For businesses to succeed in today’s economy, "you’ve got to have a website," consultant Marc Willson said during a seminar in Gloucester Monday.

Hosted by the Gloucester Economic Development Authority at the Gloucester Main Street Event Space, the seminar was geared for general businesses in the morning session and for retail service businesses in the afternoon. Willson, who led both sessions, is a professor at George Mason University and retail consultant for the Virginia Small Business Development Center.

In current times so heavily reliant on the internet, Willson said, a website for your business is "a must have." He recommended websites be at least four pages to provide full graphics and details about a business. Even better, he said, might be including a short, perhaps 30-second, video at the site, telling about products or containing an endorsement from satisfied customers.

While using websites is "the future of retail," Willson recommended local businesses continue to advertise with traditional methods, such as the local newspaper, to reach people who might not be as internet savvy.

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