How to build a small-business web site, Part 1: nuts and bolts

As many as half of the small businesses now in operation have no web sites, a figure that should spur more business owners to action, especially in today's economic environment. There are many free and low-cost tools available to help build a functional Web site that helps grow your business.

This is the first installment in a multi-part series on building a Web site for your small business.

When it comes to setting up your web presence, entrepreneurs are surprisingly lax. Depending on who you talk to, about half of small businesses do not have a web site. Most of those will tell you that it's just too complicated, time-consuming and expensive a job to take on. With the availability of free and very low-cost drag and drop Web building tools, however, entrepreneurs have no more excuses for being off-screen.

It's getting harder than ever for all those entrepreneurial types out there to stay ahead of the game. In a world where every penny saved can be a matter of survival, it's good to know that not all parts of running your business have to break your bank account. Take your web site, for example.

Read the rest of the article here