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Ecommerce Articles >> Advantages of E-Commerce to Smaller Companies

What advantages do smaller companies have?

While the advantages of huge corporations, particularly in the area of link popularity, can be difficult to overcome, it is often unnecessary to try. A large percentage of such companies consistently seem to shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to natural search engine optimization, a primary reason

Why small companies can often outperform them. Specific advantages include:

A willingness to pursue the channel- Smaller companies is typically more willing to devote resources to natural search than large corporations. Huge things have to happen for a major corporation to get involved in this �new� channel, a channel far removed from the traditional marketing methodologies used to build the giant. Few corporate underlings want to be the one to put their neck on the line and recommend something completely new and �unproven�. Even when a large corporation looks into natural search engine optimization as a potential marketing tool, it can take many months, and sometimes years, for a final decision to be made.

A willingness to change the company website- Huge corporations face similar problems when it comes to changing to the corporate website. Within such entities, a person can often not get so much as a comma removed from the text of a secondary page without holding several upper-level management meetings and, ultimately, making a board presentation. Smaller, leaner companies are able to approve necessary website changes more quickly, and are almost always more willing to quickly adapt to the needs of both visitors and search engines.

The willingness to outsource- Larger companies have more internal resources at their disposal, and are less likely to outsource this specialized service to someone with proven experience. Often, search engine optimization is treated as an afterthought and dumped on an IT person, who typically has too much to do already and will approach the problem solely from a technical standpoint. Natural search engine optimization is by necessity a combination of marketing and technology. Newcomers to the field (especially those who treat the discipline as strictly a technical issue) often make fundamental mistakes that at best do not get results and at worst put sites at risk of penalization.

A lack of technical hurdles- Huge corporations are more likely to have technical issues on their website that can prevent search engines from indexing all of their pages. Often the pages of corporate websites are generated �on the fly� from large databases, and such pages (without modification to the URLs) are sometimes never indexed. In addition, (although usability studies are making this happen less often), some huge corporations have their sites built entirely in flash or use other technologies that are virtually invisible to search engines.

The Bottom Line: To most huge corporations, search engine optimization is often a very small piece of an enormous puzzle - and it is a piece they have been doing without for years. The necessary steps required to fully embrace the channel are often enough to stop any well-intentioned initiative in its tracks. As most search engine optimization experts will tell you, some of the most egregious search engine mistakes are consistently made by household name companies - leaving their smaller, leaner competitors the opportunity to take full advantage.

Whether it is used as a marketing tool or as an E-Commerce business, Web sites are more than just an addition to the corporate presence. They are a necessity. In many instances, a site can make-or-break a company�s image, especially concerning E-Commerce businesses. Visitors want simple, yet interesting sites with appealing graphics and user interaction. However, if the design is too busy or its pages take too long to download, you will lose potential clients. In other words, you have to be aware of what the public expects from your Web site.

This is why a good Web development team is crucial to your business and Web presence. When establishing a Web development team, many user specific variables must be taken into account. For example, if your business uses its Web site as a marketing tool to present products and services, you may only need a static site that will be updated periodically. Your Web team may consist of a single skilled Web master. Just be careful of putting too much stock in one individual. A long-term absence could be catastrophic to the project. Other sites may require weekly, daily, and in some cases, up-to-the-minute updates requiring round the clock attention. This team may consist of multiple system administrators, Web application programmers, Web masters, and project managers.

For the sake of this article, I am going to discuss a team compiled for a small- to medium-sized E-Commerce company, and I offer this scheme not as a rule, rather as a guide.

Project Manager: The project manager is the key to a successful team. He or she is responsible for more than just the site. They are responsible for the team�s individual members, communication and follow-through. This position does not require specific programming or networking skills, however, a technical background is preferable. The project manager will be representing the team, and must be able to speak intelligently. One of their most important tasks is to gather the requirements of the site and understand the expectations of the client. They must understand the scope of the project to correctly convey the ideas to the team members. Good oral and written communication skills are essential, as are time management and organizational skills. They must possess the ability to lead team members, manage resources and be poised and confident to speak to management and clients regarding the progress of the team. Generally speaking, three to five years of project management experience is a good minimum requirement for this position.

Web Master: A Web master is more than just someone who knows HTML and a few Java scripts. This person must also have good written skills, should be responsible for grammar and spelling, and will work closely with the client and Project Manager to determine the content of the site and layout. Depending on the size of the site, the Web master may also be responsible for graphic design. Knowledge of Flash animation, Adobe Photoshop, as well as VB Scripting is always desirable. Should a designer be available, the Web master should be the liaison to the team. A successful Web master must also be familiar with the operating system, and the internet server applications that run on the server. The two most common OS�s are Windows NT/2000 running Internet Information Server, and Unix running Apache Web Server. A third up-and-comer is the Linux/Apache combination. The required skill set will depend on your environment. An understanding of SQL or another database engine, and how it communicates to the application server is desirable. Three to five years of experience is typical for a qualified Web master.

Application Developer: The Web Applications Developer is responsible for developing server side functionality for Web-based applications. This involves working with all aspects of the server and database. Common internet programming languages include PERL, CGI, ActiveX, ASP, and Java, among others. Experience with IP networks, database development and an understanding of the operating system are essential. They must be able to work with the project manager to analyze and interpret the client requirements and recommend solutions, so strong problem-solving and analytical skills are essential. Depending on the complexity of the applications, your developer should have anywhere from 2-4 years experience.

Systems Administrator: A good SysAdmin can make the difference in a successful site. The site is only good if it can operate in a secure and stable environment. System administrators are generally responsible for building, maintaining and securing the Web, application and database servers in the internet architecture. A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) with a background in Internet Information Server has the appropriate skill set for system administration in a Microsoft environment. If your environment runs on Unix, an individual with firewall and Apache Web server background, along with 4-6 years of network administration experience, should possess the necessary skills to complete any Web team.

Many times, system administration is outsourced. If you are a small company, you may not have the equipment necessary to host your own servers and provide 24/7 reliability. You have to account for backups, UPS, site monitoring, redundancy, server maintenance, security, and overall reliability. Sometimes it is more feasible to contract out to a hosting service like Virtualis or eHost.

Graphic Designer (if available): As I mentioned before, Web masters often have the basics of graphic design. However, if you have the resources, a graphics designer will greatly enhance your Web development team. The designer can assist in the creation of images and other graphical needs of the development project. You should expect a minimum of a four-year degree in fine arts or related field, and least two years of graphical design experience in a Web environment. Additionally, they should be proficient with the latest multimedia tools. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are recognized as the industry standard. Knowledge of layout, composition and color theory as well as experience with HTML is a plus.

Project Management: I spoke earlier that the Project Manager is responsible for managing the team�s activities, especially communication among the team members. A solid plan is critical to accomplishing this task. The plan must be detailed, straightforward, and easy to understand. Regular project updates should occur so the members may interact and discuss various tasks in depth. Keep in mind, just as the project manager must provide the medium to communicate openly, all team members have a responsibility to be actively involved in the project. Most importantly, involve the members in the planning from the beginning. If not, you run the risk of team members not understanding the scope and the required result. A hardcopy of the plan should be readily available to each member, and displayed in an easy to reach area. I recommend Microsoft Project 2000 as an in-depth tool in the creation of the project plan. It allows you to create a calendar, Gantt chart, flow charts, and the ability to track resources, among other valuable utilities. In closing, I want to stress the importance of communication among the members of any project team. Without clear guidance and leadership, project failure is inevitable. Without constant communication, details will be missed and tasks will be incomplete or wrong. In the end, the client will lose potential profits and the team will lose potential clients.

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