Research Uncovers The Secret Formula

Some of you might say: "Why do I need to do any research? Am I not going to be talking about what I already know best? Besides, I am only going to run a small, home based, web business after all, right?"

Wrong! You see the keyword here is: business. If your intentions were to create a web site just for fun or prestige, I would agree with you (partially).

A business is serious business. There is much more to it than meets the eye in enduring success.

Let me first state the problem at hand, then I will tell you about a solution with high potential.

Your success is at stake.

If you intend to build a small, but thriving web business, then you will have to do a fair amount of research. It is unavoidable. The fact that you will operate from home does not make your business venture any less important.

You cannot build a business, any business, haphazardly. In fact, the smaller you are, the craftier you must be, just to survive, let alone prosper! It's one basic law of nature.

You must have a plan, find a niche that you are comfortable with, and research every aspect of it to ensure the success of your endeavor.

It's well worth the effort!

Once you have your web site up and running with the first few pages, your ongoing research will become somewhat less demanding, but will still have to be sustained.

Your success is guaranteed if you can pull your web site up into the top 3% to 1% … and if you can keep it there. Constant, well planned exploration and analysis will help you make it.

Oh! By the way, yes it can indeed be done. When the content of your web site is made up of at least 20 keyword-focused, properly researched pages of helpful information, a web site can climb in the top 10% to 5 % … within the first three months of existence. You will have to keep adding pages of quality content to rise in the top 1% and stay there.

Each stage is a special case.

The original idea:
you will have to identify what you are most passionate about … that is also suitable as the basis for a web business. The idea will be the central theme of your web site and business. No sense in building a web site around an idea that will never have a chance of becoming profitable. Ideally, the demand for useful information must be there, and there must be a relatively low supply of helpful information available. Your chances of success are best under such circumstances.

The legal issues:
from the name of your web site, to the contents, you will have to keep away from legal trouble. Trademarks, copyrights, brand names, all have to be carefully considered. The idea is to avoid infringing on others' rights, while protecting your own. You should seek proper legal counsel before putting up the first page of your web site on the web. Nevertheless, you should be aware of what the issues are.

The competition:
driving blind is suicidal. You need to know who the competition is and what they offer because you have to know if there is a void to fill … and if it is big enough to be profitable … and if you can (want to) fill the void! There are specific ways of researching this important issue.

The keywords:
you will have to identify the keywords that fit within your theme … for which there is a high demand (popular) … while the supply (competing web sites) is relatively low. High demand, low supply equals potentially high profitability.

The content:
you will have to create helpful, useful content to satisfy your visitor's quest for answers. Each page of your site will have to fit within the theme and help it evolve. Each page must be focused on a given keyword/sub-theme.

Usefulness:
each page of your web site must be written with the visitor in mind. You usually have only one chance of being helpful by providing the useful information and answers your visitors are looking for. Create each page as if it were the only one that counts … because it will be the case.

Search engine suitability:
each page of your web site must be written to be found amongst the billions of pages on the web. Therefore, each page of your web site must have the proper characteristics that search engines look for. If your page passes the test, when visited, then it will be indexed. Web surfers, in turn, will be led to it in their search for information.

Monetization:
you will have to plan how you intend to make money with your web site. There is a vast number of ways to generate income from a web site. You will have to identify the ones that will be most suitable. Over-commercializing is just as bad as under-commercializing. Both can kill a good idea. Your specific research will provide the answers. Then you will have to plan a phased-in introduction of the monetizing options you will have selected.

Pre-selling:
throughout your web site, you will have to find the appropriate arguments to convince (pre-sell) your visitors that you know what you are talking about … and that you know a lot about the problems they are trying to solve by visiting your site. Only then will some of them turn to your solution with confidence. (You cannot win them all). You can find and select the most appropriate arguments through research. You never know enough about your subject.

Monitoring:
you will have to find how to monitor the different parameters of your business, so that you will be able to tell what works, and what does not, and what to do about it. This monitoring is an ongoing activity of business and requires that you have the proper tools to maintain a constant watch on things.

Maintain interest:
your web business, and your target clientele, are both living organisms. Both must constantly be fed the proper food … and affection … not only to remain faithful to one another, but to prosper together. You will be constantly on the lookout for ways to rekindle interest. For example, you will research helpful content to include in your newsletter, or on your web site, and to identify new trends in your field of interest.

Innovate:
through ongoing research in your chosen field of activity, you can identify new demands that the competition will only discover … I hope, after you have cornered most of the market!

As a ship sailing a vast turbulent sea, your radar must always be on and you must monitor it constantly. Unless you hire, and train someone else, you are alone at the helm. Everything must go smoothly as planned, on your watch.

By the way, let me remind you that, in the case of a web business, you do not have to remain physically on duty at all times. The ship runs itself on automatic pilot while you attend to whatever else needs attending to, business related or not.

The tools of the trade

Now your question is: "How do I know what, where and how to research each stage of the game?" There is no short answer to that question. This entire site is intended as a response.

Fortunately, the tools required to do your different, yet specific searches, do exist and are freely available to boot!

The task of researching is time consuming and sometimes complex. However, with the proper tools and directions, it can be a fascinating and rewarding adventure!

I am happy to report that I have found and
thoroughly tested
The "Swiss Knife" Of Web Searching Tools.

Surprisingly, it's free!

• It only uses the most reliable sources of specialized information the Web can offer.
• It is automatically updated in the background.
• It is even supplied with a tutorial to help you get the most out of each specialized search tool of the set.
• You simply cannot undertake any serious research on the Web without it.

Stay tuned!

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