More and more often it is said that if someone is not on the Internet, he does not exist. Certainly, the more time we spend here, the closer this statement is to the truth. Currently, the world relies so heavily on information contained in the web that information outside it is gradually losing its importance. In the Internet, we are looking not only for entertainment or contact with people, but also for practical data on basically any topic. So should every business have its own website?
Do you need a website?
Some owners of “analog”, traditional and local businesses still remain technology-resistant and do not run their own websites. The reasons they mention? “I don’t know anything about it”, “why do I need this?”, “I don’t have time to play it”, “it won’t change anything” and the like. If a given company has good opinions and information about it is transferred to the so-called through word of mouth, it actually gets the impression that it does not need additional promotion. But is it really? After all, you can always have more customers, and in the event of too many orders, expand your business, raise prices or otherwise increase your profits.
What does the website give? About ¾ of consumers admit that they make purchasing decisions based on information found on the Internet. The public has become accustomed to thinking that this is where all the information is. This is why your business for many customers simply does not exist if it does not function in any way in virtual space. It may even arouse suspicion, as the website is the first step in verifying the company and its integrity. Some may argue that since no specific data can be found about business, it is unreliable. In addition, when searching for specific phrases related to your business, they will go to the competition and probably never use your services again.
Theoretically, a website is not required, especially if you manage to reach customers in a different way. Experts agree, however, that it is worth having it to build a professional image and win new orders.
Advantages of a corporate website
Need a stronger motivation? There are many advantages to having a corporate website, and the reasons why you should start one. You will find them below!
Reliable information
This is something we already mentioned above. Your own website is the best way to present information about the company – the most reliable, because it comes directly from the owner. You can present the values you follow when running a business. What is even more important, however, you can present your full offer with their detailed description, photos or other important information that interests potential customers. If you frequently answer the same questions, the website is a great place to post a comprehensive explanation.
Visibility
As we have already explained, nowadays customers mainly look for information online. So if you want to be found, you must appear in it! Your own website is the best way. You can take care of its optimization in terms of the requirements of the search engine, i.e. Google. Skillful activities in this area (preferably hire a specialist) will help you appear in high positions in the search results of specific terms related to the company’s operations.
Advertisement
Your own website is simply advertising. In addition, the best because it is effective and gives great opportunities. You can control the message that appears on your website, and by using additional marketing tools (e.g. paid Google promotion) you can reach a large number of potential customers with it. It is also worth remembering that the company’s website on the Internet, although it can be considered a form of advertising, is not intrusive or irritating like spots on TV and radio, billboards or leaflets handed out on the street. Thanks to this, you drastically reduce the risk that customers will become discouraged by your company due to intensively conducted promotional activities. It is also worth remembering that most effective ads should lead to your website. Customers are used to it and you can then perfectly measure the effectiveness of your advertising.
Credibility
We have mentioned this before. Nowadays, the inability to find company data is just suspicious. It has already been accepted that every decent company has its own website and cares about its image, which plays a very important role. Customers want to consciously make purchasing decisions, so they compare offers on the Internet and seek opinions on given entrepreneurs before they trust them. Not having a website usually puts you out of the race for a customer on the run, and it certainly doesn’t help you prove your credibility.
Global reach
This point may not be relevant for everyone, but for some companies it can be of great importance. The Internet knows no geographic restrictions, so with your own website you can go much further than in the “analog” world. Even if you run a local business, you may be able to expand it with customer service from other regions or even countries. At present, the world is getting smaller in this respect. New outlets, on the other hand, can prove extremely helpful in difficult times and help to become a bit more resistant to economic fluctuations.
Contact with the customer
If you meet clients on a daily basis, you may feel that you don’t need an additional communication channel. However, this is a mistake, because on the Internet you can confront many more opinions, questions and doubts. Perhaps you can find out why some people are reluctant to accept your offer and help them change their mind. Therefore, contact details should always be displayed on the website – preferably there should be several channels, so that everyone can choose any form of communication. For large companies, it is a good idea to provide separate contact details for each department so that questions and opinions go where they should be. If you run a stationary business, do not forget to include a map with the locations of your headquarters so that you can easily find it.
Availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
What hours does your company work, when can you visit it, call it or get an e-mail response? Most businesses operate from a few to several hours a day, which may make it difficult for some potential clients to familiarize themselves with their offer or use it. Meanwhile, the website is available all the time. The offer can be checked at any time as well as other important information. If you adapt it to do so, the site can also collect orders and inquiries continuously. It is a convenience for the customer and more profit for you!
Task automation
The website allows you to perform some repetitive tasks much more conveniently thanks to automation. Collect orders or registrations via e-shop, form or other similar solutions, make important documents available for general use, and answer frequently asked questions in the FAQ section. These are procedures that the agency that runs the website can successfully deal with, thus relieving your team.
Save time
The above point is also related to the next one. A well-structured website is a great help for an entrepreneur. You can include everything that customers usually ask for, present all products and services in detail and explain any inaccuracies related to, for example, their implementation. Thanks to this, you and your employees can save a lot of time usually devoted to this type of activity. As a result, it is possible to use it much more efficiently – in accordance with the company’s needs.
Competitiveness
Let’s face it – your competition probably already has its own website. If you don’t want to be left behind, there’s only one solution – you should join her. Many customers are looking for information on specific products or services on the web. If he does not find you there, he will definitely take advantage of the competition’s offer.
Analytics
Accurate knowledge of your company’s customer profile, their needs, preferences and habits allows you to conduct much more effective sales. Online tools make it extremely easy to obtain information about your target group, which makes it easier to reach them. Thanks to, for example, Google Analytics, check who, when, from where and how comes to your website. You can also use your own surveys, ratings and comments as well as other systems to check the quality of the offer and its adaptation to the needs of customers. Thanks to this, you will be able to improve it and thus increase your profits.
Low cost of customer acquisition
As we mentioned at the beginning, some skeptics say they cannot afford the website. In fact, it is a very cheap solution, especially since creating a website is a one-time expense. Yes, in the case of complex websites it can be quite a lot, but most small businesses need a very simple business card website that can be built at a low cost. Thanks to CMS systems, it is possible even for free and without specialist programming knowledge (just working with a computer and the Internet). In addition, you only need to pay a small annual fee for the domain and hosting. Of course, you can allocate additional funds to run, update, optimize or promote it, but it is not necessary. The website is available all the time and constantly works on your reputation and attracts new customers. It is the cheapest form of promotion, which becomes more and more profitable with time.
Maybe social media is enough?
Social media is often used as an alternative to websites. Some small businesses decide only to run a website on the most popular Facebook page in our country, thus communicating with customers. At first glance, it seems to be a beneficial solution – Facebook costs nothing (although it offers the possibility of paid promotion), it is easy to use and you can manage the website yourself. In practice, however, it turns out to have many disadvantages. Firstly, most customers, when looking for a specific product or service, enter a given phrase in Google or in marketplaces. Thus, it receives results mainly consisting of well-positioned websites or sponsored links. It is impossible to carry out extensive SEO and SEM activities for a Facebook page. Moreover, it does not look particularly professional and does not necessarily inspire confidence.
In addition, Facebook is primarily suitable for ongoing communication. However, it is difficult to put all important information on it in such a way that the customer has free access to it. Moreover, despite the huge popularity of the website, not everyone uses it, which narrows the group of recipients of the published content.
It is also worth mentioning that when using Facebook, you have to adapt to its requirements, and the published content does not really belong to you. Sometimes the website may be blocked, and then customers will be deprived of the only source of information about the company and its offer. Therefore, a page on the portal should be treated only as a complement to the activity on the Internet – a place to interact with users and provide current information. However, it definitely should not replace a website.
Company website – it doesn’t have to be difficult
As you can see, a website for a company is not an obligation, but a highly recommended tool that brings many benefits. Remember, however, that creating and running it doesn’t have to be difficult! In many cases, a simple business card with basic information and data is enough. Then you don’t have to worry about high costs. Certainly, an investment in a website is a much better idea than the one aimed at other types of advertising (leaflets, announcements, posters, billboards, etc.).
