WebArtNTech Home : About Us : In the News : At Home on the Web


At Home on the Web

A business on the web is just like any other business according to Suzanne Engels. Whether a website is the main selling tool for a company, or part of a larger strategy, it needs the same care, attention, and professionalism as a "brick and mortar" business. Engels, a website designer and information architect consultant, is the guest speaker at a seminar on website design and management hosted by the Marketing Club of the Middlesex/Somerset chapter of NJAWBO (New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners). The seminar, "Design Your eBusiness Marketing Plan," takes place on Tuesday, February 22, at 8:15 a.m. at Arbor Glen in Bridgewater. Cost: $25. Call 732-868-1300.

The workshop focuses on how website content affects marketing, along with options for reaching potential customers on the Internet, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of banner ads, paid search engines such as Google and Yahoo, and other Internet directory listings. The Internet is definitely not one-size-fits-all, and Engels talks about tailoring 'Net marketing to individual business goals and budgets. Everyone attending has an opportunity "to complete a plan, step-by-step, using the handout, the presentation material and class discussion," says Engels. "In just over an hour, you have a realistic plan of action to build your business on the web."

Along with her consulting and web design business, WebArtNTech, Engels holds seminars on website design and marketing throughout New Jersey and is an adjunct professor at the Rothman Institute for Entrepreneurs at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She studied sculpting at the University of Illinois, and graduated with a degree in fine arts.

"When I realized I couldn't make a living at sculpting I went back to school in electronics," she says. She received an AAS degree in digital electronics and an MS in computer science from Boston University. She worked for Bell Labs and then Lucent Technologies for 21 years, first in CAD (computer aided design) and later as a software engineer. When Lucent offered an early retirement package in 2001, Engels took it, and opened her own business, WebArtNTech (www.webartntech.com) in 2002. It is based in East Brunswick.

Engels' niche includes affordability. She says many small business owners come to her after talking to a full service web design company and hearing that it will cost several thousand dollars to get something basic on the web. She says that her background in both art and software makes it possible for her to "offer something that looks professional but doesn't cost a mint."

In addition to her teaching and her work with small businesses, Engels also acts as an information architect consultant for several large corporations. An information architect, she explains, helps to organize and build site strategy for large web sites. "Things have to flow and work together on the site and that gets tricky sometimes," she says. "I visualize what the site will look like and build a model of it before the site is built so that it will all flow together."

Search engine optimization. The most important thing for a small business owner to be aware of is the recent change in search engine strategies, says Engels. "Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is something we're hearing a lot about these days," she says. In the last six to eight months, the large search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, have made major changes to the way in which they search for websites to list. "The smaller search engines obviously will go right along," she says.

"It used to be that the search engines only looked at keywords coded inside the website that the average person didn't see," she explains. While keywords and metatags are still used on websites, they are not relied on as heavily as in the past. Today the search engines are looking at "textual content" of websites to decide on rankings.

To increase your chances of a higher ranking on the search engines you should use identifying names to describe your product or service multiple times in your website, Engels advises. "The number of times the same word or phrase shows up now has a lot to do with the rankings. That didn't used to be true."

While it may seem confusing to many business owners who thought they had just gotten a handle on those tricky keywords, Engels says the new system actually "levels the playing field" for small business websites and makes the websites easier for potential customers to read.

When developing a web page, Engels suggests using keywords and phrases multiple times throughout the site. "The number of times phrases show up has a lot to do with the rankings," she says. "Think about what the person searching for your product will look for. What words would they type into Google if they were looking for your product?" Use those words over and over throughout the site. "Repeat words and phrases much more often than you would in a printed promotional piece for your business."

Primary products. The second tip that Engels suggests for website owners is to focus on their business's primary product or service. Primary products. The second tip that Engels suggests for website owners is to focus on their business's primary product or service. "Because most people have a limited budget, they can't present everything that they sell or every service they can provide on their website," she says.

"Think about 'what do I sell the most of' and feature it prominently on your website," she says. Another method involves deciding which product or service has the highest profit margin. "That's what you want to be featuring, because that's where you'll make your money," she adds. If you have space, you can feature a second or third product, but if not, a list of "other" products, along with instructions on how to contact your company will work.

Defined sales region. The Internet brings small business the ability to market to the world. However, if you only work within a certain region, make sure you state that prominently on your website so that your potential customers can find it. "Make it clear what your target market is," says Engels. "If you only work in one region, make it clear, or if you are able to sell something nationwide, make that clear, too. The person in Chicago wants to know if he can actually buy your product, even though you are in New Jersey."

Well thought-out strategy. One of the best ways to come up with ideas for a website is to take a look at what other companies in your field are doing. Says Engels. "Look at all types of companies, large and small. Decide if you want to look like they do or if you want to look different."

Budget. Websites, says Engels, are one of the most affordable ways for people to get into business. "There are a lot of costs you cut out, and you can still reach a much bigger market," she says. "A small business can now reach the whole country."

-- Karen Hodges Miller