Since the official start of the recession in January 2009, it has been near impossible to avoid the doom and gloom caused by its fallout. Every aspect of our lives has, in one way or another, been affected by the downturn; with mass redundancies and business failures becoming all too familiar in the headlines.

The fact is, to compete in today’s ever-challenging economic climate, businesses must look for every way possible to reach their target audience, and getting online is one effective way to do that.

By selling over the Internet, businesses open themselves up to a whole host of sales and marketing opportunities which would have never been possible before the dawn of the cyber age.

These include instant exposure within their industry, better contact with a global market, access to a significantly wider audience and improved customer relationships.

Small and medium-sized businesses are also able to compete with those much bigger than themselves. In the online world, if your ‘shop front’ (website) looks the part, then the fact that you are not a multi-million pound organisation is not obvious.

Over the past year the number of websites worldwide has reached 109.5 million. In the UK, more than 70 per cent of households now have access to the Internet.

Add that to Business Link’s latest figures, which show that in 2009 UK consumers spent an estimated £38bn online — 12 per cent more than in 2008 — and you will see the online and e-commerce industries are booming.

So really there has not been a better time to get a business online. So why are some businesses still reluctant to take the plunge and develop a website?

For many it is fear that the processes of developing a website and putting it live on the Internet will prove too complicated and technical.

Fortunately, it does not have to be as scary as many self-confessed technophobes believe.

n Think of an original domain name that reflects your business or project (www.yourdomain.co.uk/com/net/etc), then register it. You can find accredited domain registrars at www.nominet.org.uk.

n Decide whether you are going to build your site yourself, or if you are going to use a web design agency. If you choose a web design agency, always check out their portfolios and ask a few of their previous clients for a reference.

n If you are building your own site you need to find a suitable web hosting package that meets the needs of your business. This is required to build your website and to get it online. A great way of ensuring you pick a good web hosting company is to check out their online customer reviews — try www.reviewcentre.com n Ensure your content and design works well — think about who your audience is, what they are looking for and how your pages can be best presented and structured to reflect that.

n Use keywords in your text. Think about the words or phrases that are specific to the products or services you are selling and target these in your web content, headlines, sub headings, metatags and page titles. This will help improve your search engine rankings.

n Make sure your site is easy to navigate. A simple, easy-to-use site will attract and retain more visitors than a busy, complicated one.

n Regularly update your content. A site that is updated regularly gives visitors the impression of a serious, professional and growing business.

n Think about advertising your site. Look into pay-per-click campaigns, backlinks and banner adverts on websites related to your business.

n Use effective PR — write press releases, give interviews and offer to comment on any articles related to the business you are in.

One business which has seen its custom improve as a result of getting online is Eynsham-based chiropractor Alan Craft.

He has been trading in the Witney area for over 13 years and has built up a solid local customer base. However, when the recession loomed he knew that to guarantee his business survival, he had to reach a wider audience across Oxfordshire.

So he built a simple, targeted website (www.eynshamchiro.co.uk) which went live in 2008 and the results have been impressive.

He said: “In the two years since my website went live, my business has increased by 20 per cent. I’m now attracting customers from all over Oxfordshire and my conversion rate from Internet enquiry to appointment has reached an impressive 90 per cent.

“This proves that my site, although small and basic, is a great sales tool. The use of a news page has kept my patients aware of any updates at my clinic and encourages them to rebook regularly.”

o Contact: Lynsey Sterrey, Storm Internet, 0844 736 6171.

Web: www.storminternet.co.uk