Why successful local businesses still need a website.
It is surprising to many that there are thousands of successful businesses operating without a website. For many consumers it’s as if they don’t exist. Over the years as a Brisbane Web Development company, we’ve had several discussions with small business operators who just don’t see the necessity in a web presence. They might enjoy a busy, established local business in a trade or retail environment. “I’m busy enough as it is,” is a common statement.
What they’re not taking into consideration is the opportunity to expand, scale their business, decrease their workload and build consumer trust in their brand.
81% of consumers will conduct research online prior to contacting a business. Four out of five people will use Google to find local business information. They are the facts.
By going on the web, your business is open to a larger and wider market. Essentially you’re able to remain ‘open to the public’ 24hrs a day, 7 days a week promoting your service to your broader audience. The right website can help you pick and choose your clients, rather than the other way around. Quite simply, if you’re competitors are online, you need to be too.
Not just any website is going to help your business. If the design is not developed with both client and user in mind, it will not serve any function. Web success requires a feature-rich, user-friendly and high-quality website. Your brand image should extend across different channels in the digital marketplace and allow the 81% of people that conduct their research online, to find you.
The most common technical problem existing within yesterday’s websites, is that they may not be mobile responsive. In an era where we can conduct an entire day’s errands on our phones, your website must be mobile ready and functional. If your competitors website was not designed or re-designed in the last five years, chances are, it is not mobile responsive. Even an established and trusted website will not succeed if users can’t interact with it easily on mobile or tablet.
Those whose competitors have been online for years, have a very real opportunity to develop a site that will leave their competitions dated presence far behind. Google will always give preference in searches to fast, responsive websites who offer users the answers they’re searching for. Design, content, search engine optimization, responsiveness, speed and usability are the ingredients you need.
A modern website encompassing the latest in digital trends and technologies, must come equipped with ease of use, simple navigation, a simple outline of services or products and relevant, consistent content pertinent to your brand. You may be surprised how affordable such a site is now for a professional Web Development Company Perth or Digital Marketing Agency to produce.
And we guarantee you’ll be surprised at the new opportunities a great website present to your business. Are you among the 81% of users that will use Google to search for such an agency? We bet you are.