Q 1. Write a detailed note on the credit card payment system and how many parties and involved in this process? Q 2. What is the difference between E-cash, E-money, and E-wallets? Q 3 what are the main challenges faced by developing countries in the implementation of E-business? Q 4 How you will start E-business? explain with your own example. Q 5 Explain the role and importance of Social Media in E-business Q 6 write a note on the planning and designing of a website.

1. Institute of Management Studies
University of Peshawar
E-Business
Q 1. Write a detail note on credit card paymentsystem and how many parties and involvedin this
process?
Major Parties of Credit Card Payment System:
There are five keypartiestoatypical electroniccardtransaction itsauthorizationandsettlementare:
the cardholder, the merchant (business), the acquiring bank (the business’s bank), the issuing bank
(the cardholder’s bank), and the card associations (Visa and MasterCard.)
1. The Cardholder: a cardholder is someone who obtains a bankcard (credit or debit) from a card
issuing bank. They then present that card at a business to pay for goods or services. This is the
person who swipes, dips, or enters credit card information at the start of a transaction.
2. The Merchant: This is the person or company that sells what you’re buying. A merchant is any
businessthatmaintainsa merchantaccount that enablesthemto accept creditor debitcards as
paymentfromcustomers(cardholders)forgoodsorservicesprovided. Whentheyreceivecredit
card information,theysetinmotionthe chain of eventsthat leadto the processingof payment.
All merchantshave a unique identificationnumberthatensuresaccuracy throughoutthe rest of
the process.
3. The Acquirer (Merchant’s Bank): An acquiring bank is a registered member of the card
associations (Visa and MasterCard). An acquiring bank is often referred to as a merchant bank
because they contract with merchants to create and maintain accounts (called merchant
accounts) that allow the business to accept credit and debit cards. Acquiring banks provide
merchantswithequipmentandsoftware toaccept cards and handle customerservice andother
necessaryaspectsinvolvedincardacceptance.The acquiringbankalsodepositsfundsfromcredit
card sales into a merchant’s account.
The merchantpays the acquirer to route paymentcard informationtothe correct partiesand to
ensure thatfundsare depositedintomerchants’accountsonce eachtransactioniscomplete.The
acquirer can do this on a large scale and in near-instantaneous fashion. Acquirers are typically
major banks or financial institutions.
4. The Issuer(CardholderBank):The issuer,alsoknownasthe issuingbank, managescreditordebit
card accountsonbehalf of buyers.The issuingbankisalsoamemberof thecardassociations(Visa
and MasterCard). They approve and extend lines of credit (for credit card accounts), distribute
payment cards, and bill customers for purchases they make.
Issuing banks pay acquiring banks for purchases that their cardholders make. It is then the
cardholder’s responsibility to repay their issuing bank under the terms of their credit card
agreement.
5. The Card Network/Association (Visa and MasterCard): Visa and MasterCard aren’t banks and
theydon’tissue creditcardsormerchantaccounts.Instead,theyactas a custodian i.e. backerfor
member institutions (acquirers and issuers) and their customers and clearinghouse for their
respective card brand.

2. The networksuppliesarecognizablebrand,thatensuresthattransactionsare processedcorrectly,
set guidelines and qualification requirements for member institutions, and mediate disputes
betweenpartiestotransactionsexecutedusingtheirnetworks.Theyalsosetthe interchangefees
charged during payment processing. (Interchange fees compensate the issuer and network for
their respective roles in the electronic payment process. Without them, credit card transactions
wouldbe free,butthe partiesinvolvedwouldhave noincentive toexecute theminthefirstplace.)
The CreditCard PaymentSystem
An overviewof the importantstepstoa successful transaction isdescribedbelow:
1. Authorization: The authorizationprocessconfirmsthatthe buyer has more than enoughfundson
hand, or enough breathing room before hitting their credit limit, to complete a transaction.
This reduces the risk of the merchant handing over goods for which the buyer can’t actually pay.
Authorization unfolds as follows:
I. The customer provides card information to the merchant, whether by swiping or dipping in
person, or providing digits online or over the phone.
II. The merchant’s payment processing terminal electronically sends the card number, transaction
amount, and merchant ID number to the acquirer.
III. The acquirer routes the information to the customer’s issuing bank. This serves as a request to
authorize the transaction for the specified amount.
IV. The issuing bank checks that the customer has adequate funds or credit. It also checks for red
flags,suchas near-simultaneousin-persontransactionsindistantlocations,thatmayindicate the
transaction is fraudulent.
V. If sufficientfundsorcreditare present,andthe transactiondoesnotappeartobe fraudulent,the
issuer sends an authorization code through the network to the acquirer.
VI. The acquirer authorizes the transaction and informs the merchant.
VII. The merchant provides the requested product or service to the customer.
The authorization merely confirms that the customer has enough funds or credit to purchase the
requested product or service. Money doesn’t change hands during this process and won’t until the
funding step.
2. Batching: Once authorization is complete and the merchant hands over the requested goods or
service,the customerhasno furtherrole toplayin the process. Thenthe nextstepin the process i.e.
batching begins:
I. Throughout the business day, the merchant electronically stores payment information for each
authorized transaction. Each day’s set of stored transactions is known as a batch.
II. At the end of the business day, the merchant sends the batch to the acquirer. The acquirer
temporarily holds the batch in its own secure, electronic system. Since acquirers typically have
thousandsof individual merchantclients,theymaystore multiplebatchesaccordingtotheirown
needs and schedules.
3. Clearing:Once the acquirerhasthe merchant’sbatch inhand,the clearingprocesscanbegin. Here
the intermediaries get paid.

3. I. The acquirer sends the batch to the card network or association.
II. The card networkorassociationrequestspaymentforthe transactionfromthe customer’sissuer.
III. The issuerdeductsa transactionfee from the total transactionamount. The transactionfees are
directly tied to interchange fees. The issuer keeps the lion’sshare of this fee and shares a small
amount (effectively, a franchise fee) with the card network.
IV. The issuer routes the net amount through the card network to the acquirer.
4. Funding:The fourthandfinal stepinthe transactionisfunding.Thisisthe partwherethe merchant
receives funding for the transaction.
I. The acquirersubtracts its discountrate from the transactionamount.The discountrate serves as
the acquirer’s payment for its part in the transaction. Like transaction fees, discount fees are
directlytiedtointerchangefees.Theyaccountforasmallerproportionof the transactionamount.
II. The acquirer sends the remainder to the merchant’s business account, and the transaction is
complete from the merchant’s perspective.
III. The issuer sends the customer a bill for every transaction executed during the billing period,
including the transaction in question. It’s the customer’s responsibility to honor the cardholder
agreement and pay the bill.
Thoughthe typical electroniccardtransactionisauthorizedandthe customeroutof the picture within
seconds, the entire four-step process (up to merchant funding) can take several business days to
complete.Of course,itcantake a monthor longerforthe customertoactuallypay the issuing bank.
Q 2. What is the difference between E-cash, E-money, and E-wallets?
E-money
Electronic money refers to money that exists in banking computer systems that may be used to
facilitate electronic transactions. Although its value is backedby fiat currency (which distinguishes it
from cryptocurrencies), and may, therefore, be exchanged into a physical, tangible form.
Electronic money is primarily used for electronic transactions due to the sheer convenience of this
methodology. There are two varieties of each type of e-money:
 Online E-Money: It means you need to interact with the bank to do a transaction with a third
party.
 OfflineE-Money:Offlinemeansyoucandoatransactionwithouthavingtodirectlyinvolveabank.
Offlinedigital cashisthe mostcomplexformofe-money becauseof thedouble-spendingproblem.
E-Cash
It isa digital moneyproductthatprovidesawayto payfor productsand serviceswithoutresortingto
paperor coincurrency.Electronicmoneyispaperlesscash.Thismoneyiseitherstoredonacard itself
or in an account associated with the card. Two models emerged for e-cash transactions:
 The online form of E-cash works for all types of Internet transactions.
 The offline form of e-cash involves a digitally encoded card that replaced paper money.
Like the serial numbersonrealcurrencynotes,the E-cashnumbersare unique.Thisisissuedbyabank
and represents a specified sum of real money. It is anonymous and reusable. E-cash supports small

4. payments.Otheronlinepaymentsystemchargesafee foreverytransactionnomatterhowmuchhigh
or lowitis, but e-cashhasa specificlimitforadditional chargesthat’swhyverylow paymentsare not
charged a fee.
Advantages
 We can transfer funds, purchase stocks, and offer a variety of other services without having to
handle physical cash or cheques
 Electroniccash protects its useragainst theft.Withelectroniccash, the customer doesnot need
to provide financial information
 Anybody can use it, unlike credit cards, and does not require special authorization
 The distance that an electronic transaction must travel does not affect cost.
 The fixed cost of the hardware to handle electronic cash is nearly zero.
Limitations
 Susceptible to forgery as E-cash provides no audit trail. Because true electronic cash is not
traceable, money laundering is a problem.
E-Wallet
E-Walletor Digital Walletisa paymentscheme thatoperates as a carrier of E-Cash.It allowsusersto
make electronic transactions quickly and securely. A Digital Wallet functions much like a physical
wallet.
In essence, E-walletisanelectronicservice youcan use online viaa desktop,laptop,orother mobile
device that provides internet users with a convenient way to store and use online shopping
information. It secures the owner’s payment details and passwords and permits them to initiate in
and out electronic payments. As well as stand-alone tools, e-wallets can also be linked to the user’s
bank account.
Advantages:
 Firewall encrypted security logic
 Eliminates need to repeatedly enter identifying information into forms to purchase
 Works in many different stores to speed checkout
 Compatible with many supporting hardware.
 No separate card reader is required to access our card
 The polarity reversal indicator is pre-built in our card.
 The reusability of the card is unlimited.
 Multiple card features are incorporated in the same card.
 External complexities are less
Types of E-wallet
 Based on where the information is stored:
Server-Side Electronic Wallet: A server-side E-wallet stores customer information on the remote
server belonging to a particular merchant or wallet publisher.
Client-SideElectronicWallet:A client-sideE-walletstorescustomerinformationonhis/hercomputer.
 Based on Usage:

5. Closedwallet: A closedwalletisone that a company issuesto its consumersforin-house goodsand
services only. These instruments do not carry the advantage of cash withdrawal or redemption
Semi-closed wallet: A semi-closed wallet can be used for goods and services, including financial
services,atselectmerchantlocationsorestablishmentsthathaveacontractwiththe issuingcompany
to accept these payment instruments. These instruments do not carry the advantage of cash
withdrawal or redemption
Open wallet: Such wallets can be used for the purchase of goods and services, including financial
servicessuchasfundstransferatmerchantlocationsorpoint-of-sale terminalsthatacceptcards,and
also cash withdrawals at automated teller machines or business correspondents
Q 3 what are the main challengesfacedby developingcountriesin the implementationofE-
business?
E-Business can change the economies of developing nations. It can integrate them into the global
marketwhich inturn improvesandstrengthensthe economicwell-beingof these nations.However,
the concept of E-business in these nations is a novelty, and there are also quite several
barriers/challengesthatare delayingitsgrowth,to reachitsoptimumpotential. Thesechallengescan
be categorized into two major parts that are given below;
A. Cultural issues
1. Lack of Online Culture
Electronicwayof doingbusinessisa new conceptfor the societiesof the developingnations.People
usuallybuyandsell on aface-to-facebasis.Theysee andtouch (physically)whattheywant,negotiate
on best deals and buy. This is the type of business activity they are familiar with, which is entirely
differentfrom the online wayof doing it.The ideaof buyinggoods and servicesthatcannot be seen
and touched physically is not the type of risk they can afford. They are not confident also whether
online merchants are trustworthy enough to deliver products and services as promised.
Merchants as well are afraid to sell their products over the Internet. Considering the lack of online
buying habits of society, and because of the reason that the electronic way of doing businessis not
well-known,theythinkitisahighbusinessrisktotake.Theyusuallyare notwillingtoinvest inonline
ventures. Thus, this extremely damages the growth of e-commerce in these nations.
2. Lack ofTrust
Trust isa majorissue in the online businessenvironment.Asmentionedearlier,people indeveloping
nations are not confident with the online way of doing business, and the major reasons for this are
lack of trust. Because E-business isnot a practice in these countries,andbusinessisusuallydone on
face-to-face bases, people usuallyraise trust issues. They are obligedto think about how could they
trustpeople theydonotsee andmaybe foundthousandsof kilometersaway?Besides, because there
are fewerto no policiesandlawsin most developingcountries regardingit,theyare afraid of where
to go in case of disputes/fraud.
3. Security
The biggestdrawbackof e-commerce isthe issue of security.People feartoprovide personal and
financial information,eventhoughseveral improvementshave beenmade concerningdata

6. encryption.Certainwebsites cannotconductauthentictransactions.Fearof providingcreditcard
informationand the riskof identitylimitthe growthof e-commerce.
4. Lack ofprivacy
Many websitesdonothave highencryptionfor asecure online transactionortoprotect online
identity.Some websitesillegallycollectstatisticsonconsumerswithouttheirpermission.Lackof
privacydiscouragespeopletouse the internetforconductingcommercial transactions,
5. Tax issue
Salestax is anotherbuggingissue whenthe buyerandsellerare situatedindifferentlocations.
Computationof salestax posesproblemswhenthe buyerandsellerare indifferent states. Another
factor isthat physical storeswill losebusinessif webpurchasesare free fromtax.
6. Fear
People feartooperate ina paperlessandfacelesselectronicworld.Some of the business
organizationsdonothave a physical existence,People donotknow withwhomtheyare conducting
commercial transactions.Thisaspectmakespeople opt forphysical storesforpurchases.
B. Infrastructural Issues
1. Limitedaccess to Telecommunicationinfrastructure and high cost of Internet
E-Business requirestechnological foundationstooperate smoothly.One of the majoraspectsiseasy
to access tothe Internet.Torunan online businessneedsanInternetconnectionwithstable and
highconnectionspeed.However,mostlythe Internetconnectiontype inthe developingnationsisa
dial-upconnection,whichisverylimitedandslow.Besides,the costof possessingitishigh.Thisis
anotherchallenge E-business face inthe developingnations.
2. Limitedaccess to Personal Computers/laptops
Anothermajortechnological facilityE-business need isPersonal computers/laptops.Possessing
computersisexpensive indevelopingnationsbecause theyusuallyare importedproductsfrom
developednations.
3. Lack ofElectronic payment facilities forenablingthe transfer of funds
BankingisanothermajorfacilityneededtodoE-business.Andinmostcases,the developingnations
lack thismajorfacility.Online merchantsinthesecountriesare obligedtouse bankingfacilities
offshore if theyare goingtodo businessoverthe net.
4. Product suitability
People have torelyonelectronicimagestopurchase products.Sometimes,whenthe productsare
delivered,the productmaynotmatch withelectronicimages.Finally,itmaynotsuitthe needsof
the buyers.The lack of ‘touchand feel’preventpeople fromonline shopping.
5. High Labour cost

7. A highlytalentedandtechnicallyqualifiedworkforce isrequiredtodevelopandmanage the
websitesof the organization.Since the internetprovidesalotof job opportunities,business
organizationshave toincura lot of expensestoretaina talentedpool of employees.
6. Technical limitations
Some protocol isnot standardizedaroundthe world.Certainsoftware usedby the vendortoshow
electronicimagesmaynotbe a commonone.It may notbe possible tobrowse throughaparticular
page due to a lackof standardizedsoftware.Insufficienttelecommunicationbandwidthmayalso
pose technical problems.
7. High technological cost
It isdifficulttomerge electronicbusinesswithatraditional business.Technological infrastructure
may be expensive andhuge costhasto be incurredto keeppace withever-changingtechnology.It is
necessarytoallocate more fundsfortechnological advancementtoremaincompetitiveinthe
electronicworld.
8. The weaklegal systemand policy barriers
OperatingE-businessrequires asound legal systemandpolicies.Withoutthese, itisimpossible todo
businessonline.However, developingnationsusuallylackthese majorsystemswhichinturncould
make doingE-business difficult. The cyberlawsthatgoverne-commerce transactionsare notvery
clearand vary fromcountry to country.These legal issuespreventpeople fromenteringinto
electroniccontracts.
Conclusion:
However,eventhoughdoingbusinessonline indevelopingnationsis abit tough,itis notimpossible
at all.It can be done giventhe circumstances. Butitwill require more effortto achieve success.
Besides,the industryneedstimetoutilizeitspotentials.
Q 5 Explain the role and importance of Social Media in E-business
Importance of Social Media in E-Business
Social mediaisauseful wayforbothcompaniesandcustomerstocreate anddistribute contentabout
productssold online inthe formof reviews, ratings, andphotosof the products inuse. Such content
hassignificantinfluence overpotential customers,andanybusinesswithaninternetstorefrontshould
consider e-commerce in the context of social media.
Social mediaservesavital purposeinonlinemarketingbyhelpingcompaniesestablish astrongerweb
presence,generate leads,andincreasetraffic.A well-structuredsocialmediastrategyisimportantfor
improving the development and growth of an e-commerce business. Social media continuesto gain
popularity owing to its commercial success around the world.
A significantpercentageof advertisingcampaignstake place throughsocial mediawebsites.Including
social media to advance e-commerce can be highlybeneficial. It providesan effective way to attract
the interest of the large audiences that use social media.

8. Online shoppersdemandtransparencyaboutthe productstheyare buying,sobusinessesthatdonot
have access to reviews or social media from the e-commerce platform may be at a disadvantage.
Optimized profiles and useful information will create a positive first impression for your online
business.
Social mediasitescatertoinnovative featuressuchas‘like’buttonsandcommentsectionsfrequently
usedtofacilitate conversations.Sharinginformationthroughsocialmediaisimportantbecauseof the
impact it has on the choices that people make when selecting products and services.
Incorporating Share buttons for social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter on your website will allow you to advertise a business and promote its interaction. Several
social media users make their purchases online after they share items on Pinterest, Facebook, and
Twitter. This is a clear indication of how vital social media networking is in e-commerce.
Role of Social Media in E-Business
Rapid Social Media Growth: The use of social media has witnessed rapid growth over time with
several people making purchases through it. Many businesses have opted to take advantage of the
opportunitiespresentedbysocial medianetworkstoobtainmorecustomers.Althoughsomebusiness
ownersmaybe wary aboutusingsocial media,the realityisthatit is a worthwhile inclusioninonline
marketing campaigns.
Use Social Media According to business Objectives: For a business to be able to maximize on the
potential of social media for online business, it needs to set clear objectives. Companies use social
media intending to create leads, boosting their sales, and spreading brand awareness digitally.
Social media can increase sales because a strong online presence on sites such as Facebook and
Twitter provide a cost-effective way to interact directly with prospective consumers. When you
communicate with your consumers throughsocial media networks, you can get feedback that gives
you insight into what they want.
Monitoring Social Media: Keeping track of social media as regularly as possible ensures that the
business communicateswithyourcustomersconsistently. The increaseintraffictoe-commerce sites
has resulted in significant sales for various outlets.
Inclusion of Social Media in Budget: Social media needs to be a part of the company’s marketing
budgetbecause itgives a business a powerful waytocreate a connectionwithyourtarget audience.
The contentthat you offerthroughsocial networksisjustas significantasa signat the entrance of a
store or a displayed poster.
Social mediaenhancescustomerservicebymakingyouaccessibletoyourcustomerswho tendtoseek
immediate feedback. You will be able to respond promptly to their concerns and inquiries.
Commercial Platformsfor Effective Online Marketing:Social networkshave gone beyondbeingsites
where people canfindandshare information.Theyhave evolvedintocommercial platformsthatmore
and more businessesare utilizing. Social media serves a business’s marketing strategy by easing the
process of acquiring customers, making sales, and setting up new marketing campaigns.

9. Animportantaspectof social mediaisthatit takesyoudirectlytowhere yourcustomersare.Youcan
use social medianetworkstogainabetterunderstandingof your audience.Thismakesitmucheasier
for businesses to design campaigns that are suited to their needs.
Conclusion
Social mediaplatformshave made iteasiertoreach the targetaudience.Withthe growthof popular
sitessuchasFacebook,Instagram,WhatsApp,andTwitterthereismore contentthanever.Thisiswhy
a business needs to be able to target their marketing strategy and stand out from the competition.
Internetresourcessuchassocial analyticsare availableforyoutotrackthe performance of yoursocial
marketing techniques.
Q 6 write a note on planning and designing of a website
The followingstepsare requiredto setupa basic website:
1. Define Purpose of Website
Understandingawebsite'sfunctionwill be importantas ithelpsin choosingwhichtoolstouse.
Before gettingstarted,answerthesequestionsabout the website:
Whatis the mainpurpose of the site? Isit lookingtodrive foottraffic,sell productsonline,share a
weeklymenu,acceptonline orders,orsomethingelse entirely?The answertothisquestionwill
impactwhat the hostis to be chosenas well as the site builder.
How business is currently marketed? The marketingstrategywill impactthe toolsneeded.For
example,if Instagramdrivestonsof traffic, businessesmightconsiderembedding itsInstagramfeed
on site.
Whatfunctionsdoes the site need? Is business sellingproductsonline? Itneedstochoose asite
builderandhostthat specializesine-commerce. If the questionis aboutdigitalproducts? The
business willneedthe abilitytosendfilesautomatically.
Where does the business see itself inthe next few years? What featuresormarketingstrategies
woulditlike toexplore?If acompany has planstouse paidads,for example, itmaywanttomake
sure the host selected cansupporta large increase intrafficandthe easycreationof landingpages.
2. Selecta Template/Theme
A template, alsoknown asatheme,isthe layoutof a site. A template islike the structure of one’s
house – it formsitsbasic appearance before youfillitwithall his/herbelongings. Mostplatforms
offera range of templatestochoose from, whichcome pre-filledwithexamplecontent.
Templatesare usuallydividedintoindustrycategories,makingitsupersimple tosiftthroughthem
and findonesthatare relevantto businessnature.Eachcategorywill have templateswithbuilt-in
featuresthatare relevanttothatindustry,savingthemtime andeffortof addingtheminlater.
For example,if youwantedawebsiteforyournew restaurant,youmaybrowse the templateslisted
under‘restaurant’.Mostof these will alreadyhave acontact form,menupage,andcontact details
builtintothe template,astheyare all relatedtowhata restaurantwebsite wouldrequire.

10. All templatescanbe previewedbefore the editingstarts,soa business cangeta clear ideaof whatit
lookslike –and, more importantly,whetheritfits itsneeds.
Takingforward the example of arestaurant,it isworthcheckingoutwhat other restaurants are
doing.
3. Decide Branding
Whendesigningasite, businessesshouldthinkabouthow everything itdoesrelatestothe overall
brand.Everythingfromthe colorscheme tofont style andimageryplaysapart in tellingitsbrand’s
story. Theymust be all sendingthe same message.
ColourScheme: Colourisone of the brand’sbiggestcommunicationtools.Infact,accordingto
research,a signature colorcan boostbrandrecognitionby80%.
There’sa lotof psychologybehindpeople’sperceptionof color,soit’simportanttounderstandhow
it’sused aboutan industry.Mostbrands have 1 dominantcolor,then 2 or 3 secondarycolors.
Font Style: Similartocolor,the font selected hasabig impacton whatpeople thinkabout a
website. The average website userwill readabout20% of the textonany givenpage,soit’scrucial
to entice themwithanappropriate vibe.
Logically,white-collarbusinesseswillwanttouse classicstylesof font.Fontslike Arial andHelvetica
are synonymouswithprofessionalismandtherefore make sensewhendiscussingseriousmatters.
More funor playful brand,however,maywishtoexplore more abstractfonts.It’simportantto
strike a balance betweeninterestingandreadable,though –the last thinga business wantstodois
alienate yourreadership.
Imagery: Visual contentisuseful forincreasingclicksandengagement,butona more basic level,
imagessimplystickinthe mind. Care mustbe takenas to not overload asite withimages.Lotsof
high-qualityimagesmightlookgreat,buttheycanslow downa site.
4. Choose A WebHosting Company
Settingupa website requiresthree maincomponents:ahost(whichstoreswebsite filesanddelivers
themwhenusersrequestthem),adomainname (whichservesasthe online locationof asite),anda
site builder(whichisthe tool usedtocreate pages,add copy,uploadimages,andsoforth). These
three featuresare oftenofferedwithinall-in-one packagesfromwebhosts.
To choose the right webhostfor a website, the followingpointsare considered:
Decide what type of hosting is needed: Sharedor cloudhostingischeaperandwill be sufficientfor
mostsmall businesswebsites.Hightrafficorlarge e-commerce brandsshouldconsiderdedicatedor
VPShosting.
Uptime:If the site isunavailable, business isgoingtolose money.Lookforawebhostthat offersat
least99.9% uptime andwill refundaportionof feesif theyfail tomeettheirguarantee.

11. Security: Hosts are taskedwithkeepingwebfilessecure,soahostthat cares aboutsecurity is
requiredaswell as featuressuchasan SSL certificate,firewall,andmalware protection.
Prospects: If the site isforinformational purposes,acheap,sharedhostingplanmaybe fine.
However, if there is achance that trafficwill increase substantiallyas the businessgrows thena
hostingproviderthatwill growwithyou wouldbe the bestoption.
Features: Hosts oftenofferawide range of otherproducts,including site builders,SSLcertificates
(whichgive asite the httpsprefix),free domainnames,marketingcredits,andemail hosting.Choose
a host that offerswhat a saidcompany needs.
Price range: Many hosts offerdiscountsonthe firstyearor a “free”domainname thatrenewsat a
much higherrate.Before buyingany,checkonthe renewal price for the secondyearof hosting
service.
Finally,readreviewsof eachhostingplatformbefore makinganypurchase.While movinghosts is
not impossible,itcanbe complicated.Readingreviewscanhelp abusiness avoidthe hassle.
5. Choose Site Builder
In the past,buildingawebsite wasacomplex processthatcouldtake weeks.Today,withthe helpof
templatesanddrag-and-dropsite builders, the company canbuildafunctional site injustafew
minutes.
The firststepshouldbe to see what a host offers.Manyhostingprovidersinclude aproprietarysite
builderoraccessto a third-partybuilderwith ahostingplan.
6. Outline WebPages
Afterselectingthe hostandsite builder, the nextstepis towork onwritingandcreatingthe pagesof
your site.While the numberof pageswill varydrasticallybasedon the kindof business,there are a
fewpagesthateverywebsite shouldhave. Itmustbe ina way that usersdonot have to digto find
information.If apage isimportant, itmust be includedinthe listof the mainnavigationbaror the
footer.
Main website pageseverysite must include:
1. Home Page: Thisis like anelevatorpitch orfirstimpression.Explain whatacompanyisand
itsvalues.IncludingaCTA to otherpages,suchas contact and productsor services.
2. Service or Product Pages:One page for each majorservice orproduct line thatthe business
offers mustbe included. Forexample,acafe mightinclude coffee,snacks,andcatering
pages.
3. About Us Page:A lookat the historyandthe people behind acompany.What is itsfounding
story?What background that needs tobe shared?
4. Contact Page: How can site visitorsreach the saidcompany?The contact page may include
an online form,phone number,address,hours,andembeddedGoogle map.

12. 5. Privacy statement: Thisisthe page where the company explainswhatinformation itgathers
fromsite visitorsandwhat it doeswiththe information.
7. Optimizinga website
Most userslocate the informationtheyneedbytyping(orspeaking) asearchintoGoogle.For
example,afamilylookingforachildren'sclothingstore mighttype in"kidsclothingnearme."
Google usesmore than 200 factors to determine whatsite toshow,andoptimizing asite will give it
a betterchance of rankingwell for itsindustryandlocation.The toolsusedtooptimize asite will
dependonboththe site builderandthe host ituses.
8. Setup payment processor (ifneeded)
If a business planstosell productsonline orallow foronlineordering,then itssite willneedawayto
accept payments.
Popularpaymentoptionsinclude PayPal,Stripe,andSquare, inthe contextof PakistanEasyPaisa,
Jazz Cash,etc.thoughthere are plentyof otherpaymentprocessoroptions. The hostusedmay
provide ane-commerce option,aswell.
Whenselectingapaymentprocessor,considerhow the targetaudience preferstopayand alsohow
much eachprocessorcharges.
9. Analyze and Improvement
It’simportantto keeptrackof how a website isperforming.Mostplatformshave theirbuilt-in
analytics,orat leasthave an app business caninstall.Alternatively, the business canconnectyour
site to Google Analytics,so itcantrack thingslike:
o How manypage views it’sgetting?
o The amount of time users isspendingoneachpage
o What the bounce rate is
o Conversionrate (forE-commerce)
These stats,knownas behavioral metrics,helpgiveanideaof whichwebpagesneedsome
attention.Theyalsohelpspotwhere businessesneedtoimprove yourSEO (SearchEngine
Optimization).