Doing business today almost demands a website. And that means both large and small businesses. More than 70 percent of small businesses will have a web presence by the end of this year, up from just 35 percent in 2002, according to a recent Harris Interactive study. Yet small businesses can feel priced out in a market where the costs can quickly run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Smart web marketers have noticed, and a raft of new and old players have added low-cost website design and hosting services for small businesses. Gary Alec Spies opened YourWebPro.com two years after working for a large custom website builder and dealing with small-business owners’ frustrations with the cost hurdle. Established giants like Yahoo (SiteBuilder) and Affinity Internet (CreateIt Site Builder) are also offering sites for less than $100 per month. The market is so lucrative that even Costco and Sam’s Club have jumped in to offer customers business websites. With those prices, we’ll take two.
— BETH SNYDER BULIK