Going Online: Getting Started

So you've decided to take a chance with the online world. There are many reasons for people to have a website, blog, video channel, or social networking page.

Perhaps you're an individual with something to say or something to sell. Perhaps you own a local business or a company with the goal of reaching a wider audience and/or client/customer base. Maybe you're with a non-profit organization seeking to promote your noble cause.

Whatever the reason, if it involves reaching more people, then building an online presence is a good idea.

The next question to ask is how to go about it? We're going to assume that you already own a computer.

When it comes to Internet access, we can narrow the options down for you.

While dial-up is generally cheap, it isn't sufficient for today's needs. If you live in the sticks, you can still get high speed Internet.

DSL access has increased for rural areas, and parts of the country side in the United States. If mobile broadband through a provider such as Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or anyone else isn't available in your area, then satellite would be your best option.

If you live in a city, then cable Internet is likely available and would be the most reliable option. If you're fortunate enough to live in an area that has Google Fiber, take advantage of it.

If you're a business or non-profit, check your provider for business oriented options.

With Internet access out of the way, the next decision would be the appropriate venue.

Is web hosting needed? A blog? Social networking page?

For now, focus on paying as little money as possible. If your audience is large enough  then a dedicated website would work wonders.

To answer the question of what's appropriate in terms of starting, it depends on what you're doing.

If you'll be doing a lot of videos, you'll want a streaming video channel. If you'll be doing plenty of writing, you may want to start a blog. If you'll simply be sharing pictures and making announcements, a social networking page would be your best bet.

This isn't to say that doing all the above is a bad idea. However, it's better to focus on one thing and expand over time.

If you can, keep your wallet in your pocket and put away.

At this point, the only money thay should be spent besides ISP subscriptions would be a top level domain name, which will be covered in the next article.

For now, write out what you wish to accomplish online in terms of reaching a wider audience.

When NOT to Set Up Shop Online

So you're thinking about going online and have no idea where to start.  You've come to the right place, but before you dive in, there's something you need to ask yourself.

Do I need to go online or can I do without?

The reason why you need to know the answer to this question is simple.  Though many resources out there don't cost money, using them may cost you your time.  That's why we'll go through some of the possible reasons you may not want to open up shop online.

If your audience is small....

We're not talking 500 or even 100.  Maybe five to 20 tops.  Depending on what you're doing in real life, it may not be necessary to set up a Facebook group or a Google+ community.

This is especially true if the distance between everybody is rather small.

If your business is a small mom and pop shop with limited patrons/clients....

This isn't to say being online would have no benefits for a local business, but if said business is not on a historical land mark, only serves the local community, and only has a small amount of patrons/clients, then having an online presence may not be necessary.

Of course, there are exceptions to this, especially if the business owner wants to help other business owners start a business and improve the quality of products and/or services.

Still, if an online presence won't help your business or non-profit in any way, shape, or form, then it may not be needed.

If you just feel like it.....

It's not a bad thing to want to say something to the world, but it doesn't mean it's always a good idea.  Having a poorly kept presence for any reason can negatively impact job prospects among other things in real life.

This article isn't meant to dissuade anybody from starting a blog, a Facebook fan page, or any other venue online.  Before developing a presence online, ask yourself, "Why do I want to do it?"

Once it becomes clear that it is a good idea for you, then the next step is finding out what venue is appropriate.

Hello World!

Welcome to our official site/blog, where we provide valuable insight into building an online presence.  We'll be providing tips to all our readers as well as some pitfalls to avoid.

For far too long, products promising website traffic results or more money through so called "seo tricks" have been sold to the unsuspecting masses.  Our mission is to save you time and money when it comes to having a larger audience, no matter what it is you're doing.

If you own the following, we can be of assistance:

• A website
• A blog
• A Facebook fan page
• A Google+ page
• A Tumblr page
• Any streaming video channels

If you don't have an online presence, that's ok too.  We're here to help, and as you can see, this site's under construction.

For now, feel free to check us out on Facebook while we add to the site, and tell all your friends about us.