Yes you do, that’s the short answer. There aren’t many businesses that can survive without a Web presence, and there’s no reason not to have a website. Your company’s website can be a highly effective marketing tool and it can be very cost-efficient. There are quite a few benefits, and very little downside.
Ten Things Your Website Can Do (for Starters)
There are many things you can do with your website, here are 10 to begin with:
- Create a presence. Who knows about your business? Where can prospects and clients go to learn more? Your website can help establish your business as a going concern, communicate your brand value proposition and it can convey professionalism. It also extends your reach to anyone in the world.
- Help build trust. New clients and prospects might want to know about your business history and your expertise and specialization. This is a great vehicle for people to learn more and attain that comfort level they seek.
- Get listed on search engines. Build your website incorporating search engine optimization (SEO) techniques so that you can easily be found by people searching for relevant key words. This can be an important gateway to expanding your business.
- Point of contact. Your website provides customers an easy way to contact you and learn more about your products, services and business.
- Leverage social networks. Implement a social media strategy to reach a larger audience and to create more buzz about your biz. Establish your presence on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. Facebook likes and shares can drive people to your website. Links to popular or topical items from or to your website will add to its relevance.
- Sell products. If your business lends itself to online sales, create a virtual store as an alternative or complement to a storefront or office location.
- Share the latest news. Whenever there are new developments regarding your business, update your website. Sites that have fresh, relevant and timely information draw users back more often.
- Blog. Keep your website fresh and keep drawing people in with regular Blog posts. Show your expertise and share insights and provide practical tips on topics relevant to your business and of interest to your customers.
- Learn about customers. Learn about their needs, preferences, and interests. Establish and nurture two-way communication with prospects and clients to forge a deeper bond and to serve them better.
- Customer convenience. Providing customers with multiple ways to interact with your business is almost mandatory these days. Anything less could result in lost sales.