You've always been told that first impressions are important. Having the proper attire, and being prepared for a first time face to face is a priority for any business. In today's digital environment, your first impression on any client is typically your website. Yet a company website is typically the least polished part of a company's image.  

Most startups and small businesses don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on online marketing.  Bootstrapping your website, however, is a cost effective way to present yourself professionally online. Here are my tips to getting an awesome website for $500 or less.  







Tip # 1 Use Facebook 

Facebook offers a free business Page if you have a free personal page too. The platform is standardized, and no coding skills are necessary.  Fans can send you messages, find your company address, and even purchase your products online. 
 If you spend any money at all getting set up, spend it on professional graphics for your cover page and profile photo. Simply upload those graphics and a well written company description, and you are on your way! A slightly more advanced page, which builds in ecommerce features, would let customers make purchases from within Facebook. Once your Facebook page is setup, your company will have a brilliant online presence until you budget for a full blown website.  You can also promote your page to people and help educate your target market on your products.  The Facebook platform is actually offers a wide range of features that are suitable for anyone just starting out online. See examples of Facebook based ecommerce sites here



This is the first part of a two blog series on how to Bootstrap your website. For more information on building a Facebook page for your business, send us a message. 

  Ini Augustine is the CEO of SocialWise Media Group. Follow her on twitter @mrsmadbiz

Last night  SocialWise Media Group CEO Ini Augustine  received an award for being a pioneer in business from the Technology Association of Iowa. In this studio interview, she talks about how social media improves customer service and innovation. Hear her  talk about  the award, and the power using social media for business.