Get Online: Process Overview

August 1, 2012 By Julie Norris Leave a Comment

I imagine that many individuals and small businesses know that they should have a presence online, but are unsure of the overall process and how to proceed. I’ve started a blog post series that will walk you through the process, in the order that will make it run more smoothly.

There are several main phases and details for each phase. I’ll list them here along with links to specific posts as they are written. If it isn’t a link, it’s in the process of being written. In the meantime, you can see the general process and timeline for setup.

Phase 1: Set Up Infrastructure

This phase requires much research. It’s worth all the time you put into it. Decisions made in this phase affect everything else. It’s the foundation and should be set up carefully.

Get Online: Select a Webhost

Get Online: Naming Considerations

Get Online: Email Configuration Options

Phase 2: Create Social Accounts

You can start setting up your presence while your website is in development. There’s no need to wait. In fact, because your online presence takes time to build, it’s best to get started as soon as possible. Definitely review the Naming Considerations post before setting everything up. You really should consider all the social platforms as much as you can right from the start.

Components of an Online Presence

Phase 3: Create Website

This will likely take the most time. While you may hear periodically that blogs are becoming less important, they’re still a critical piece of your online presence. That’s because you “own” that more than any other platform. Blogs are also often referred to as the “hub” of your online presence; all social accounts can point people back to your site. It also provides a way to potentially generate more income. Plus audiences are more likely to look for a site for you, I think.

Get Online: Website Options

Get Online: WordPress

Phase 4: Manage Online Presence

Once everything is set up, the real work begins. You need to maintain your presence and update as frequently as possible. You also have to monitor it to make sure it remains a positive reflection of your own or your company’s reputation. Here are some posts that may help you with your planning and determining a strategy.

Maximizing Time and Effort in Managing Social Media

7 Critical Factors for Determining a Twitter Strategy

How to Reuse Your Content in Social Media

Content Strategy for Blogs and Social

The Art of the Tweet

I may add or change topics as I go, but these are some basics.

Content Strategy for Blogs and Social

Get Online: Select a Webhost

Get Online: Email Configuration Options