial information and ratios, consider what you might need to do to establish new merchant operations for yourself if need be. A business such as this will process almost all transactions through credit cards or online checks and it is really easy to look at histories and see whether there are any significant charge backs of any kind.

Often the value of a website can be in its domain name. Check to identify the owner of the domain name through one of the registration sites online. You should also check to see where the site is hosted and how easy it would be to assume any of these agreements. Check on the material published on their website to see whether it is original and not plagiarized in any way.

We said that marketing is everything. Do you have a good “gut feeling” for this type of business yourself? This may be important. Always ask the seller to explain their main marketing initiatives and how they have worked in the past. Make a good note of any marketing programs that did not work so that you do not try them again, at least in that type of form. Tracking and testing is very important in this sphere, so check to see what methods they used.

When you’re evaluating an Internet business, be aware of how radical or unusual it may be. Is there any possibility that regulation will be introduced in future to significantly affect its very existence? Remember that this has happened in the past, and you don’t want to be the proud owner of a new business who faces such a threat in the short term.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His inspiring materials, seminars and consulting have assisted thousands of business buyers with achieving their life long dream to buy a business.

The procedure of due diligence is crucial if you’re looking to buy website business in the future. It is estimated that up to 50% of all deals can fall apart during this process and this is most often due to some misrepresentations during the initial discovery, but can also often be due to an inadequate assessment by the buyer, leading to cold feet.

When you buy an online business enterprise, you’re going to have to deal with a variety of challenges not seen in a “wood and concrete” operation. You will need to focus on the very composition of the business itself, which will be structured around the website and technology used, understand the products and services being sold, get to know who the customers are as well as the employees (especially the tech people), go through the financials and any legal issues associated with this type of business. When all this is done you must be happy with the marketing initiatives associated with the core website, understand how traffic is generated and look at the growth opportunities. Remember that this is much more than just a website for sale.

With an online venture, marketing is highly important, but the technology and software used to determine the composition of the website are equally so. A website is commonly considered to be the “window to the world” for businesses everywhere, and it’s important that you’re pleased with every detail of its construction. You must get the owner to give you a full tour of the website, including the front-end and back-end, understanding the way that customers will interact with it and how transactions are handled. Make a point of finding out how the website was put together, whether it was created internally or by someone else, who manages the coding, backups, hosting or the physical server itself. If any of these points are managed by the owner, consider coming to an agreement with them, after any purchase, to be on call for a set span of time in case any issues arise. If the entire process is outsourced, it’s crucial that you speak to the individuals doing this work before agreeing to any kind of deal.

During your initial thought making processes, you should ask yourself whether you are happy to be involved with the ongoing maintenance, coding issues, updates and all elements of website operation or whether you will be outsourcing this. Pay particular attention to how transactions are handled, credit cards processed, security and safety.

When you look at the products or services on offer by the business, consider if there is any type of exclusivity. If not, you may likely face opposition from competitors down the road. Does the business rely on certain suppliers? If so consider whether these are reliable or whether there are any alternative sources of supply available.

Marketing is everything when it comes to an Internet-based operation and you want to get a full understanding for the type of customer that you will have to deal with. Does the business market directly to consumers or to other businesses? You will need to be able to identify the unique selling proposition and the value-added benefit that the operation represents to your customers. Your support structure should be over and above and every element of the business should be aimed at over delivering to the client.

If the business has employees, take time to understand them. For people coming from a traditional corporate environment, this may involve a process of adjustment. Often they will find that the more “creative” types are a little unconventional – will this cause a potential conflict of understanding, loyalty or respect? Be wary if the operation of the business relies heavily on one particular individual or another due to their skills and consider whether you should have a “non-compete” clause of some kind in place? You will definitely need a robust non-compete with the owner!

In addition to your focus on regular financial information and ratios, consider what you might need to do to establish new merchant operations for yourself if need be. A business such as this will process almost all transactions through credit cards or online checks and it is really easy to look at histories and see whether there are any significant charge backs of any kind.

Often the value of a website can be in its domain name. Check to identify the owner of the domain name through one of the registration sites online. You should also check to see where the site is hosted and how easy it would be to assume any of these agreements. Check on the material published on their website to see whether it is original and not plagiarized in any way.

We said that marketing is everything. Do you have a good “gut feeling” for this type of business yourself? This may be important. Always ask the seller to explain their main marketing initiatives and how they have worked in the past. Make a good note of any marketing programs that did not work so that you do not try them again, at least in that type of form. Tracking and testing is very important in this sphere, so check to see what methods they used.

When you’re evaluating an Internet business, be aware of how radical or unusual it may be. Is there any possibility that regulation will be introduced in future to significantly affect its very existence? Remember that this has happened in the past, and you don’t want to be the proud owner of a new business who faces such a threat in the short term.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His inspiring materials, seminars and consulting have assisted thousands of business buyers with achieving their life long dream to buy a business.

There has been much in the press over recent months about Mr Murdoch being in dispute with search engine companies such as Google, for accessing his newspapers with no recompense to the publishing group. Because of this he has concluded that he will sell the rights to access his newspapers to search engine companies and other search engine companies, who do not pay, will be unable to direct traffic to them.

Any other Internet Business who uses the services of a search engine optimization (seo) firm will probably be wondering what effect this will have on their business. In truth it should make a relatively small difference. When a site is optimized correctly it should appear in which ever search engine the end user picks, so whether that is Yahoo!, Bing, Google or any other search engine, their web site should still appear.

Ensuring that a reputable search engine optimization firm was selected to carry out the work at the beginning should mean that any Online Jobs for which your firm was visible to one search engine will work with any one. It could also mean that your web site actually appears higher in a few search engine results, if these search engines no longer display some other similar Internet Business options.

As many search engine optimization companies involve folk who Work From Home, it can be a relatively inexpensive way of marketing your Internet Business as there are no expensive office overheads to account for. Most of the work involved in optimizing search engine placement involves Online Jobs, so it is not necessary to have specialized premises. Staff can work independently of one another in a larger search engine optimization firm, or indeed individuals can set up their own search engine optimization firm and Work From Home.

In times of uncertainty and cash flow difficulties for many companies, the decision to market their firm in a profitable way, with low outlay, can only be considered as a good thing. Checking out different search engine optimization companies to see what payment plan best fits the requirements of your company is a good idea.

There are three main types of payment plan for seo work.

1. Pay upfront charge. This way you will pay to have your Internet Business web site optimized, for a fixed fee. Regardless of where your firm’s site appears following optimization, providing it is higher in the results than it was before optimization, your site is now optimized and the fee is payable.

2. Pay per click. As the name indicates, each time somebody clicks on your web site, there is a charge to pay to the search engine optimization firm.

3. Page 1 fee. An amount is paid for each week that any key word shows on Page 1 of a search result. This way your cost is results-driven. If your business web site does not show on Page 1, there is no fee. It is therefore in the interest of the search engine optimization firm to ensure that you are on Page 1 and in being at the top of the results your business is likely to get many more hits.

I would say, therefore, that in spite of whether or not some of the larger firms do decide to charge search engine companies to access their information, it should not have a negative effect on other firms who rely on search engine results for their work.

If you have decided to start your very own business then congratulations. You are about to do something that many people would not even dare to try! So let’s say you are ready to do it. You have employees in mind, you have everything ready to go. There is just one thing you are missing, and it is the most vital part of the entire process. You need to find start-up funding.

Of course, getting business start-up funding is the most difficult part of starting a new business, whether it be a physical one or an internet business. With today’s unstable economy, new business entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to get the business start-up funding they need. Even in a booming economy, new companies usually struggle to find investors.

Never fear new business men and women … there is some good news! Below are several beneficial options available to get the business start-up funding you need:

The Self Approach
You could very well be one of your most important assets when it comes to your business. You have many options available from your life insurance policy, to property, even credit cards. There are a number of ways that you can finance your own business, but remember to be very careful, as a mistake can prove to be quite deadly.

All in the Family.
Asking family and friends for financial assistance is an easy way to raise business start-up funding rather quickly. You may feel awkward about asking for a loan, but the reason you need the money is an opportunity – not an obligation. Often times, family and friends are extremely enthusiastic about the idea and would love to lend you money – and support!

Thinking Outside the Box
Angel investors are another good way, as they can offer larger amounts of money. Just remember that you need to give the Angel investor some ownership in your company as well as stock options. Usually they will want a large return on their investment. It is up to you to decide whether or not this is feasible for your company.

Take it To The Bank
If you have the credit, then you can always apply for a loan from the bank. You will of course need to provide them with your business plan, as well as a mission statement for your company. Remember to include financial predictions to show that you will be able to repay the loan over time.

There’s No Business Like … Your Own Business!
So many people dream of owning their own business. It takes guts, determination and prayers – not to mention good business sense. With that, let’s hope your business dreams all come true – and your bottom line lives happily ever after. To learn more, get Rich Schefren’s Business Growth System.

The process of due diligence is essential when looking to buy website business enterprise. It has been estimated that up to half of all business deals can crumble apart during this stage, and in the majority of instances, this is due to misrepresentations which occur during the initial discovery period, but sometimes, a deal breaker can also be due to a poor assessment by the potential buyer which leads to a loss of interest.

When you purchase an online business, you may face particular challenges not seen in a “bricks and mortar” operation. You’re going to need to focus on the actual structure of the business itself, which will be built around the website and the other online systems which are used, learn everything there is to know about the products and services being offered, become familiar with the customers as well as the staff (particularly the tech individuals), go through the financial documents and any legal problems associated with this kind of online enterprise. When all said and done, you’re the one who has to be satisfied with the marketing initiatives which are under way for the core website, become an expert at generating traffic and search for expansion opportunities on a daily basis. Remember that this is much more than just a website for sale.

With this kind of online enterprise, marketing is extremely important, but the framework, software and specialized knowledge used to establish the layout of the website are also just as essential. A website is commonly considered to be the “window to the world” for businesses everywhere, and it’s important that you’re pleased with every detail of its construction. Before you even think about buying anything, you need to have the current owner show you around, giving you a complete tour of the website, including the front end systems and the back end console, while explaining in detail the way customers interact with the website and how transactions are dealt with. Make a point of finding out how the website was put together, whether it was created internally or by someone else, who manages the coding, backups, hosting or the physical server itself. If any of this process is controlled by the owner, consider an agreement with him or her, following any purchase, to be available for a certain period of time in case of questions and especially of emergencies. If the entire process is outsourced, it’s crucial that you speak to the individuals doing this work before agreeing to any kind of deal.

During your initial thought making processes, you should ask yourself whether you are happy to be involved with the ongoing maintenance, coding issues, updates and all elements of website operation or whether you will be outsourcing this. Pay particular attention to how transactions are handled, credit cards processed, security and safety.

When you look at the products or services on offer by the business, consider if there is any type of exclusivity. If not, you may likely face opposition from competitors down the road. Does the business rely on certain suppliers? If so consider whether these are reliable or whether there are any alternative sources of supply available.

Marketing is everything when it comes to an Internet-based operation and you want to get a full understanding for the type of customer that you will have to deal with. Does the business market directly to consumers or to other businesses? You will need to be able to identify the unique selling proposition and the value-added benefit that the operation represents to your customers. Your support structure should be over and above and every element of the business should be aimed at over delivering to the client.

If the business has employees, take time to understand them. For people coming from a traditional corporate environment, this may involve a process of adjustment. Often they will find that the more “creative” types are a little unconventional – will this cause a potential conflict of understanding, loyalty or respect? Be wary if the operation of the business relies heavily on one particular individual or another due to their skills and consider whether you should have a “non-compete” clause of some kind in place? You will definitely need a robust non-compete with the owner!

In addition to your focus on regular financial information and ratios, consider what you might need to do to establish new merchant operations for yourself if need be. A business such as this will process almost all transactions through credit cards or online checks and it is really easy to look at histories and see whether there are any significant charge backs of any kind.

Often the value of a website can be in its domain name. Check to identify the owner of the domain name through one of the registration sites online. You should also check to see where the site is hosted and how easy it would be to assume any of these agreements. Check on the material published on their website to see whether it is original and not plagiarized in any way.

We said that marketing is everything. Do you have a good “gut feeling” for this type of business yourself? This may be important. Always ask the seller to explain their main marketing initiatives and how they have worked in the past. Make a good note of any marketing programs that did not work so that you do not try them again, at least in that type of form. Tracking and testing is very important in this sphere, so check to see what methods they used.

When you’re evaluating an Internet business, be aware of how radical or unusual it may be. Is there any possibility that regulation will be introduced in future to significantly affect its very existence? Remember that this has happened in the past, and you don’t want to be the proud owner of a new business who faces such a threat in the short term.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His inspiring materials, seminars and consulting have assisted thousands of business buyers with achieving their life long dream to buy a business.

The media would have us believe that the web is the new marketplace, Online Marketing businesses and sellers of Search Engine Placement services promote on the basis that without a web presence that is optimised and located on page one of all search engine initial pages there is very little point in being in business. There is of course an alternative idea, and one that is based on putting website marketing into an overall approach and using a competent Website Optimization Company to enhance traditional sales methods.

I can visualise at this point the Online Marketing providers would ask, what is the point in being on the web if no-one knows you’re there? True enough, but then my argument is that there are traditional sales techniques that will improve your company’s visibility on the Internet and feed Internet business whilst making sure that the invoice from your chosen Website Optimization Company is at the lowest.

Indicative trading info for the UK this Christmas period (2009) show that less than Ten percent of all retail sales were made online. What makes this result even more unanticipated is that there were a number of things that should have made the Internet a much more attractive option. The UK was in the midst of the worst cold snap for 30 years and also still in the depths of a downturn. Additionally, there has never been more quality internet businesses available and uncertainty caused by the postal strikes had been overcome by the majority of web based traders.

So why are the Internet trading stats not a much more considerable percentage of the retails sales figures just published?

There are some products that sell well on the Internet and there are those that do not. Electrical and digital offering (films, music etc) plus hardware and gadgets sell well. The vast majority of items do not – food, clothing etc. I would even argue that no matter what you lay out in Search Engine Placement the vast majority of services ( as opposed to products) do not sell well.

Why is it so? With website design processes which offer interactivity and visual experiences developing all the time one would expect any offer to sell. Not the case. It comes down to habits and human nature. The practice of browsing in the real world and buying in the virtual is as common as ever ( although interestingly not as well publicised as it used to be), buyer behaviour hasn’t changed for centuries and the vast majority of retail sales are made by women (genetically designed to browse, touch and feel before making a decision). The Internet shopping experience simply isn’t satisfying enough for us.

Is the answer therefore, for those goods and services (which are in the majority), a high street marketplace position? With traditional brand development through promotion and a website that supports the high street. As the brand develops then organic searching requirements will become minimal (I suspect very few people type in “trains to London on the West Coast” now that Virgin Rail is so well known).

Get a spot on the high street I say.