The World Wide Web is a powerful tool for small business success in today’s Internet-saturated world.

According to a Bank of America’s Business 24/7 Magazine article, small-business owners are still hesitant about creating an online presence due to technical concerns.

This article reassures however that no matter the size of a company or its purpose, the value of a web site as a marketing tool is far greater than the cost of creating and maintaining it.

“Bank of America understands that having an online presence is important to the success of small businesses and wants to share best practices on how business owners can take advantage of the convenience and value of the Internet,”Joe Helweg, senior vice president and small-business ecommerce executive at Bank of America.

Here are some tips for building a company web site.

How to Choose a Web-Hosting

Company

Small businesses should choose a reliable and financially sound host when looking for an outside company to host their Web site. The sites of clients will also go down if the servers fail or the company goes under.

Another important aspect to consider is the e-mail package offered by a Web host. Most hosts allow you to have a maximum number of email accounts on your Web site. The more accounts, the better.

It’s important to find out how much bandwidth the site will receive. Hosts that offer small businesses bandwidth should be avoided “unlimited bandwidth”You should instead ask for specific numbers.

Consider Content

Small businesses should make sure their Web site clearly communicates what they do.

An “About Us”Include a section that explains the history and mission of the company, as well as the service or product they offer. It is also important to include contact information for the company.

The Site is being updated

It is a smart idea for small businesses that their Web sites be kept up to date. Even if your company doesn’t experience a lot of changes, it is important to update your Web site every now and again.

Questions to Ask

Here are some additional questions you can ask if you decide to use a Web-hosting firm.

* How much storage space will be provided?

* What is the cost for bandwidth in excess of the allotted amount?

* What level of security will the Web site have?

* Do the provided e-mail accounts have spam filtering?

* What is the guaranteed uptime for the Web site?

Log on to view the complete Bank of America article www.bankofamerica.com/business247.