Use of Internet for Small Business

Using Internet for Your Business: Small Business Websites
Small Businesses Online - Why Do You Need a Website?
Websites can help get more business leads, enhance your credibility and even allow you to complete transactions.
Consumers are increasingly online looking for more information about products and services, to locate service providers, or even to make purchases. Let's look at the numbers:
86% of the consumers surveyed in a recent poll say they have used the Internet to find a local business. (Source: Nielsen//NetRatings Mega Panel poll)
51% of consumers are heavy Internet users and will often research products or services online (Source: Discover Small Business Watch).
49% of consumers are more likely to use a business or a service provider who has a Website (Source: Discover Small Business Watch).

This usage is substantial across both the low and the high value products and services. They could range from services as mundane as finding a handyman or as exciting as planning your next vacation. For instance,
89% percent of consumers say they have researched a restaurant online before dining there. (Source: AIS Media)
More than 9 out of 10 online travel planners said they used the Internet to plan a personal trip (Source: comScore, Inc./The Kelsey Group)
More than 4 out of 5 people use the Web in one way or another during the lending process (Survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association)
So we've established that consumers are looking for products and services online. You can get a site designed and developed. But how do you get visitors to come to your site?
Web Traffic - How to Boost Your Online Traffic?
Given below are the most effective ways of boosting traffic to your Website:
Send your Web address to all your loyal customers. Your customers will forward it to a few people they know and you'll have these folks visiting your Website.
A good idea is to incorporate your Web address next to your business logo wherever possible.
Get yourself listed in Web directories and get a link from the directories to your Website.
Optimize your Website for search on Google, Yahoo! and other search engines.
Paid Search - Invest in paid search where you can pay per each click on your advertisements.
E-Mail Marketing: Get prospects to subscribe to receive e-mail from you. However, avoid spamming.
There are many players who provide Web services to small business owners. One of the providers I found interesting is SmallBizExpress.com. SmallBizExpress.com is focused on enabling small business owners to inexpensively use the Internet for their business.