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engine optimization (SEO) is the science of placing keywords throughout your site in order to have your site show up as one of the first responses to a search. For example, with SEO, if you sell homemade soap and someone searched for “homemade soap,” you would be competing with about 470,000 entries. If your site appears even halfway up the list, chances are no one is going to find you. Search engine optimization enhances your ability to move up the list.
    There are programs available that can help you set up a shopping cart on your site. The price of the software is often tied to the functionality ofthe product, but a simple shopping cart program can start as low as $20 a month.
    Another thing you need to consider is how will you ensure a secure transaction once someone has placed an item in the shopping cart. There are only a small number of secure payment services that allow you to accept credit card and electronic check payments quickly and affordably. Because it is so easy to steal credit card and banking information, if you want to have an online store, you must have a secure payment area. You can also consider vendors like PayPal, but you should consider the cost of the service and how much that will take from your bottom line.
    If you don’t want to go to the expense of creating your own website, you can sell your products through a number of other sites. Although you may be familiar with eBay, you may not know about Etsy . www.etsy.com ). Etsy specializes in offering handmade and vintage products from people all around the world. Founded in 2005, it now boasts thousands of sellers. One of the remarkable features of this website is the ability for buyers to find sellers in their own communities. So, not only can you reach out to the world, your local buyers can find you too. Etsy.com is also a good place to browse to get ideas for handmade items you could create and get a measurement of how you can price them.
    There are a number of websites that offer services similar to Etsy.com . Just do a search on “buy and sell online craft stores” and decide which site, or which number of sites, works best for you.

CHAPTER 4
There’s No Place Like Home
    One of the biggest decisions you will make when choosing to move off grid is where, exactly, you are going to move. Many details should factor into this decision: price, climate, location, geographical issues, and population. This is not a decision to be made lightly because this, hopefully, will be a place where you will stay for the rest of your life. This chapter will explore the particulars of choosing the right piece of property for you and your family.
    The Perfect Piece of Land
    When you are looking for a piece of property, make a list of the features you will need. Are you planning on growing crops or raising livestock? Do you need some acreage in trees to feed your wood-burning stove? Do you need level fields for planting, or hilly pastures for grazing? Do you want a water source, like a pond or creek, on your property? Does the property have outbuildings like a barn or stables on it already, or are you willing to build your own?
    Determine the acreage needed for tillable land and pasture. Make sure you understand the soil composition in your prospective property—is it sandy, clay, silty, or loamy? This will make a difference in the kinds of crops you decide to grow. Look to the future. As you consider your property, ask yourself if there is room for eventual expansion, should you choose to add to your property.
    Understand your water rights. In many states, even though the water runs through your property, you don’t own the rights to it. You may also find you don’t own the rights to drill for water on your property. Obviously, these are good things to know before you buy. Last, but not least, consider your alternative energy needs. Is this property in an area that has enough sunlight for solar, enough wind for turbines, or is it located in an area where