Having a professionally built and well maintained website can help you gain a competitive advantage against your competition, while also improving your business image and credibility. Developing a website offers extensive benefits; from helping you to get more leads and prospects, increase your sales, enhance your professional brand, gain credibility and also help improve your customers service.
By having a website, you increase your visibility. Although there is a cost involved in the design and build of your website, once its up running, not only will you save money, but when you consider the potential market you can reach with it, allowing your business to break through the geographical barriers and became accessible from anywhere in the world, it’s a very cost effective way to promote your business.
It is always accessible. A website is available to customers 24/7/365, providing them with the convenience of reviewing your services and products, even when your business office is closed. And with today’s busy lifestyles, a website is a great selling point when making a purchase decision from the comfort of your home.
A website targets a wider market. It’s a great place to promote your business. Whether you are selling products or services, with a website you can made them available globally. No matter what type of business you are in, a website is a great place to showcase your work.
A well designed, well produced website can make a start-up business or any business, look and perform like a seasoned pro. When you create compelling content, including an image gallery of your products and services, a layout that is engaging, inviting and informational, with the right intuitive navigation system, you build your brand, you build authenticity and authority with the search engines as well as your visitors. Your blogs, your articles, general information and products descriptions show that you know your subject and your information becomes truth worthy. Now, you are improving your business image and credibility.
A website will save you time, money and improves productivity. Providing information to customers takes time; telephone calls, face to face meetings and answering emails, to mention just a few. With an online catalogue of your products and services, you can provide all the information your customers need 24/7, saving you time and providing the opportunity to engage better with your customers, giving them an excellent service.
A website can therefore become your online sales brochure with contents that can be changed or updated at any time, unlike printed material. If you use a content management system (CMS), you can make changes quickly and as often as you require. A CMS should be easy to use and if maintained properly, your website will be always up-to-date. Business owners can make updates and edits, easily from any computer or even a mobile. You wont have to pay a developer every time you want to change or update a product.
Always require a responsive design when having your website built. There was a time when we could only have access to a website that was best seen on a desktop. Not anymore. Responsive websites allow your information to be seen on a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Responsive websites intelligently resize and format your content for the size of the screen the site is being view on, so all your information can be seen and read clearly.
Google Analytics. By adding an analytics tool like Google analytics, you will have a powerful tool that will inform you of your visitors, their locations, demographics and so much more. Without a website… you will not be able to track this information.
Make sure you own your internet identity. Your own domain name establishes a strong online brand identity. You can set up a personalised emails addresses for the company, yourself and your employees, helping you to build your credibility as a brand.
Also, if you move your business to a new location, your customers will still be able to find you because your main marketing tool, your business website, is easily accessible. If your Search Engine Optimisation, SEO, is done properly, your business will appear to online visitors who search for you. There isn’t a magic wand to make your site number one in the search rankings, but having a properly formatted site that is mobile friendly, with descriptive relevant content will certainly help your ranking.
A website Improves customers service. This is perhaps one of the most important benefits, as excellent customer service will increase your sales and increase your revenue. Information requests can be processed immediately and electronically. Special bonus or deals can be positioned on the site and delivered to customers through emails and text messages. Creating a comprehensive FAQ page where customer’s reviews and concerns can be gathered online and action can be quickly taken. Encouraging a two-way communication by employing chat tools, enquiry forms, surveys, articles, blogs, newsletters, forums, etc., that customers can quickly and easily access. Also by adding sign-up forms to your website you are able to automate the collection of email addresses to add to your email marketing list for customers who are interested in what you have to offer.
The reality is, in this advanced digital world, if you do not have a website, your company is at a huge disadvantage.