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Prerequisites:

None

Faculty Name & Info:

W. Kent Lundin

Office:

Smith 312
(208) 496-2063

Email:

lundink@byui.edu

Office Hours:

8:30-10:00 am MW, 3:00-4:00 TT

Text:

Online

Course Description--Web Business I

This course is designed for any student interested in building a web-based business.  Students will go through the necessary steps to build and launch a web-based business that is capable of accepting online payments.

Objectives

Students should accomplish the following:

  1. Learn, do, and develop a system to choose, set up, and run an online business.
  2. Learn, do, and develop a system to drive traffic the the online business.

Evaluation  

 

Points

4 Projects @ 100 pts. each

400

4 Team Project @ 50 pts. each

200

Participation (regular comments--that help the class)

200

Peer Evaluation Varies 0 pts. (Based on averages, zero sum per team)

+ or - 25

TOTAL

800 pts

Grades

 

B+ 87%

C+ 77%

D+ 67%

F <60%

A  93%

B   83%

C   73%

D   70%

 

A- 90%

B- 80%

C- 70%

D- 60%

 

NOTE:  No rounding--if you get 89.999999%, that is a B+

Class Policies

Late assignments will be marked down by 20%   No work accepted more than one week late.  

If an assignment is late due to a medical emergency or family tragedy, leave a message on my answering machine and I will work with you.  Trips home, etc are not excuses for late work unless emergencies exist, so plan accordingly.  You may turn work in early if you are planning to miss a class.                          

The Code of Honor and Dress & Grooming standards apply and will be enforced.    Academic honesty is required and any violation with be dealt with according to the University Academic Honesty Policy

Policy on Sexual Discrimination/Harassment

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an education program or activity that receives federal funds, including Federal loans and grants. Title IX also covers student-to-student sexual harassment. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please contact the Personnel Office at 496-1130.

Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, 496-1158. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by this office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Personnel Office at 496-1130.

 B 250 Tentative Class Schedule

Tools and Resources

M W

T T

 

9/8

9/9

Orientation Project Rules

9/10

9/11

Choosing a business--Business Model and General Criteria
Objective: Determine were to start when choosing an online business
Preparation: 02.COM The Case of the Online Business Part I rewrite to highlight different business model
In Class: Case Discussion
Take away: Document that outline what we need to know to choose a business.  The document will be posted on the website so students can research the topics for next meeting.

9/15

9/16

Choosing a business
Objective: develop a system/approach to evaluating online business ideas
Preparation: Research Topic from choosing a business criteria Choosing an Online Business Criteria document from previous class period.
In Class: Discuss what the class discovered and introduce the Individual project Project 1: Choosing and Sourcing a Business & Group product 1: Choosing and Sourcing a Business
Reference: Choosing a Online Business
Reference: Entrepreneur.com 3 pointers for Choosing an Business to Start & Opportunity Recognition

9/17

9/18

Choosing a business—Demand and Competition Combine this and previous day
Objective:  to learn how to determine levels of demand and competition
Preparation: 02.COM Case Part II—introduction to SEM, mostly PPC
In-class: start searching, discuss with study group, discuss with class.
Big question how do they come up with ideas.

9/22

9/23

Sourcing the Product
Objective: Learn how to find a supplier
Preparation: Do the Supplier Exercise and be prepared to present your finding in class.
References: Alibaba.com, globalsources.com,

9/24

9/25

Choosing and Sourcing a Business
Project workday

9/29

9/30

Mini Marketing Plan
Objective: Learn how to create a mini marketing plan for your business
Preparation: 02.COM Case Part III

Due: Individual and Group Projects Due

10/1

10/2

Building the website
Objective: Be able to choose a website host
Preparation: Go to http://www.top10hostinglist.com/ and http://www.prostores.com/shopping_carts_packages.html and/or http://www.volusion.com/ and/or http://www.lunarpages.com/basic-hosting/ and/or do a search to find a place to host your website.  Be prepared to tell how you choose a host or have specific questions about choosing a host.

10/6

10/7

Choosing a Site Builder
Objective: Be able to choose a site builder
Preparation: Site Builder Research/Exercise

10/8

10/9

Start Building Site
Objective: To get students to start building their websites
Preparation: Site Design Research/Exercise

10/13

1/14

Payments
Objective: To understand the options for receiving payment on a website.
Preparation: Credit Card Payment

10/15

10/16

Work Day/ Comm Day/ Econ Day

10/20

10/21

Legal Structure & DBA's
Objective: Become informed enough to decide on a legal structure for their web business
Preparation: Go to Idahobizhelp.org: Legal Structure and DBA's be prepared to tell what legal structure you choose for your business and why.  If you choose a type of corporation or a limited liability company look into how to form it.
Introduction: Individual Project #3: Regulatory Requirements
Due: Site Building Individual Project #2
Reference: Idaho Secretary of State Business Entities

10/22

10/23

Forms, Fees, and Applications
Objective: to know what forms, fees, and applications are needed to ensure your web business is legal.
Preparation: Go to the forms, fees, and applications research/exercise
Reference: Idaho Sales Tax info Idaho Tax Commission's Retailers Sales Tax Brochure

10/27

10/28

Learn about AdWords
Preparation: Learn about AdWords and View the "Getting Started with Google AdWords" video
Class Resource: AdWords Learning Center (Go through as much of these as you would like) Lesson Catalog
In-class exercise: Create a Google AdWords campaign instructions

10/29

10/30

Workday

11/3

11/4

Keywords and Basics
Note: Bring your laptop to class so you can do the in class exercise
Preparation: Read at least steps 1-3 in Tips for Success, read "What are the steps to creating a keyword list?" and "What are keyword matching options?"
Advanced Preparation: Read as much of Generating and Editing Keywords as you can handle.  Read Komarketing Associates 200+ Negative Keywords to Consider for B2B PPC for negative keyword ideas.
In-class exercise: Keywords

11/5

11/6

Ads and Ad Groups
Preparation: Reads AdWords text ad policies (learn the rules) and  Writing Targeted Ad Text (Strategies for good ads) and skim Product Policy and Keywords (check to see if your product is OK--you will need to click on the Adwords Policy link)
Advance Preparation(optional): Read 31 Killer writing AdWords Ads Tips and/or 12 Tips To Writing Effective Google Adwords Select Ads and/or Advanced Adwords
In-class exercise: Write an ad for one of your ad groups
GO LIVE WITH SITE

11/10

11/11

Pricing and Ranking and Quality Score
Preparation: View the Paying for AdWords video (or read the text) and Quality and Performance Basics
Advanced preparation (optional): Read What is Quality Score and how is it calculated? and if you really want to understand quality scores read How to Master the Google Landing Page Quality Score and Note on Changes to Quality Score
In-class exercise: Start your AdWords account today

11/12

11/13

ROI and Conversion Tracking
Objective: Learn how to track conversions so you can learn to increase in ROI for an Adwords campaign
Preparation: View Understanding ROI (text) and read Introduction to Conversion Tracking and view Getting your Conversion Tracking Code (text)

Advanced Preparation: Read Using Conversion Data to Improve Your ROI and/or Introduction to Advanced Conversion Tracking and AdWords Conversion Tracking and Google Checkout

Introduce: Individual Project #3 Starting an Adwords Campaign  Due on Friday 11/14
Reference: Conversion tracking setup guide

11/17

11/18

Basic SEO
Preparation: Read SEO Basics Tutorial (the whole things--see the links at the bottom.) 
Advanced Preparation: SEOmoz.org Beginners Guide to SEO
Reference: Google and Flash Google Webmaster Guidelines

11/19

11/20

Optimizing Ad Performance
Objective: Learn to optimize your AdWords campaign and your website to better accomplish your campaign goals
Preparation: View Preparing to Optimize (text) and Choosing Landing Pages (text) and Account Optimization (text) and Advance Optimization Features (text) and Optimizing Ad Position, Position Preference (text) and Increasing Traffic/Clicks (text) and Increasing Conversions (text) and Adjusting CPCs to Maximize ROI (text)
Reference: Read Campaign Optimizer and run it on at least one of your campaigns
Introduce AdWords Project xlsx file xls file

11/24

11/25

Thanksgiving Week

11/26

11/27

Thanksgiving Week

12/1

12/2

Landing Page Optimization and Website Optimizer
Read Landing Page and Site Quality Guidelines, view Google Website Optimizer Overview, View A/B Experiment with Google Website Optimizer , view Creating Multivariate Experiments,
Advanced Preparation:  View What to Test, view Google Trifecta for your Website, and read the Website Optimizer part of 101 Easy Ways to Use Google Website Optimizer 

12/3

12/4

Web Analytics

12/8

12/9

Web Analytics

12/10

12/11

Search Engine Marketing Project Due

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Last updated: 11/20/2008